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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To wonder what happened to the natural look?

116 replies

thefirstMrsDeVere · 05/02/2011 20:51

Lighthearted thread for a Saturday (I hope, who knows, anything can happen on MNs).

When I say 'natural' I dont mean no makeup. I have faffing about with my hair and slapping on makeup since I was about 12.

When I was a school in the early 80s we were all rubbish at putting on makeup. It was all blue eyeshadow and tide marks. As I got older it was the fashion to pile on as much slap as you could possibly fit on your face.

Then it all started to relax a bit. Still makeup but at least it looked normal. I used to look at teenage girls and envy how well they did theirs. It was understated and well applied. They looked nice (if you think makeup looks nice).

I was out today and noticed that it seems to be on trend to wear a sort of airbrushed look. REALLY thick foundation and mineral blusher. Totally matt and mask looking. Not just a couple of girls but ALL of them.

I bought some powder from Boots last week in 'nude'. When I put it on it was orange! Is orange the new nude then?

What is going on? Or is it only in East London?

OP posts:
HecateQueenOfWitches · 05/02/2011 20:54

I blame jordan.

JamieLeeCurtis · 05/02/2011 20:55

Am in London too. They all seem to straighten their hair to within an inch of it's life too

Original poster
thefirstMrsDeVere · 05/02/2011 20:58

I feel like an old bag, I want to say 'but you could look so pretty if you didnt do that'. Then I remember people saying that to me when I was 15 and caked in slap Grin

Its different now though. They dont have to do it, the products are so much better and you only have to go on youtube to find out how to put it on!

I was in the loos at the shopping mall a while ago. I saw girls reapplying that mousse matt foundation. Why would you need to reapply foundation? They were using it like you would powder.

It must feel horrible.

OP posts:
plupervert · 05/02/2011 20:58

I thought you were going to be talking about the 60s and folk singers' natural beauty!

Has anyone seen the Wicker Man recently? Incredible unbrushed beauty.

JamieLeeCurtis · 05/02/2011 20:59

And they are so beautiful - such lovely skin and they don't even know it ...

RevoltingPeasant · 05/02/2011 21:00

YANBU. Have recently been in both Yorks and South-West. To a woman, my female students look like this from top to toe:

  • straightened bleached hair, 1/2 inch of roots and slightly unbrushed
  • orange foundation
  • post-Winehouse eyeliner
  • something sticky or goo-y somewhere on their faces
  • megachunky 'gold' jewelry
  • plether jacket
  • skinny jeans with massive belts
  • fuggs or ballet pumps
Original poster
thefirstMrsDeVere · 05/02/2011 21:00

Grin I wish! No, I realise that isnt for everyone. Most of us could do with a bit of help. I have always loved messing about with makeup.

OP posts:
Mahraih · 05/02/2011 21:01

When I was a teenager and even at university (am only 22 now so really not long ago!) that's how it was. We all (and by 'all' I mean the girls who cared about fashion, clubbing etc - bit shallow, but hey ho, if you're going to be shallow you may as well do it then) did it.

You just want to fit in, conform etc, and get a distorted view of what 'attractive' is because everyone is going overboard.

I doubt we were as bad as East London (this was in Cambridge) but it was loads of blusher, big black eyelashes and that sort of thing. Most people grow out of it I imagine - we did. :)

p.s. if you don't want something that looks orange, go for a yellow-toned powder or foundation. I spent years looking orange because I didn't realise my mixed-race skin is 90% yellow.

MrsRichardHammond · 05/02/2011 21:02

What i want to know is where the half shaved head and hair unceremoniously dumped over in a back combed comb over stylee came from

Original poster
thefirstMrsDeVere · 05/02/2011 21:02

revolting this way the hair is jet black and dead straight or jet black and horribly backcombed.

I was a newwave punky type so its not like I am anti makeup/mad hair.

But this look is not an alternative thing, its like they are trying to obliterate their features and draw them back on.

