2004-03-12 - 9:49 a.m.
Makeup
I saw a copy of one of the tabloids on the newsstand today and it was one of those "Stars Without Makeup" issues. From time to time I have been known to indulge in the Globe or the Star. And I wholeheartedly enjoy the "Stars in Their Swimsuits" photo spreads. I don't know how I feel about makeup though.
Particularly in my uglier days, I took great solace in seeing some cottage cheese on the thighs of supposedly gorgeous starlets. It let me know for real that they were still airbrushed, and perfection wasn't attainable even for them. Yes, it was kinda mean, but hey, most of the time they looked flawless. And the whole contributing to women's poor self-image thing was also a factor in my not caring about gawking at their problem areas. It made me feel better.
The makeup thing though, isn't as interesting. I think most women put on some form of makeup when they're going out. But no one does that when they're running to the market. While I think that inviting the press in to your celebrity means getting your photo taken, I don't think that should be happening when you have just woken up and you're taking your kids to school. Or going to the doctor. Or picking your nose in traffic.
I've been thinking about makeup because I got a weird backhanded compliment when wearing it at an event this week. A partner here (a real witch, too) asked why I was wearing it. I said that it was an event and I wanted to look the part. From her phrasing, you might think she hated the makeup I was wearing. But her point was that I didn't need it and I was lucky in that way and should just go without. She has to shellack the stuff on every day just to make an appearance at the drugstore.
While I am no raving beauty or anything (or even a beauty at all for that matter), I do get skin compliments and my face does luckily balance itself out colorwise without me doing more than moisturize. So seeing me without makeup isn't a huge shock or anything. But for other people, I can understand their terror. Hell, I sometimes pretend to believe that photography steals your soul in order to get out of pictures if I think my arms will look fat, so I can totally get on board with the celebs being upset.
And yet I can't feel too sorry for the celebs, because they're just falling victim to the culture of perfection that they and their airbrushers helped create. Who is responsible, the chicken or the egg? I don't know. This is all very confusing. People have to start accepting themselves. And if seeing that celebrities don't really look that way in real life helps at all, I hope the Globe and the Star keep on pumping out those pictorial gems.
Dream Watch 2003: I dreamt about going to a chiropractor. Pure torture.
What I'm Listening To: VH1's Blue music station, which plays all this awesome ambient stuff and Dean Martin of all people.
What I'm Reading: Reports on the Madrid bombings. My thoughts and prayers are with all those affected, while my fears turn towards home. When I read that the attacks were exactly 911 days since 9/11, chills went down my spine. This ain't good for anyone. Terrorism is wrong and will never make things the way terrorists would like them to be. It only breeds terror, hatred, and more violence. Stop blowing people up already. Haven't we all learned anything over the past, oh, 10,000 years?
What I'm Watching: The Apprentice. I hate that I love this show so much. The people are mostly asses, and Donald is so full of himself. But I have to watch. Part of it is his supernatural hair. I can't wait to tune in each week to see what it's doing now. Damn you mystically miscolored comb-over, DAMN YOU!
