Makeup “for yourself”: a liberal feminist myth? By Lara Lowinski

I have been wearing makeup daily since I was eleven years old. While this may seem shocking to some, to me, spending almost an hour a day making myself look the best I possibly can used to be a normal, necessary part of my day, almost like brushing my teeth. At the time, I did not think deeply about why I was so preoccupied with my appearance. I simply knew that applying makeup was enjoyable, and that it made me feel good. As I got older, I started to reflect more critically on my daily beauty rituals. More specifically, I started asking myself who exactly I was getting ready for. Sometimes, I would do my makeup even if I didn't leave the house. This begs the question: was doing my makeup something I was doing solely for myself, or was I trying to conform to some external standard that I had learned to experience as my own? This question reflects a debate that has long divided feminists: can women ever make beauty choices entirely for themselves in a world shaped by patriarchy, the male gaze and restrictive beauty standards? 

From a liberal feminist perspective, wearing makeup is understood as an exercise of individual autonomy. Makeup, beauty procedures, manicures, lip filler, botox, body hair removal and diets are seen as empowering, because they are a woman's choice. This idea is largely defended by “choice feminists,” who argue that all individual decisions women make about their own lives and bodies are inherently feminist, simply because they are made by women. Accordingly, a woman’s decision to wear makeup should not automatically be interpreted as submission to patriarchy or an attempt to satisfy men. She may genuinely wear it “for herself” because she enjoys the process, considers it a form of self-expression, or feels more confident while wearing it. 

I have always had a problem with this point of view. Although makeup can certainly be a creative outlet, creativity is not its only, or necessarily its most common, purpose. Much of the time, makeup is used to bring our faces closer to prevailing beauty ideals: clearer skin, larger eyes, longer lashes, fuller lips and a smaller-looking nose. Wanting to appear attractive is not inherently harmful. The problem begins when makeup no longer feels like an enjoyable option and instead becomes something we need in order to feel adequate. In my own case, on the rare occasion that I would go to school without makeup, I would spend the whole day feeling insecure, not being able to focus in class, in fear of people noticing I was not wearing my usual mask. This is not an isolated case, I know a lot of my female friends also do not leave the house without makeup, and when they do, they refuse to have their picture taken. When so many women feel ashamed of being seen as they naturally are, it becomes difficult to describe makeup as an entirely free and uncomplicated choice. Why should there be anything wrong with the face a person was born with? Beauty standards have become so pervasive that, in some contexts, a woman appearing in her natural state can feel almost like a political act. 

Illustration by Martina Alcantarilla Sánchez

A thinker whose work is highly relevant for this discussion is Sandra Lee Bartky. In Femininity and Domination (1990), she uses Michel Foucault’s theory of discipline to explain how women regulate their own bodies. Even though beauty standards are not directly externally enforced, women monitor themselves by constantly checking perceived imperfections and comparing themselves, causing them to feel uncomfortable without makeup and treat the face as a constantly improvable project. For Bartky, femininity involves disciplinary practices that produce a particular kind of body. Makeup may feel voluntary while still being shaped by power because social expectations have become internalized. This is the key point: women have internalized beauty standards to a point where they deceive themselves into thinking that their beauty rituals have nothing to do with the pressures of the outside world. I don't think there’s anything inherently wrong with wearing make up; I still do it on most days, but I do think it is important to realize that your actions do not exist in a vacuum. We are not born into this world wanting smaller noses or longer lashes; these desires are socially constructed and cultivated largely for the benefit of the beauty industry. 

The goal of this article is not to get women to stop wearing makeup. Rather, it is to question why so many of us feel that we cannot be seen without it. Women should be able to enjoy makeup without being ashamed of their bare faces, and they should also be able to reject it without being perceived as tired, careless or unprofessional. Ultimately, my position is a middle ground between the two ideologies discussed above. I can acknowledge that the way I do my makeup and present myself is partially a consequence of oppressive beauty standards, but I also know that making myself conform to these standards is a powerful tool. It is no secret that looking a certain way can make your life a lot easier, and I believe women should be able to leverage that power if they want to. However, I think it is equally important to normalize makeup-less faces so that young girls don't grow up to be ashamed of their own. Only when women learn that their natural faces are not problems to be fixed can makeup become what liberal feminism promises it to be: an individual choice.