This is an open letter to all my fellow males.
Women do not put on makeup for our attention. Have you ever actually watched a girl do her makeup? Especially with other girls in the room? Before going to any party/club/night out, watching multiple girls put makeup on while “pregaming” is one of the most amazing things to ever witness.
They are sharing products, taking shots and asking for each other’s opinions to validate how attractive they know they are. Then they take tons of pictures and post them on social media to make everyone jealous and get positive feedback, further boosting confidence levels.At no point did they ever say anything along the lines of “I really hope a boy notices the contouring I did” or “Do you think a boy will kiss me if I wear lipstick in such a bright red shade?” That doesn’t happen. If a woman is looking for sex, it’s because she wants to, not because a boy couldn’t resist her eye makeup.
Another case of makeup not being for guys? Pinterest. It’s primarily used by women to share beauty tips, along with home decor and other aesthetically pleasing things. This dovetails well with do-it-yourself makeup tutorials on YouTube. Women are teaching other women how to perfect techniques from eyeliner to eyeshadow. How many guys regularly watch these beauty tutorials? It’s very clear that makeup, and this online community, is not directed toward men.
Nail art, while maybe not directly makeup, is still related to feminine beauty. At the time of this piece being written, a Google search for “nail art” turns up articles less than 24 hours old from Cosmopolitan, InStyle and Glamour. I don’t know the last time any of these media outlets were directed at male viewership.
These all tie into the larger picture. It’s not about men. Since women have such a strong community for learning and creating art, it’s completely mind-blowing that men believe makeup could possibly be for them.
Makeup helps women feel confident, attractive and self-expressive. The only time makeup is for men is when they wear it themselves!
Feature Photo via All Women Stalk