Lifestyle contributor Lori Culwell talks beauty. She’ll entertain you with "the things we do for beauty” while offering inspiration on how to achieve a healthy lifestyle.
Let’s just get this out of the way: I have a friend, and his new girlfriend wears waaaaay too much makeup. And, it’s not just a casual “too much makeup” situation—it’s full-on “Wow, did she put on makeup in the dark? Is she going to the prom? What is going on with her face?” type heavy makeup, including dark lip liner and everything.
Ok, now for the conundrum—I don’t even know this girl, so there’s no scenario that would allow me to bring up the elephant in the room, but I just have to wonder—have any of her friends even mentioned the possibility that she’s on makeup overload, and that this habit might be having a negative impact on her life? And by this I mean, of course you want to look your best, so you feel good and do well in life. Can you do that with a face full of distracting makeup, or a big mole, or a unibrow, or some other egregious beauty faux-pas? And, if you can’t, whose job is it to sit you down and level with you? Isn’t this the beauty equivalent of food in your teeth, or toilet paper on your shoe?
After seeing this girl a few times, curiosity got the best of me and I started polling my other friends on this issue. Did they ever have someone point out something that needed to be taken care of? If so, how did they react?
“Oh yeah,” says H. “I totally started getting my lip waxed because my friend told me I needed to. I was embarrassed at first, but now I look way better.”
And, did she stay friends with the truth-teller in question?
“Yep,” she says, laughing. “I guess I figured if she cared enough to point it out, that made her an even better friend.”
Interesting. I mean, we all have that friend who overplucks their eyebrows and draws them back on too thin, or wears way too much self tanner, or is still doing that “puffed up on top” thing with their hair, right? But, I think we all agree that no one wants to be the one who lays down the law. What if she wants her makeup that way?
When does “beauty public service” end up in a friend divorce? There is a totally fine line between my opinion and just blatantly getting in someone’s business, but isn’t there an empirical rule somewhere that sort of implies you will not be able to get ahead unless you know your way around a pair of tweezers?
Another friend (who shall also remain nameless so she’ll keep giving me her opinion), disagrees. She thinks that your face, hair, and personal effects are your business, and that if you have bad taste, at least you have the freedom to have that bad taste.
I’m totally interested in everyone’s opinions about this. Did you ever have a friend who just…lost their perspective, beauty-wise? Did you say something to get them back on track? If so, did they thank you for it, or did this make them decide to stop speaking to you?
3 Comments
I think a lot of women have no idea that people are percieving them like this. I also think they don't know how to do anything else. I have tried to look at pictures, etc to do my makeup and does it turn out like its suppose to? NO!
I have green eyes, they are darker around and then gradually lighten to an olive green with a touch of brown right around the iris. I still use a black liner, because everytime I try something else it doesn't look right to me. Any suggestions? I do have the neutrogena sugar plum 70 eye duo. Love the colors. Yes my computer desk is full of make-up right now.
Funny! I think that's a fairly common sentiment. Sometimes I think "Oh, they'll figure it out eventually."
I wanted to say something but was worried that I would her her feelings. I kept thinking of the line in the movie Ferris Bueller..."You wear too much eye makeup. My sister wears too much. People think she's a $%^&."
I dont't want to make her feel bad so I just let it go.
