A bare face seems to be the new bold look. Whether it be Pamela Anderson walking the red carpet or Alicia Keys on magazine covers, celebrities everywhere are ditching makeup. Even on social media you seen influencers embracing the #WokeUpLikeThis selfie. The messaging behind this is one of reclaiming natural beauty or fighting against standards, but why is it we only really see the uber rich and famous doing so? Yes, the statement is a powerful one, but it seems to be intertwined with privilege.
Beauty norms are constantly evolving. Currently, we are shifting away from the full-glam look and more into a minimalist makeup trend. Skincare, wellness and “natural beauty” are all being celebrated. This trend has arisen amid a shift in fashion towards an understated type of elegance. The “old money” aesthetic is more popular than ever, and people are trying to achieve the look of beauty without seeming like they tried too hard. Because trying too hard for women is constantly being attacked.
Ditching the makeup signals a sense of confidence, and status, to outsiders – something that isn’t necessarily attainable to all. Many women, those with acne or those in a professional setting, utilize makeup as a sense of armor to the world. Being bare faced is supposed to be something that empowers women, but, honestly, it seems to be doing the exact opposite. It emphasizes that if you need makeup then you are less than those you do not.
The women that are pushing for the no makeup mentality also happen to fit the exact beauty standard. They are almost sending a message that they don’t need it because, well, look at them. It feels like a twisted message to tell others to ditch the products when a large majority of their success is built on the way they appear.
They don’t have to wear makeup because society already deems them acceptable. It is a privilege to feel like you do not have to fit into a certain standard. Their messaging comes from the right place, and I am not trying to argue that they are advocating with a malicious intent. It’s just you cannot push for a movement without acknowledging why the makeup standard exists in the first place.
