Some women wake up and walk out of the house with no makeup on to start their day. Other women spend time applying makeup every morning before they leave the house. Let’s be clear, both are fabulous.
I normally wear makeup on a daily basis if I plan on leaving the house. Some days you wake up really late or just don’t want to put in the effort of applying makeup. It’s clear that my family, classmates, friends and co-workers got used to seeing me in makeup all the time because whenever I’d show up without any makeup on, someone would make a comment.
Makeup isn’t essential. It’s just a fun way to accentuate certain parts of your face. Here are some reminders of what you shouldn’t say to someone who isn’t wearing makeup.
1. “You look tired.”
Um, thanks? Whether I feel tired or not, I don’t really want to hear that I look tired. You’re kind of telling me I look like shit. How about asking if I want to go on a coffee run instead?
2. “Are you sick?”
No, I’m not sick. I normally have bags under my eyes. Thank you very much.
3. “Where are your eyebrows?”
My eyebrows are naturally bleach blonde, so I understand that you can’t see them from across the room and you’re probably used to me filling them in with a darker tint. My eyebrows just aren’t on fleek today, OK? They’re not even on, so give me a break.
4. “Did you always have those spots on your face?”
Whether you’re pointing out acne, moles, freckles or beauty marks, can you just not? Foundation and concealer cover a lot, but a completely blemish-free face is hard to achieve.
5. “You look different.”
Rather than just say someone looks different, ask what they did differently or give them a compliment. Try, “You look like you’re glowing today,” or “Did you do something different with your makeup?” Those are a little easier to digest than a vague, “You look different.”
6. “You look better without makeup.”
Women are beautiful with or without makeup. When you tell someone they look better without makeup, it could be mildly offensive. Sometimes you use makeup to hide flaws, but other times you use it to express creativity. So don’t just assume people wear makeup to make themselves look “better.”
7. “You shouldn’t wear so much makeup.”
Oh, save me an eye roll. Makeup can be empowering. Sometimes you want to wear a lot of makeup and sometimes you don’t want to wear any at all. Quit your shaming.
If you normally wear makeup, I challenge you to not wear it for a few days and see the types of reactions you get. Also, some makeup-free days will give your face a nice break.
If you normally don’t wear makeup, I challenge you to wear makeup daily for a few days and see the types of reactions you get.
Most importantly, remember to respect makeup mavens and makeup-free beauties alike.
