make up is misogynistic oppression

[sixtyandsomething]

I hate make up, because of the devastating damage it does to the lives of women and girls

Obviously I don't wear any, so it doesn't damage my life.

But I am a teacher, and see its devastating impact on the lives of literally thousands of girls

It is ridiculous to think it makes women look "beautiful". Women without make up are beautiful. Women with make up look like they have a load of chemical crap smeared on their face to cover up their natural features. Which is what they do.

Thinking this looks "better" than a face without make up is just misogynistic programming and conditioning.

Girls are literally taught and programmed and schooled and conditioned to believe they can't go out without their faces covered. I speak to girls who tell me they will kill themselves if they have to take it off. They are surrounded by media images of women smeared in the crap, and are conditioned to think this is what a normal female face looks like.

It is expensive, time consuming and bad for your skin, but worst of all it is oppressive.

Just look at this picture and compare the natural look of the men, who just have the minimum make up required for the lighting, and the massively overexaggerated, false, completely covered up look of the women, who apparently need to cover their lips with an unnatural colour, paint extra circles around their eyes, change their eyelashes and eyebrows, and cake all the skin on their face in gunk in order to be fit to be seen.

And if you look at this picture and think "what is she on about - those women just look normal" then PLEASE stop for a moment and ask yourself WHY you think gunk-smeared to the point that no natural skin can be seen is "normal" for a woman!

I am not expecting much agreement, as I think so many women are so tightly in the grip of the (mostly male run) cosmetics industry, that they can't even see how brainwashed they are

But please think twice before passing this oppression on to your daughters.

Wouldn't it be amazing if the next generation of female BBC news readers grow up in a society where they feel free to show their actual natural faces in public.

As someone who is nearly 60, I do acknowledge makeup now is very different to what it was in the early 80's when we had the very "sloane ranger" style makeup. Now, its heavy and contoured. Many many layers, it seems. I think makeup goes around like fashion or so I hope. Maybe the next gen will be back to the "clean girl" look.

Yeah, cheers OP I’m browsing M&S make up now

I agree but I do wear make up but only the minimal amount and very much to achieve a natural look.

But I'm so proud of my d who wears none at all most of the time and likes to put a bit on when going out. She has fantastic eyebrows and feels unashamed of her naked face. I'm so glad. Some of her age group all look the same all differences ironed out

why do you think it looks "better" if you cover up? it doesn't. It is just an artificial idea of "better" that women take on

it is just conditioning, that is all

Personally I never wear makeup and didn't even when I was young, it makes me feel false.
I think too many people feel the need to conform to the social norm I think wear makeup if it makes you happy but not because society tells you to.
I think worse are things like botox and fillers, DD and I were looking at pictures of this years love island contestants, they all look at least 10 years older than they are. Whereas the men just look like normal young guys.

🤣🤣🤣 though I do think alot of teenagers look prettier without all the makeup. However, not my business what anyone slathers on their Chevy😂

the funny thing is that so many men prefer women without make-up

and so many really don't like brightest colour and the more fun make up

while women keep having fun wearing it 😂

We live in a world where we can wear any kind of makeup we like, and - shock horror- have all the plastic surgery we want to tweak little things to improve our appearance. We are lucky. You are very angry.

Only what’s needed to compensate for the harsh lighting. I don’t think eyeshadow, mascara and lipstick are actually necessary for that.

no, I liked it, but didn't want to derail that thread - and its working out good, if I didn't want to do it post a thread on it, I wouldn't?

I am actually delighted to see so many women agree with me, far more than I expected, that is fantastic.

I wear make up because I like it. Not because I’m expected to, or to cover anything up, because I love the process of applying it. I will happily go out without make up - to social events, to work, anywhere. But I do sometimes like to wear it.

Your opinion is just that OP and doesn’t apply to everyone.

It’s women vs other women, it really is. I’m blessed with good skin and hair and white teeth so I’ve never felt particularly insecure about my appearance. I’m considering Botox at 51 but don’t really care too much….my sister is constantly pumping fillers and Botox into an already pretty face because she can’t bear getting older. It’s a fucking shame. And I honestly think I look younger. I’m not going under the knife either and that’s the only way I’d ever look beautiful. I am not beautiful. And I don’t really care.

Let's suppose it is the patriarchy. Isn't that good for women anyway? If men prefer women with make up that gives women advantages they otherwise wouldn't have?

It's the genius power of consumerism. And it isn't just makeup- it's all the lotions and potions that are meant to make us look younger and cost £££, and the botox and fillers, and the ever-changing fashions that mean that a certain cut of jeans is now unacceptable, or that a certain colour or print is now going to make you look seriously uncool.

Making women feel like shit about themselves lines a hell of a lot of pockets.

I say this as someone who does feel quite shit about herself often. It's hard to undo years and years of conditioning.

I dread to hear what you think of Botox.

Are you the poster who thinks there shouldn’t be mirrors in the toilets?

Each to their own. Leave people to do what they want.

yes, this is the sad thing, it does come from other women, misogyny often does!

Telling us that we have been conditioned to think we look better with makeup is just as bad. You can't just tell us how we feel about makeup and suggest we are all "brainwashed". Thats misogynistic in itself.

I don't wear makeup, none of the women in my family wear make up, and I hope my daughter doesn't either. She's beautiful as she is. As is my son. Heavy foundation, contouring, lashes and nails would only detract from that. And in my opinion look ridiculous. I will try to talk to my daughter about these things as they are really insidious. I found the book "Girls will be girls" an interesting read.

I’m 63 and don’t wear make up. I don’t think it makes me look any better - just makes me look “made up” Saves me money which I prefer to spend on good hair and skin care.

I don't wear makeup day to day, sometimes I put it on to go out in the evening, sometimes I don't, I am not oppressed! It's cultural not misogyny. The main dual standards I see is hair dying- men go grey, women are expected to dye it and have age appropriate hair cuts, if you don't in the public eye you get columns written about you (eg poor Mary Beard who dares to have long grey hair!) I do not dye mine and my own mother is making comments

thank you for your support, yes I know there are lots of other pictures I could have chosen to show more extreme make up, but I deliberately chose something very main stream, because what I am trying to get people to understand is that it is universal, everywhere, and for a lot of people, they would not even notice the make up on these women until they look, because it has become so accepted and normal for all women in public to cover their faces at all times.

I agree with you.

I am still getting spots in my 40s and I also have a scar on my face so I wear it to cover those. I do agree with you as it is time consuming, and some young girls look utterly ridiculous. But unfortunately I don't feel confident enough to let everyone see my spotty skin!

I find the idea of being told what I can and cannot slap on my face far more oppressive tbh

You need more to think about

I literally don’t give a shiny shit if it’s oppression. I have a stunning face so if my beautiful makeup, which enhances my gorgeous features, is oppressive, then let me be oppressed.