Make-up: Art, Self Expression, Pastime or All of the Above?

Hello and welcome! As a makeup connoisseur, I feel it is best to warn you that the conversational focus of this blog is, you guessed it, make up. Here we will discover the historical and political reasons behind the use of makeup, the companies that test their products on animals & whether or not these products are acceptable for use, the recent phenomenon of male usage of makeup and whether not young girls are pressured too early in life by advertising industries.

While makeup may seem like a simple ripple in our society as a whole, makeup has sparked both praise and controversy throughout history, and will continue to for years to come. One of those controversies being the changing ideas of everyday women and of celebrities choosing to abstain from wearing make up. According to The New York Times Style Magazine, people viewed stars such as Alicia Keys, Mila Kunis and Gwyneth Paltrow as, “women whose visages we’ve come to know intimately in their makeup-wearing form — look a bit naked and exposed without it, as though a veil has been lifted, revealing something private and raw.” Whether or not they choose to wear makeup should be their choice and their choice alone. While there are many reasons for the use of makeup, there there are actual psychological reasons behind why individuals use makeup.

Would you have guessed there are psychological reasons as to why people wear make up? For centuries, aging has always been an issue of importance. More often than not, people judge others by their exterior features. This has been the case for many centuries. According to Dr. Theresa DiDonato, social psychologist and assistant professor at Loyola University Maryland, author of 5 Research-Backed Reasons We Wear Make up: Why we really use lipstick, mascara, and foundation,suggests that the five reasons people wear make up is to seem:

1. Younger

2. Healthier

3. More Approachable

4. Likeable

5. Intelligent

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/meet-catch-and-keep/201502/5-research-backed-reasons-we-wear-makeup

https://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/10/t-magazine/fashion/no-makeup-movement-alicia-keys.html?mcubz=3