OP posts:
JamieLeeCurtis · 05/02/2011 21:03

We used to just have a bit of blue eyeliner and Twilight Teaser lipstick ... applied on the bus home from school.

For a night out - 3 stripes tones of blusher - pink on the cheekbone, darker below, and highlighter above

spongebobsquareknickers · 05/02/2011 21:06

I love looking natural. And am not old Wink

The girls I work with often used to ask if I was gonna put make up on. Umm, it takes a good hour to look this "natural" Grin

Of course I now look unbelievably natural. I have about 5 mins to shower in the morning and thats it! Lucky if I have time to dry my hair

Original poster
thefirstMrsDeVere · 05/02/2011 21:07

Twighlight teaser Grin how old are you? (I wont tell anyone)

OP posts:
Mouseface · 05/02/2011 21:07

I have to say that all the 'young girls' around here, do the same.

It's like Pan Stick by Max Factor.

But it's plastered on. And their skin is so bad and spotty from being suffocated.

Or even worse, it's piled on over self-tan that is beyond orangey brown.

And the tide marks!

Gah.

I apply some mascara and a bit of lip gloss, but that's it unless I'm going out.

Which is highly unlikely these days.

Original poster
thefirstMrsDeVere · 05/02/2011 21:08

I blame them for making it hard to get decent make up now. I have noticed everythign I buy seems much heavier.

Or am I just getting old an moany?

Sad
OP posts:
RevoltingPeasant · 05/02/2011 21:08

MrsDeVere

I was in Leeds. Anything but bleach-blonde was a degree of poshness too far. Grin

JamieLeeCurtis · 05/02/2011 21:09

Similar to you, missus Grin

I had a Saturday job in a chemists so had the pick of all the Constance Carroll

On a more serious note - all this doll-like makeup seems (to me) to be part of the hyper-femininity that girls seem to be (to me, a MOB) pressured into. No one has short hair anymore - or even mid-length

RevoltingPeasant · 05/02/2011 21:10

Also try BodyShop stuff, I have started really like their makeup. And TooFaced/ Urban Decay if you want sth more dramatic.

Mahraih · 05/02/2011 21:10

Mouseface - I used to use pan stik! Which shows just how deluded I was .... Max Factor still do it, unbelievably.

Make-up marketed at teenagers IS heavier, I think. Stuff like Barry M, Urban Decay and even MAC (for those that are minted) are heavy, and bright.

bubblewrapped · 05/02/2011 21:12

All I can say is I am glad I am not their mothers. It must be a nightmare getting all that orange gunk off collars... as well as keeping them supplied in the stuff.

I bet clothes shops dread seeing these girls coming in to try clothes on, as you can guarantee there will be half their face covering on any top they try...

bubblewrapped · 05/02/2011 21:14

If you look at any of the current females who teens are likely to admire, they almost all have orange faces, fake eyelashes, and an almost drag queen look about them.

I suppose really its not too much different to the 60's apart from the foundation then was as pale as possible from what I remember my mum saying.

Mouseface · 05/02/2011 21:16

Jamie - I have super short, cropped hair, look at my profile Grin

I refuse to go with the masses!

Maraih - they do indeed. It's a best seller with the over 50's still I believe. That and 'Candle Glow' pressed powder Grin

Mouseface · 05/02/2011 21:17

Bubble - Paul O'Grady as Ms Savage would be proud of today's female yoof! Grin

mamatomany · 05/02/2011 21:21

They can't look any worse than we did with our Sonia Kylie perms and Rimmel shimmer lipsticks, half a can of Silkerine on your fringe holding it up like the Sydney opera house.

Original poster
thefirstMrsDeVere · 05/02/2011 21:25

Boots ownbrand hairspray was the best. Tins of the stuff to keep my mowhawk in place.

That was before hair gel.

So jamie do you remember 'rocket' No 17 lippy. It was bright pink with a slight shimmer. Twas fab

OP posts:
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