You ever look in the mirror and hate what you see? Do you feel hopeless, like you'll never have a bit of glamour or femininity in your own presentation?
Well, despair not! Or, misery loves company. Or, something. For I have found something that should make every person in that category find some hope.
It's a photo gallery of popular-press-famous and red-carpet personalities caught without their signature war paint on, some fabulous women caught looking somewhat less than fabulous.
The editorial comments under each photo entry may be nonsense and should probably be ignored. They seem random, at best, to me. But, look at the pictures. There are some important lessons there.
The first lesson is that makeup makes a huge difference in how we see a face, and that much of what we associate with a feminine face is tied to cosmetics. And, applying cosmetics takes knowledge, skill and practice. Many of these famous women who make their livings primarily because of their looks, look much more ordinary without their hair styled professionally and without being worked over by a makeup artist.
If you're working to apply cosmetics to your own face, and you're not happy with what you're seeing, take a look at these photos again, and realize just how much expertise went into the "after" pics. If even these women can't get the look all the time, why should you feel discouraged when you've just started out trying to learn the craft?
The second lesson is, that if you look good smiling, you should probably smile. Many of the most contrasting photos involve someone smiling in their made-up pic, and looking glum in their candid one.
What I take away from these pictures is great encouragement. It seems miracles are possible. Look at some of the "before" snaps and the complete transformation in the "after" ones. Amazing, isn't it? Also, look how ordinary some of these famous people look when they're not in famous-mode. It's like their glamorous looks are completely added, and not there naturally at all. I think it shows that there's some hope for everyone interested in putting on a special face now and again.
Comments
Concealer
... is what I think that is the most important part of any makeup job. I try to keep my makeup minimal when I even wear any which is maybe once a year. I wear for evening makeup what most people would consider to be day makeup *shrug*. Well makeup is, well, makeup. It is a cultural thing and women of my Chinese mother's generation did not wear any to almost no makeup at all and what you see is what you get. And I would like to think I still look good enough to my partner in the mornings even without any warpaint.
Most of the after pictures are for evening events and for what amounts to their job. It takes a lot of work ( and money ) to keep looking that good and then you have the problem of worrying about people catching you without it, along with the embarrassing snide comments, which is what is bound to happen with public figures. Like you said, most of the stars benefit immensely from makeup. I found that only a tiny, lucky, handful who possesses a clean beauty au naturelle.
As one can easily guess, I think it is unfair to compare the two as they are separate kinds of beauty. I think it is fairer to compare woman before with before and after with after. I was really impressed with Mariah's before no-makeup picture ( though honestly I think she did have some on but *meh* ) as she looks so incredibly young that way and to my eyes prettier than with makeup.
To each their own, I say, but doing your best to keep your natural state by having sufficient sleep, good diet and exercise is still the best way to go.
Finally, I agree wholeheartedly the expression matters the most. I've taken candid pictures of people even with makeup on that are not pleasant at all.
Camouflage
I get the giggles every time I pick up the tube of Estee Lauder high-pigment foundation I bought in Macys. It's called "Camouflage," which is so appropriate in my case! The counter girl told me that a lot of women use it as concealer, because as a concealer, the one-ounce tube is quite the bargain. (As a foundation, at $25/tube, maybe not so much, but a little does go a long way.)
Which brings to mind my favorite line from any DVD ever. It's from the DVD extras for my favorite movie on the subject. The movie is "Girls Will Be Girls," it's a behind the scenes look at getting the male actors ready to play the female parts, and the line is "Because Covergirl doesn't cover boys."
___________________
Some of us need a lot of coverage.
Wow, there really are some
Wow, there really are some great lessons in there. Very interesting. One set of pictures really got my attention though. If you jump head to pic 50, look at Emma Watson. With her hair and without makeup, could she not pass for a young teen boy? With her fame, I'm guess that might be part of the point to get a little bit of privacy, but the difference is striking.
Before and after does show a difference, but ...
I'll be a lot of these women are happy that makeup can make such a difference, as it makes it easier to go out in public without being mobbed. ( Except by the paparazzi who hound them, just hoping to get something like the before pictures, and who probably picked the worst photos they were able to find )>
But you are right, Pippa. I make a not very pretty woman, but with makeup and a smile, I pass much better, I know that. So at a minimum, I add some lipstick to help the smile, even just around the house where I may meet a neighbor, and most of the time a complete job,.
I must say though, several of the first 20 samples seemed overdone in the after shots, They almost look like caricatures of beautiful women, and that does not mean just 'Lady' Gaga, who is a caricature of a woman at best.
It’s not given to anyone to have no regrets; only to decide, through the choices we make, which regrets we’ll have,
David Weber – In Fury Born
Holly
It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice.
Holly
To be honest ...
... in most cases I prefer the no make-up look. In many cases make-up makes the women look much the same as each other and hides the lines and wrinkles that gives them character. Moreover, some of the 'before' pictures are snap shots that are, as likely as not, taken as the woman is changing from expression to another and wouldn't be seen unless the camera had frozen that brief instant.
I persuaded my wife to abandon the use of make up after we married. She didn't need much persuading as she didn't use much in the first place.
They're interesting pictures, though, which show how make-up can hide blemishes and enhance features. Thanks.
Robi