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Original poster

AIBU To be bemused by current make up trends?

187 replies

misskelly · 02/09/2017 19:14

I'm in my 40's and have loved make up since I was quite young. Make up has improved so much over the last 20 years and the colours available for every skin tone has been amazing. Anyone can find the right products and enhance their features if they wish.

So, I ask why,why,why for the love of god has a trend evolved that can only be described as Widow Twanky. Why do so many women want to look like pantomime dames?

Is it due to a culture of selfies and wanting to look good in photos? Fake eyelashes, contouring, drawn on eyebrows and lip lines does not translate in the flesh.

I know this might come across as bitchy, but I'm honestly not trying to be. Especially when so many women could look amazing because they are spending a lot of time and money on their faces. Am I so out of the loop now that I just can't appreciate this look?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
5
APairofScarletSequinedWings · 02/09/2017 19:58

Do you think Groucho Marx would have ever thought one day he'd be a fashion icon?

Elphame · 02/09/2017 20:00

Heather Shimmer is still my favourite lipstick!

FuzzyCustard · 02/09/2017 20:04

Ah my people. I find myself often commenting on the weird eyebrow trend and orange-toned faces. My DSD does this. She's a pretty girl but insists on wearing this mask of make up every day (Even out here in the sticks) and it doesn't wash off properly either...I find traces all over my towels and pillowcases.
I genuinely can't understand how anyone can find this look attractive.

user997799779977 · 02/09/2017 20:09

I thought the bad makeup is a result of misguided girls who don't know how to apply them hanging out with enough other misguided girls and the look becomes normalized. The rest of us sane people think they look ridiculous.

Girty999 · 02/09/2017 20:14

Yep plastic faces, contouring surely just for pictures and film??? I feel sorry for the men, must be really confusing when their lady friend takes out the extensions, wipes off the big black brows and de-contours and wipes off all the make up, I've seen before and after a and some look totally different x I'm old and cannot understand

Original poster
misskelly · 02/09/2017 20:16

Ah,but the reason I'm finding it so odd is that this trend is starting to spread amongst my peers. That's why I initially thought it was a piss take, some king of Widow Twanky/Drag Queen joke. I have friends in their 40's and 50's who are now sporting this look. I think yes, experiment with outrageous looks when you're young but when you get a bit older it just doesn't work.

OP posts:
TheHamptons · 02/09/2017 20:18

Yep

I have a relative in the Film/TV make up industry, who says plastic face make up is ok for a photo but as soon as the person or face moves it just looks weird. Its way too heavy.

I still can't get over what I can only term as the 'slug brow' thing. In a shade 5 times darker than you natural hair. Why????

GriswaldFamilyVacation · 02/09/2017 20:20

I thought contouring was a drag queen invention, trying to feminise a face and therefore completely unnecessary for actual women?

HolyShmoly · 02/09/2017 20:20

It's reaching its peak, like all trends and something different will come around.
I do contour and fill in my brows though, but I like to think they are both fairly natural, rather than big brown streaks.

PetalHead · 02/09/2017 20:23

I find it bemusing too. I accept that I'm old (late 40s) but I just think it looks so fake and gormless, and they all look the same. I like make-up and enjoy experimenting with colours etc but why would I want to look like I'm wearing a "vacant clone" mask?

I know make-up was bonkers in the 80s, but it was different IMO because it was obviously about being OTT and arty. E.g. annie lennox or David Bowie style. Much like goth make-up or whatever – of course it's heavy, full-on make-up but it's a statement and clearly not trying to suggest that's what you actually look like.

Whereas the Widow Twanky look seems to be about everyone looking as characterless and identikit as possible.

DS's teacher last year had it – I could NOT tear my eyes away from her massive slug eyebrows!

GriswaldFamilyVacation · 02/09/2017 20:23

ive only seen it in the UK

ManicUnicorn · 02/09/2017 20:25

It's very much a drag queen look isn't it? That's where contouring and blending and baking came from, but drag queens are supposed to be OTT, and they are after all men trying to look like women.

Why women would want to look like this is a mystery?

AdalindSchade · 02/09/2017 20:25

I fucking hate modern make up trends. Woman working in Argos yesterday had the full orange face, black brows, outlined lips look. You're at work. Why?

CaptainBrickbeard · 02/09/2017 20:26

On Mrs Gloss when people do their wake up to make up they are so often fresh-faced, radiant and absolutely beautiful in the wake up photo followed by a clown face 'make up' picture. I find it a bit baffling. Black brows on a blonde are always, without exception, awful.

I work with teenagers and when the girls all discovered strobe highlighter, I thought I would need sunglasses to mute the glare off their browbones Grin. But my make up aged 14 was terrible and far less skilfully applied!

ReluctantlyRedundant101 · 02/09/2017 20:48

Yes I think it is reaching its peak but I think whoever posted up thread that it's to sell more products is 100% right. They're not going to tell us the natural look is in if they can sell us 10+ more products they'll tell us we need

geekone · 02/09/2017 21:06

x2boys I am sure if I search hard I still have a heather shimmer lipstick. Not a lot and I am sure it went through the washing machine and survived 😂

SchnitzelVonKrumm · 02/09/2017 21:12

I see your Heather Shimmer and raise you a Twilight Teaser.

Piffpaffpoff · 02/09/2017 21:12

Oh I hear you OP. The worst we had in the 80s was an orange tidemark on our jawline. Now I see girls who are obviously trying to do contouring in a dull room and their faces are striped!

(Another Heather shimmer here though. Blush)

Piffpaffpoff · 02/09/2017 21:15

Oh, Twilight teaser! I KNEW there was another one and I couldn't remember it! That and electric blue mascara. We were gorgeous!!!!!

Ktown · 02/09/2017 21:16

The look stunning in photos but frightening in real life.
The glossier look is popular again so perhaps the orange/contouring/eyelashes/brows.

Ktown · 02/09/2017 21:17

Will go out of fashion soon!

AlexaAmbidextra · 02/09/2017 21:22

Heather shimmer. I'd forgotten about that. Loved it. Grin

soupforbrains · 02/09/2017 21:26

I think I was a bit young and missed out on Twilight teaser and heather shimmer. But in the 90s we had a LOT of tiny almost disappeared over tweeted brows, liner significantly darker than you lipstick which had to be either brown or blue if I recall correctly....

soupforbrains · 02/09/2017 21:30

Oh and then in the early aigries there was the MEGA GLOSSY clear lip gloss which was worn over everything and meant that if there was a tiny breeze even, then ALL your hair immediately got stuck across your face. Defo a winning look...

eleflump · 02/09/2017 21:35

Ha, Twilight Teaser!!! Was there also one called Sweet Sizzle or something like that- Boots No 17??

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