#hectichoods

Let's take a look at where and when makeup originated, and how it received all of its social connotations that is has today. Makeup was first worn in Ancient Egypt by both men and women. Scented oils were used to mask body odors and soften the skin. Chinese men and women colored their nails, Greek and Japanese people used powder to get paler complexions.̀¹ˊ So why is it that in the beginning of cosmetics, all genders used it freely, but in today's society it weakens masculinity for men and triggers slut-shaming for women? Throughout the evolution of society, patriarchy has made its way into the minds of the worldwide population more and more. This hierarchy, which was once was triggered simply by physical capacity now had internalized misogyny supporting it. Men were accorded power, and in turn, women were degraded into simple objects: they stood home, took care of the chores and the kids, and looked pretty. It was this process of thought that associated makeup directly to women, and since patriarchy viewed this gender as the weaker one, makeup was therefore accorded to weakness and not to strength or power, which is why many men are being judged and criticized by society today. This issue needs to be addressed mainly due to the fact that members of the LGBTQ+  community have more and more freedom to express themselves, but transgender and gay men, who already go through far more than the privileged straight cisgender men, should not have to be judged for wearing makeup to express themselves or to feel closer to the gender or the sexuality that they choose to identify with. For women, makeup has different connotations: a woman who doesn't wear “enough” makeup according to society doesn't take care of herself, whereas a woman who wears “too much”, is a victim of slut-shaming. She gets called “fake” and a liar simply due to the fact that she chooses to express herself through the method of doing her makeup.

Now, let me explain why makeup should not be underestimated and have as much value as other forms of art. Makeup is a form of art and expression. It is a talent. It is a job. Some people might be good at drawing, and some might make incredible music. I cannot draw, and make mediocre music, but among many others, I can do makeup. It is a talent and it is, I repeat, a form of art, because makeup means enhancing and accentuating your best features, and canceling out the ones you judge to be your worst. It's transforming your features: hollowing your cheekbones, thinning your nose, making your eyes more dramatic and your lips more innocent. Doing your makeup means using colours to make something out of a surface, and isn't that what art is? The Oxford Dictionary defines art as “The expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power.”ˋ²ˊ Isn't makeup  product of skill and imagination? It is certainly very visual, and appreciated for its beauty. I will also get to its emotional value later on in my essay. We can clearly see that makeup matches up perfectly to the official definition of art, so why is it not as appreciated as other forms of it? Why is it still a controversy in our society?

Lastly, I would like to talk about how makeup can empower a person and help them accept themselves. If this topic sounds familiar to you, it might be because you watched Buzzfeed's video titled “How Makeup Empowers You”ˋ³ˊ which has, in fact, inspired this essay. A person cannot be perfect. We all come with flaws and quirks; vices and virtues. Many things that trigger our low self-esteem and insecurity are only seen by ourselves: no one that we see actually takes the time to examine that one pimple that we have, or to judge the dark circles under our eyes. We are our biggest critic, and that is why having a better vision of ourselves can make a huge difference in our self-confidence. Simply by liking our own appearance, by loving ourselves, we can gain a huge amount of self-esteem, which can then help us gain social skills, and give us amazing opportunities. We can change our lives simply by loving ourselves, and makeup can help. Liking ourselves with makeup on can be the first step to liking ourselves without it; to loving ourselves, to changing our lives, and that is why anyone who starts to wear makeup for themselves should not be judged and brought down, but encouraged; because they are taking steps towards liking themselves, towards looking in the mirror and being able to say, “I love me.”