We talk to women about what makeup means to them- Part one

Image courtesy of @owenbruce/ Instagram

Makeup is seemingly all about the look. Enhancing your beauty, using the practice as an art form. But for ‘day to day’ women, makeup has a variety of meanings. In this two-part series, we speak to a handful of women about what makeup means to them.

The Egyptians were supposedly the first to dabble in the use of cosmetics. Using kohl to heavily line the eyes and red ochre as rouge for cheeks and lips. In today’s world there’s such thing as a ‘beat face’, contour and wave brows- oh the wonder of Instagram makeup. So to those who aren’t makeup artists, makeup can have a very different meaning than its aesthetic wonder.

Audi car saleswoman Sarah Mcintosh says, “Make up means lipstick, mascara, eyeliner, blusher and a little concealer I feel confident using these pieces.” The amount of makeup on the market is overwhelming and sometimes it feels better to stick to what you know. It doesn’t mean that you can’t appreciate the artistic flare of a professional makeup look. Sarah says, “I love looking at what products are available and what can be achieved but when I am sat in front of the mirror with an eye palette I can never recreate the look! Makeup doesn't always make you look better!”

Image courtesy of @glossier/Instagram

Despite the magnitude of lipsticks, mascaras and glitter on offer, it’s not for everyone. Spear head for the minimal look Haulwen Nicholas, vitality and effectiveness coach and ambassador for Psychologies magazine says, “I'll wear eye makeup and concealer if I'm going out to a meeting or an event, but most of the time I don't wear makeup at home or if I pop out to the shops. I generally wear it to make me look more awake and it makes me feel confident.” It seems that to some women, makeup speaks more to their lifestyle and how they want to feel on the inside than to how they want to be seen by others. Rather than trying to change how they look through the use of cosmetics, makeup provides them with a war paint. Madeline Judge, Primary school teacher agrees, “Makeup gives me confidence. It helps me put on my game face. It gives me confidence to face the world.”

Makeup can provide women with confidence or can help them achieve a mental state in which they feel more productive and focused. For something so ingrained into many women’s lives it might seem rather pointless, but in part two we discuss the more pressing reasons-and reasons not-to use makeup.