Week 3 | 07/10/2024 | ‘Not just a mask: Self-expression through makeup’
My initial thoughts and feelings
This week’s blog explored the art of self-expression through the power of makeup. I agree with the writer, "makeup is a form of self-expression and individuality." I personally use makeup to enhance my natural features, which are my eyebrows, my eyelashes and my lips. I use an eyebrow pencil to create a full, shapely brow, plenty of Black extenuating Mascara to open up my eyes and a lip liner to give fullness to my lips. Therefore, I am not using makeup to hide or as a mask. Quite the opposite. I am accentuating my natural beauty! The term mask can be used in its literal meaning or in other expressions, such as symbolic and metaphorical.
My way of enhancing my natural beauty.
I disagree that wearing makeup is like wearing a mask. I do not believe wearing makeup is the equivalent of wearing a mask in its literary meaning. Masks are often associated with hiding physical features that are already there. The custom of altering our appearance with costumes and masks dates back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, Berg (2020). Still, I understand metaphorically that makeup can transform individuality and personas, therefore giving us the power to change how we feel and express ourselves diversely. Makeup does have the power to transform the way you look, depending on how it is applied and what context it is required for, such as Theatre, Drag or Fancy Dress. However, as a professional MUA, I believe makeup artistry should be applied to enhance individual natural beauty.
I noticed the writer used two references to email interviews but did not explain who these people are. As readers, it is difficult to understand who the people are or what they are seniors of. Why has she asked these seniors specifically? Do they have industry experience? It is important in academic writing that sources are clearly presented throughout the research, providing validity, reliability and authenticity. Due to the lack of referencing information, the writer has not met academic standards and has offered weak referencing and research. Furthermore, there is evidence throughout the writing of personal opinions on makeup, as opposed to factual or reliable sources of information. As a BAHons student, I took it upon myself to seek out the sources for clarity. The writer is a high school student/junior and online editor, she demonstrates a more informal approach to her article, using other possible student cohorts from across the school.
The writer provides a section where she explains her 'makeup journey.' I thought this was poorly written, as "watching YouTube videos" and "watching her mother put makeup on as a child" is not necessarily a makeup journey. A makeup journey should demonstrate how she began her career, including her growth, struggles and achievements, evidencing where she is now as an artist. Many points within this article seem pointless to include, considering the article is about self-expression.
Lastly, to finish the article, she has included a heading, 'The Power of Makeup.' Sharing a statement that is irrelevant and unfactual statistically. Does this mean to state that male students and females who prioritise their studies over the way they look receive lower grades? To me, this doesn't make sense. Therefore, stating makeup supports higher grades is ethically misplaced for the article's purpose of makeup as self-expression. Jackman states, "According to a study conducted by Harvard University, female students who put makeup on received higher grades than those who did not." Who knew? This statement does not highlight the power of makeup and its ability to transform and enhance individuality and natural beauty. This is evident the article was written by a student with little knowledge of the makeup industry.
Fig 1 (Davenport 2022)
For me this is a true power of makeup, the transformation from human to movie character, completely changing the way a person looks in reality!
Group Discussion
We all agreed that the article is centralised around confidence and is very youthfully written. The writer shares limited information about the history of makeup, and some of her points are irrelevant to the article. The title is ‘Not Just a Mask: Self-expression through Makeup’, so we expected to read more about expression through makeup throughout the history of makeup. Such as where did it begin? What did they use? How did they use it?
The group agreed that we feel reassured when putting on our eyebrows or lipstick in the morning. However, one of my peers said she disagreed with this statement because she feels more obligated to wear it for work. Furthermore, she explained how makeup makes her feel dirty when wearing it all day at work. I can understand this viewpoint as, working within the retail industry, I am also required to wear makeup to work. When we follow professional conduct, such as advertising a brand and beauty products, there are expectations to promote through how we present ourselves.
Understandably, being at work all day can make you feel ‘dirty,’ uncomfortable and gross, especially if you're really busy all day, but that is the same as when we wear clothes and wear our hair a certain way. Unfortunately, these are the beauty standards and very important aspects when working in the beauty industry. Furthermore, makeup is part of our passion as Creative Make-Up and Design BAhons students, so wearing makeup should be something you enjoy, rather than feel obligated by.
As a makeup artist, I find it fascinating how you can overcome these barriers with lightweight skin tints and long-wearing primers. Furthermore, less is certainly more when trying to sell makeup, as people are after this desired outcome anyway. Having the correct product knowledge will help to improve how the makeup will wear throughout the day and ensure that it will not feel ‘dirty’ as the hours go on, after all if your job is to sell makeup why would you not wear it unless you were unhappy with the job itself. As a makeup artist, I believe wearing makeup is a privilege and something to be proud of when working in the industry.
Rachel’s Questions
Does their makeup history seem relevant / accurate?
Jackman provides limited research on makeup for self-expression, including a brief overview of makeup through the histories. The historical context starts very early, beginning in early Ancient Egypt, 6,000 years ago, but then moves to a brief statement of 1919 and then on to the 40s/50s and the 70s and 90s. This results in a very filtered overview with limited information that is seemingly irrelevant. A suggestion would be to provide her own perspective, discussing how people of the past used makeup for self-expression, focussing on the specific era that stood out to her the most.
What makeup history would you see as high self expression?
