I wanted to start a discussion about makeup. Or, more specifically, about how women wearing makeup has become an issue to men who believe it’s “false advertising.”

I think we’ve all heard the ridiculous idea that women are deceiving men when they wear makeup.

Here are some of the obnoxious things I’ve heard from men in recent years regarding this:

  • “Women wearing makeup is deceitful and is the same as lying.”

  • “Men have a right to know what they’re buying.”

  • “ Women wearing makeup in the workplace contributes to sexual harassment because it highlights sexual characteristics.”

I found this stuff laughable when I first heard it. I’m extremely doubtful that the amount of makeup the average woman wears would ever change a man’s mind about wanting to sleep with her if he saw her without it. Most makeup just serves to enhance your features, not completely distort them to the point where you’re unrecognizable without it. Yes, there are more dramatic makeup looks, but even then I don’t see how someone could look at glitter eyeshadow and feel like it was some kind of deceitful misrepresentation. Makeup has been around for a very long time, and it’s very much a norm for women to wear it. The one about the workplace especially makes me laugh because it’s basically essential for women to wear a certain amount of makeup in professional settings in order to look “polished.”

Obviously, this view about makeup just boils down to misogyny, and men looking for even more ways to police our appearances. Another thing about women that they have to insert their unsolicited opinions about yawn.

Still, I find this trend interesting because I feel like it is a change from the way makeup was viewed in the past. It used to be something that women were basically forced to wear in order to fit the feminine ideal. So a lot of feminist women of the past rejected makeup so as to not conform to those patriarchal norms. My dad (who is definitely one of those old-school sexists) always liked for my mother, my sisters, and I to wear makeup. Same with other men in my dad’s demographic. I remember at church growing up, the pastor would make jokes about women who didn’t wear makeup. They were generally thought of as unfriendly and not feminine.

Now, women are almost not allowed to wear makeup, and it’s kind of looked down upon. One of the many “Cool Girl” characteristics is to be low-maintenance, and somehow able to look perfect without any effort. Of course men haven’t suddenly become more attracted to the real natural look - which includes acne, dark circles, wrinkles, etc. They just think that a woman should somehow magically look perfect naturally without makeup, surgery, etc. It’s almost like we’ve come full circle.

My opinion about makeup is that it is just a form personal expression no different than the clothes one wears. No one, and sure as hell not men, has a right to tell women what they should, or shouldn’t be putting on their body. There were times in my life where I loved wearing dramatic makeup, but now I wear less. I nonetheless have mad respect for the girls (and guys) who create amazing artistry using makeup. I have respect for the women who choose to wear no makeup. And I have respect for everyone in-between, because at the end of the day IT’S NOBODY’S GODDAMN BUSINESS.