Passport to BeYOUty

Hey everyone, these sporadic postings has got to stop :)...but balancing time is not as easy as I want it to be but I'm working that out. Being here in the US, I realize that women invest alot in makeup and is also very dependent on it. Conducted business at a place once and I saw a woman who had the most beautiful skin, so I decided to compliment her. Her response as she gasped was "and I'm not even wearing my makeup". Normally I would think the reverse to wearing makeup, was wearing the naked face (that has no flaws) as a badge of honor (sort of) - as makeup is worn to enhance and conceal...but alas, I guess not.  

Dabbing on a little concealer before leaving your house is normal, especially if you do it because you feel like you need it. So I got into google detective mode and found a new study by the Harris poll, that was conducted on behalf of the Renfrew Center Foundation which research eating disorders, and the poll shows that 44% of women feel unattractive without any makeup on.
If you've been swiping on the mascara since you were a pre-teen, the study also found that one-quarter of women started wearing makeup at age 13 or younger. Which one can see how a woman can feel totally confident without it. Oddly enough, a survey in the UK have shown that wearing less makeup can have positive effects on your career.  It was revealed that 1/3 of bosses believe women sometimes wear too much makeup to work.

Can't speak for all women, but perhaps we could try embracing our natural faces, if its even sometimes. To make the list of People Magazine’s ‘Most Beautiful’ list for 2013, is Kelly Rowland and inside the issue you can find her confidently posing with little to no makeup on. Such a natural beauty!.

Now as a makeup artist this means business for me, as it enables me to cater to the cosmetic needs of others...but I always root for - if you wear makeup often depending on your job, lifestyle etc. sometimes give your face a breather; trust me it will thank you! Beauty is diverse and makeup usage is interpreted by different cultures. What applies to one may not apply to the other.

Lets start with the bible shall we...yes I did say the Bible. Cosmetics have appeared in the Christian Bible, as frankincense and myrrh are brought to Jesus upon meeting him as a baby in the New Testament. Frankincense is an aromatic resin from specific trees in Oman, Yemen, and Somalia. It is used in incense as well as in perfumes. Myrrh is dried sap from trees in Yemen, Somalia, Ethiopia, and Jordan, which is used in mixtures of incense, as an additive to wine, in perfumes, toothpastes, lotions, and other modern day toiletries. 

Jezebel who appears in the Old Testament, was a Phoenician princess who became a queen by marrying King Ahab of the Northern Kingdom - during the time the nation of Israel was divided into Northern (Israel) and Southern (Judah) kingdoms. She was described, as a woman who accents her eyes with cosmetics (around 840 B.C.). 

Of course, there is no direct evidence that women in ancient Israel wore make-up, since there are no Israelite statues or images similar to Egyptian ones...But Israel was always influenced by its powerful neighbor to the south, and it is reasonable to suppose that this influence also affected Hebrew/Israelite women.

African culture and makeup practices goes way back, we are talking years! Makeup is used for traditional purposes and in areas of Africa that is very westernized, makeup is worn with that influence. Likewise African culture has also influenced Europe, where the sartorial and cosmetic businesses in Europe have elements shown in their products.

Beyonce in L'Officiel magazine.

Personally, I maintain that the dark face makeup is bothersome. Here's why: No particular tribe or religion is ever mentioned and there are literally hundreds of ethnic groups on the continent of Africa. Face paint (makeup) is used in many different ways. So if you're not specifically copying a particular people, religion or "ritual," then what you're really doing is just asserting that "face paint" is something "Africans" do. It's a very Western/Eurocentric way of thinking....In my Humble opinion.

Caucasian Model, Ondria Hardin poses as an “African Queen” for Numéro magazine

This is a VERY sensitive subject but "imitation is the highest form of flattery" it is said but is there a need to paint an entire white model black? I digress.

Ambassador Drew Barrymore Against Hunger for the UN World Food Program, wearing traditional Kenyan garb and jewellery.

 

Cosmetics have been used in India, since the IV or V Century. Coal was used as a form of eyeshadow for both men and women. Vermilion, which is an opaque orange-red pigment derived from powdering Cinnabar (mercury sulfide), was used as blush to color the cheeks. However, it is Henna, more specifically Mehndi, the art of painting with henna on the hands and feet, which is perhaps the most well-known cosmetic application from this exotic land. In the American culture, henna is borrowed and used as a painless alternative to tattooing. 

An Indian Bride

The Indian culture, is also known for their beautiful jewellery and clothes as well.

How a culture represents wearing makeup, clothes, jewellery and even skincare/skin regimen varies across the globe. These are now oftentimes borrowed by the western world and is even capitalized on a great monetary level.  

Jamaica has also been influenced by various cultures - from our African heritage to the indentured servants (Indian, Chinese and White) whose descendants are now residents of the island...and we also "borrow" from other islands especially Trinidad, where carnival celebration is widely celebrated - makeup and costuming is replicated on some levels.  

The coat of arms of Jamaica, is very indicative of what our culture is :). Globally most may consider us to be of only the black persuasion but the people of Jamaica are of many races.   

Next post, I will give tips from different cultures that can be applied to your everyday life.

Thanks for reading, Happy Monday!

G