The 1980s was a high self-expression era due to the vibrant colours and funky styles. ‘The 1980s brought us a fashion revolution, where individuality was celebrated, and people embraced bold, daring styles. From vibrant colours and oversized silhouettes to experimental makeup and accessories, the decade was all about making a statement,’ Page (2024). This shows that the significance of the 80s was all about expressing yourself and being free. Fashion consisted of punk fashion, athletic wear, Power dressing and neon colours. There were many different trends during the 80s, and no matter your style, there was no judgement. Within the 80s, celebrities would all look different by expressing themselves through their clothing, styles and make-up. Now, they all look the same, follow the same trends, and have no individuality. Pop culture and subculture showed significance throughout the 80s. Subculture-inspired rebellious, avant-garde looks using monochromatic and metallic colours. Where pop culture inspired trends such as big hair, bright colours, and exaggerated silhouettes. The 80s is an era we all incorporate into our daily lives. We see the 80s every day through modernised trends within the makeup industry, fashion industry, and music industry.
Fig 2 (Newretro.net 2024) - 80s Pop-culture
Fig 3 (Pinterest n.d) - 80s Sub-culture
Is makeup a mask?
The masks we wear can be both physical and metaphorical.
I disagree that makeup is a mask in the physical or literal sense because we still look the same beneath the layer of makeup. Therefore, makeup does not physically change our facial features or the way that we look; it only enhances what is already there.
If the makeup was special effects, changing facial features or skin colours or adding fake prosthetics onto the face, I could understand why this way of using/applying makeup could be seen as wearing a mask. However, I mainly associate masks with Halloween and covering your face to transform yourself into something you are not. When applying small amounts of makeup to cover a ‘pimple’ or ‘scar’ or to look and feel that little extra confident, then I disagree with the mask statement. Cosmetic surgeries or permanent treatments could also be regarded as wearing a mask, as this is permanent and changes how the person looks naturally.
I agree that everyone uses makeup for a confidence boost, whether a small amount of mascara or a full beat. People use makeup to feel empowered and confident when wanting to feel better. Therefore, makeup used in this way might be viewed as metaphorically wearing a mask, as it can have the psychological effect of making someone feel different in themselves.
Do you feel reassured/renewed? Does it cover insecurities?
I feel reassured when applying my 3 step makeup routine. In my 3 step makeup routine, I highlight my facial features, eyebrows, eyes and lips cleverly to give the illusion that I have made more effort than I actually have. People tend to notice these dominant features first, so in my mind, if I make an effort to make these three features look their best, then I won’t have to make much of an effort with the rest of my face.
Makeup doesn't necessarily renew me, but I understand how it might have this effect on others. Using a skincare routine and applying highlighters can refresh the eyes and accentuate cheekbones, giving the illusion or feeling of being refreshed and a vibrant glow-up.
Makeup definitely covers my insecurities! If I break out in spots or have darkness under my eyes due to tiredness, then makeup has the capacity to cover these imperfections. This may not be the case for everyone, as some might not care about having a spot on their face or looking a bit tired. Makeup gives us the choice to feel refreshed and renewed where needed.
Is it academically written?
The article only consists of two primary sourced references, including ‘Senior Margot Szatmary’ and ‘Senior Brook Lutes.’ Both sources participate in email interviews to give their opinions on makeup and how they use it. Usually, an academic piece of writing requires more than two sources. Moreover, educational research should be attained from valid and reliable sources, such as professionals with industry knowledge and experience. As readers, we know nothing about her chosen sources and why she has decided to use them to back up her points. So how can we believe that many people feel the same? For this reason, I don't think the article is well-written academically, but it provides a more informal account.
Summary
To summarise this blog, Jackman could have expanded more than she has. This article has been written by a high school student due to its informal approach and brief scope of research. Still, she could have written something much more interesting. She could have provided further research using professionals who have industry knowledge and experience. I don't believe this article has taught me anything personally. However, I can appreciate the target audience and the level to which it was written. Jackman used email interviewing to gather research or information from who seemed to be her peers. Maybe this was a small-scale action research project, but unfortunately, there was not enough data to come to any kind of conclusion. As BAHon students, we should consider the level of academic capacity and critique through the lens of criticality. Therefore, I suggested to my peers that we should analyse an article that will challenge our thinking next week, such as artificial intelligence or the metaverse. I think reflecting on more advanced articles will help to develop our skills and knowledge rather than reflecting on a teenager's high school work.
References
Berg, M (2020) The Masks we Wear: Physical and Metaphorical. [online] Available at: www.rethinklifetoday.com Accessed on: 07/10/2024
Davenport, M (2022) Skills Taught in Special Effects Makeup Programs | CMU College [online] Available at: www.cmucollege.com Accessed on: 07/10/2024
Newretro.net (2024) HOW 80S POP MUSIC INFLUENCED FASHION [online] Available at: https://newretro.net Accessed on: 07/10/2024
Page, D (2024) 80s Fashion: A Bold Era of Style and Self Expression [online] Available at: www.fashionvalue.us Accessed on: 07/10/2024
Pinterest (n.d) Katt-Erlina-Creations [online] Available at: www.pinterest.com Accessed on: 07/10/2024
Original source for this article - Jackman, G (2023) Not just a mask: Self-expression through makeup [online] Available at: www.lhsdoi.com Accessed on: 07/10/2024