Thought of the Day: Armored Girl
I was told to set up a good foundation… on my face (yes, I clearly intended the bad pun there).
"Make-up is a woman's battle armor. When you're heading into battle, make sure to wear it. If you do, you'll never cry. If you cry, your make-up will fall apart. Regardless of how light the make-up, the results would be disgraceful. So regardless of how difficult things are, you absolutely will not cry." - Kouchou
I was not a fan of plastering my face with layers of artificial coloring, but as the days pass on with me practicing its art, I slowly unraveled the reason behind such act.
A woman applying makeup is sort of like a man donning armor to prepare himself for battle. Makeup gives you confidence. It helps you exude the best possible version of yourself.
And confidence is a good thing to have on the battlefield.
When you put on makeup, you’re saying, “Here I am. I took three minutes today for myself because, you know what, I deserve it.”
If that’s not demonstrating self-esteem, I don’t know what is.
Makeup doesn’t just transform you on the outside. It transforms you from within, filling you with a sense of empowerment and strength, and that’s a beautiful thing.
Let's first talk about some make-up.
For me, eye-liner is like underwear. I pretty much don’t leave home without it.
In fact, I can’t think of the last time I stepped out in public without applying some form of makeup. I have no deep-rooted fear of being ostracized by society, were I to dare bare my face sans maquillage. I don’t think I’m ugly without it. It just makes me feel like I’m presenting a slightly better version of my natural self; even if the difference is only noticeable to the discerning eye. The point is that a harmless touch of makeup makes me feel better. I wear it for myself, not for anybody else. And while I don’t subscribe to the notion that makeup can single-handedly make a woman beautiful or enhance her self-worth, it can at times boost her self-esteem or lift her spirits, particularly on bad days. Yet makeup can only fix so much if you don’t take care of your skin - and your well-being in general. If you're unhappy with yourself, there’s not much an Avon Eye Palette can do. That sought-after “glow” has to come from within.
Emergency interventions aside, I’ll always be a proponent of a more minimalist approach, avoiding pancakes of foundation on the face by all means, unless one is actively trying to frighten people or repel men. The concept "less is more" is how I’d define my makeup worldview. And although I’m fairly certain my first makeup experience involved glitter, sparkle is something I generally eschew these days. That said, I fully advocate for a pop of color when warranted. A face can literally transform with a dash of the right red lipstick. With red lips, I often feel like I can rule the world.
Speaking of which, the notion that wearing makeup as anti-feminist is silly. Cleopatra pretty much invented the eyeliner, and she ruled a kingdom! Many consider her to be the first feminist ever; and her legacy is testimony to the fact that a woman can be beautiful, smart, empowered and wear a ton of eye makeup.
Thus, my devotion to that magic little wand shall remain unwavering. After all, in the words of the late, great Coco Chanel, “It's best to be as pretty as possible for destiny.”
Kidding aside, I believe that no matter who you are, no matter what your life state is, you always have the ability to make yourself feel better. Don't give up and fall into self-loathing; if you look your best, you feel your best. You will find that doors open for you, and that people want to be around you. There’s power in that, no matter who you are.
For celebrities, makeup is important because they're always campaigning for Oscars, new movie roles, positive public opinion; they want to feel their most comfortable and not feel vulnerable. But all women have the ability to use beauty as a tool. A man can't work a skirt, mascara and blowout to light up a room the way a woman can. Use it.
Use beauty to bolster yourself and the people around you, not just for vanity. Use beauty to create positive change.
