On Makeup

Okay, rant time.

I've been seeing a lot of these "Dare to Bare" shenanigans, which dares women to go without makeup. While I don't disagree with that end (and it was nice to see some of my loved ones with clean faces), the fact is that I don't wear makeup on a daily basis.

This is a project that targets women who cover up their natural beauty and encourages them to not be so dependent on beauty enhancers. Which is fabulous. But as a non-makeup wearer, I don't feel like it's celebrating those who don't feel the need to cover up. Our faces are out there 24/7 without makeup, so why would be post a gratuitous selfie?

This bring me to the REAL matter behind this rant: my own makeup complex. You hear me. Complex. There's a good reason I so seldom wear makeup. It's mentally exhausting. Here's why:

"Oh Leah! You're wearing makeup today! You look so pretty! You should wear makeup more often."

This is be a harmless compliment from a co-worker. On the outside, I simply say "Thanks! How sweet of you to say!" and move on. But inside, my brain goes into slightly schizophrenic overdrive.

"She said you looked pretty! Doesn't that feel good?"
"Yes!"
She said that you should wear makeup more often because you look so pretty. Makeup = pretty. And you like looking pretty right?"
"Right!"
"Feeling pretty gives you warm fuzzy feelings, doesn't it?"
"It does!"
"WELL IT SHOULDN'T!"
"Wait....What?"
"You should feel bad about feeling pretty!"
"Huh?"
"You should feel guilty about feeling so good when you think you look pretty! FOR SHAME!!!"
"But....why?"
"Because that's not the real you. That's you covering up your natural beauty and instead conforming to society's arbitrary concepts of beauty! Do you WANT to be a walking billboard for the movement that has created generations of women with low-self esteem and self-worth? Do you WANT to keep the beauty industry from telling us what beauty should be?!? WELL? DO YOU??!?!"
"Noooooooooooooooo!!!!" *inner sob*
"So will you wear makeup tomorrow?"
"But...pretty...."
"You are pretty enough without makeup."
"But she said...."
"Forget what she said. You don't need to cover up that face. You're confident in your ability to win friends and influence people with your winning (albeit goofy) smile and quirky expressions, right?"
"Right..."
"So no makeup tomorrow?"
"I guess not."
"You don't need makeup unless you're not being yourself - So you glam yourself up for your Elsa costume, okay?"
"Okay."
"Good girl"

So yeah, that's pretty much what happens in my brain EVERY time I get complimented when I wear makeup.

As you can see, my reaction to the "Dare to Bare" challenge is a very personal one. I wasn't insulted when I was nominated, I was more confused. I don't wear makeup, so why would I be nominated to expose my face to the internet without it? It seems strange.

I guess in a nutshell, I'm wondering why we need to "challenge" women to go without makeup for a single selfie, why not for a week? Or a month? Or better? Why do we have to challenge them at all? Why is it such a struggle to not cover up?

I know that this is a issue that's been raging for decades, and I'll leave the real debate to people much smarter and more informed than myself. I guess I just wanted to express that I think that women are so much more than whether or not they wear makeup on a daily basis.

And also, makeup makes Leah a little crazy.

EDIT: I want to make it clear that I think makeup has it's place in life, just not on my face every day - I don't think we should do away with it completely...I mean, I need it for stage and costume and all. I just don't feel I need to wear it every day ;)