Written by: Saman Khalid
Posted on: September 30, 2024 | 
| 中文
The difference between filters and real make-up
Adornment and embellishment have always been a woman's best companions, be it be jewellery or glamorous outfits, fancy ornaments or dazzling make-up. Make-up has been a controversial topic for almost as long as it has been in existence, spurring polarizing opinions from multiple schools of thought. While some hail it as a flagbearer of female autonomy, others consider it to be oppressive and reminiscent of patriarchal beauty standards.
A woman putting on make-up
The age-old question of why women feel the need to modify their looks through make-up begs a complex look at the interplay between innate human desires and societal gender norms. At its core, make-up is simply a tool for enhancement meant to improve one's facial features. If used correctly, it serves to amplify already existing highlights . It is, therefore, no surprise that women use it on a day-to-day basis. The desire to ameliorate oneself exists within every human being. While looks aren't substantially significant, they still play a part in determining our interactions with other people. Society places unprecedented importance on women's physical appearance, and often gauges their worth by it. Regardless of its merit, this standard certainly manifests in numerous ways in modern society. As a result, women strive to get as close to the conventional appearance of attraction as possible, and make-up helps them achieve it. Apart from this societal condition, the desire to come across as attractive and impressive also contributes to it. Women tend to feel more confident and sure of themselves when they are wearing make-up, which is both a consequence of other people's reactions to them and the woman's own positive perception of herself. In short, make-up is a means of accomplishing the best-looking version of oneself.
Mahira Khan giving a make-up tutorial
Placing excessive value in something as superficial as looks can be dangerous, particularly for the consumer's self-esteem and mental health. There is nothing wrong with using make-up as long as it doesn't negatively impact your dermal health, finances and mental peace. However, it is getting considerably harder to strike a healthy balance in the age of social media. The glorification of expensive make-up products, fake filters and edited pictures have inflated the standards of "beauty" to unmatched heights. Hyper-glamorized models are considered normal these days. This fosters feelings of inadequacy and low self-esteem among impressionable young women. In turn, they attempt to emulate what they see on social media in order to live up to unrealistic standards. It is self-evident that this culture is highly detrimental to women at large, since it puts unnecessary pressure on them to fit in.
Make-up disaster due to overuse
This distinction is totally subjective and depends on the individual's own relationship with themselves. For a lot of women, make-up is a therapeutic hobby that allows them to express their aesthetic sensibilities. It is an art-form which has been adopted professionally by countless people, both male and female. At the same time, make-up has been shown to promote confidence and a general feeling of well-being. Moreover, it manipulates the human psyche that deems beauty as "goodness". Therefore, make-up prevents unjust extrapolations of one's looks to their character. All in all, if a woman wears make-up out of her own free will and feels that it is aligned with her values, it is empowering.
Creative 3D make-up
On the flip side, if a woman feels pressured to adopt a certain look in order to appease external forces, make-up takes an oppressive form. If the act of putting make-up on doesn't agree with a woman's internal sense of self, it becomes a nuisance. Therefore, make-up isn't inherently good or evil. The intention behind its use, coupled with its impact on the individual is what determines whether it is empowering or oppressive. The right approach would be to do what feels right for you, while keeping in mind the rational consequences of our actions, instead of blindly following social media trends.
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