Have you ever spent what feels like hours getting the perfect makeup look just for someone to say, “You look better naturally.”? Have you ever finally worked up the courage to go out bare-faced and had people comment on how different you look or say, “You look tired.”? I know I have. It seems like there’s no way to win.
If you’re like me and love makeup, comments like these can hurt. You create a look you love and then someone makes a comment that tears you down, making you feel like you’re trying too hard or that you’re not pretty because you don’t look natural. It’s just another unfair beauty standard where you can’t please people either way.
The thing is though; girls are equally beautiful both ways. Saying a girl looks prettier with or without makeup isn’t a compliment, even if your intentions are good. You can give a girl a compliment without doing so in a way that puts makeup or a natural face down. The choice of words in compliments like “You don’t need makeup,” or “You looked better before,” is not the way to go. Bashing makeup or makeup-free girls to praise the other is the problem. Encouraging females that it’s okay to be natural and that they’re attractive this way is one thing, but doing so at the expense of girls who prefer to wear makeup isn’t okay.
Other comments telling guys to take a girl swimming on the first date or calling women liars or catfish when they reveal their makeup-free selves are just as bad. These are reinforcing the ideas that makeup is just used to cover-up a natural face or to deceive men. Neither of these assumptions are true. They imply that girls who wear makeup are tricking people and are wrong for choosing to wear it, especially in the dating world. I promise you, girls are not spending money and time on makeup just for a boy who will barely even notice the details. Women wear makeup for themselves, and not for anyone else.
People need to remember this! The goal isn’t to con men or to hide behind makeup. Makeup is a form of creative expression and can be viewed as a work of art. It’s not something done to impress others. We know we’re still pretty with or without makeup and aren’t looking for you to tell us.
Women face enough backlash as it is; changing the way you compliment them is an easy fix that can help fight the ridicule! Whether or not women choose to put on makeup or rock a naked face is really none of anyone else’s concern. As a girl, whatever makes you feel your best is the way to go!