On YouTube, Vogue Magazine has been putting out makeup tutorials featuring various models, singers, and actors doing either their every day or going-out makeup. The makeup that these individuals do is toned down compared to the most popular YouTube beauty influencers. Without fail the comments section of these videos involves people praising natural looking makeup and shaming those who choose to wear bolder makeup or the "Instagram Face." Commenters will refer to individuals who wear less subtle makeup using bad terms such as cake-face and clown while categorizing the individuals who wear natural makeup as beautiful and down to earth. I despise these types of comments because I have heard similar comments in my daily life about my chosen style of makeup. I loathe how these comments serve to pit people, especially women against each other through ignorance and misogyny. It is okay to prefer a particular style of makeup, but it is not okay to tear down those who prefer a different style of makeup from yours.
The natural vs. dramatic makeup debate has been going on since Instagram makeup became famous, but has most likely persisted since makeup became widely available. In these debates, people cannot seem to justify their preference for natural makeup without shaming people who choose to wear dramatic or visible makeup. Natural makeup and beauty is not inherently better than unnatural beauty and makeup because beauty is subjective. Some individuals may feel more beautiful wearing little to no makeup, while another individual may feel beautiful wearing colorful eyeshadow and dark lipstick. Calling those who like dramatic makeup cake-faces or clowns starts to hurt when you hear it every time you attempt to express your creativity through makeup. I am not a sideshow attraction. I am human, and I still have feelings, and even though I can brush off rude remarks, they start to take a toll when they pile up. Do not get angry with me because I do not conform to your idea of beauty.
It's comments such as the ones I have mentioned that make me dislike doing natural makeup because I keep associating natural makeup with rude comments regarding dramatic makeup. Instead of doing natural makeup, I double down and continue to do dramatic makeup because I do not want to change myself to satisfy another's preferences. I like the makeup that I do because I feel fantastic wearing it and no one should try to take that away. I think we should be free to do our makeup as we please without pitting makeup styles against each other. Natural or not, let our beauty shine.
