(that title should probably have a copyright or trademark logo or whatever but i’m not that blog-talented… so just use your imagination… that means you l’oreal legal team)
i’m never sure what to say after compliments. and some compliments are more complicated than others. sometimes i’m not even sure that the thing being said to me, in a sugary tone, is a compliment. i know i’m not the only person out there who doesn’t know how to react to compliments. i usually lean towards the self-deprecating responses which aren’t always well received themselves. i’m also not a person who compliments freely. i am either trying very hard or it’s something that i just can’t resist.
so when anyone feels compelled to say to someone “why don’t you ever wear makeup?” what are they trying to say??
because i get this often. more often than i’d like in fact. sometimes it comes in a different form like when i’m complaining about makeup i tend to get shocked looks. people seem completely caught off guard to find out that yes, i wear makeup. and i’m never sure if i should be flattered by that or offended.
i mean on one hand it could be nice that people think i naturally look good. or that i’m SO good at doing makeup that it never looks like i have any on. those would be good things.
but then i wonder if people are shocked because they assumed that if i wore makeup i’d look better. or does it mean that i’m so bad at doing my makeup that i look like i have no makeup on and should go put some on?
i personally feel like i put on a decent amount of makeup before i head out into public. yes, i put more on for evening events or more formal events, but for the most part it takes me 20 minutes to do my makeup on a regular day. and i know that after a half day has gone by most of my makeup has soaked into my skin (does anyone know the science behind this? where does it all go?? seriously, where does the makeup go? is it in my blood? is my under-dermis all colored in blushing rose rouge and fawn eyeshadow?) so i may not be wearing much makeup when people make these comments. but i don’t get it. and what am i supposed to do to avoid it? i don’t want to look like a fool when i walk out of the house with way too much makeup on, but then again i don’t want to hear that it doesn’t look like i should have makeup on.
i guess it all comes down to whether it’s a compliment or an insult. and apparently i’m not very good at telling the two apart.
~ today i learned… fear of beards is called “pogonophobia” ~
The makeup dilemma is always tricky. Too much, you look like a street walker on your way to the office. Not enough, you look like you should probably seek medical attention because by 3pm you are looking VERY pale. This is one of those times when guys have it easier.
Comment by stealthnerd — July 24, 2008 @ 10:48 am
Honestly? Since I’ve seen pictures of you, I think you’re just naturally very pretty and you don’t NEED makeup. Maybe people are just jealous of that?
Comment by La — July 24, 2008 @ 11:14 am
I’ve gotten this before. Once we were out with a big group of people and J started talking about how I don’t really wear makeup. Um, yes, yes I do. I took it as a compliment, and I try to think about it like that: not that people are saying I need makeup, but are thinking I don’t wear it, i.e. just look all gloriously fresh naturally. They’re probably just jealous (but then again, that’s my answer for a lot of things…)
Comment by magda — July 25, 2008 @ 10:14 am
i get this A LOT. that’s probably because i don’t wear much make up. i think that people get bored and want to get into everyone else’s business. also the “typical” “girl” that wears make-up i.e. caked all over their face so you can tell, so when people see someone that doesn’t wear much, or any, they get confused, and feel compelled to ask the dreaded question. which really, the point of make up is to look like you’re not wearing it (with the exception of blue eyeshadow and other outlandish colors), so i guess most people don’t get the point. which is good for some, bad for others.
whatever the answer is, i always feel a little uglier when i get asked that. so you’re not alone.
Comment by angry gurl — July 25, 2008 @ 8:27 pm