Social media shaming of all sorts is something that is inescapable in this day and age. Some people will criticize literally every little thing about you on social media from your weight to your parenting skills. Quite frankly, most of us are over it.
On an episode of The Real, Adrienne Bailon brought up a different type of shaming that has become very prominent on social media--makeup shaming. Women are using the hashtags #ThePowerOfMakeup and #MakeupShaming to clap back (in a positive way) to women who shame other women for wearing makeup. Joining in on the movement first started by makeup artist and beauty vlogger NikkieTutorials, women are sharing half glamed up/ half natural selfies to combat makeup shamers and allow women who love to wear makeup to live their lives beautifully beat!
Makeup shamers feel as though women who choose to wear makeup do it for the following reasons:
- Because they are insecure and have low self esteem
- They want attention, especially from the men
- They don't love themselves
Women who love to wear makeup (myself included) say they actually do it for the following reasons:
- It's a fun way of expressing yourself
- It gives that extra boost of confidence that you may need when your not feeling all that hot (physical, emotionally and spiritually)
- It's none of your business!
Beauty vlogger Shalom Blac's story is a true testament to #ThePowerofMakeup. She's been using makeup as a teen to cover her burn scars, but learned to love herself and accept that her scars are a part of who she is.
I'm absolutely no stranger to makeup shaming. I've been into makeup for basically my whole life and I've definitely crossed paths with a few shamers along the way. Since I was a little girl, I struggled with expressing myself and was always on the hunt to find an outlet that I could stick to. I took piano lessons; I was no Alicia Keys. My artwork looked like I drew with my feet. I tried guitar and went home everyday with calluses on my fingers. I actually loved dancing but I was sick of people underestimating me because I was bigger than the other kids. One day I began dabbling in makeup and we've been best friends ever since.
In high school, when I was finally allowed to wear makeup out of the house, you could catch me prancing down the halls with a bright lippie, blush and even possibly a coat of blue mascara on my lashes (yes, blue mascara). I loved the compliments that I got but that was absolutely never the reason why I would wake up a 30 extra minutes to apply it. It was all for ME, and it still is.
I had this one particular shamer that I wish to this day I gave a piece of my mind; not because of the horrible things that she would say about my makeup but because she was my “friend." She would call me Ru Paul or a tranny and all sorts of mean things just because I enjoyed wearing and doing makeup. But (there's always a but) she would run out and purchase similar products that I would use and emulate some of the things that I would do. I was absolutely baffled, but as Adrienne Bailon said some women makeup shame other women simply because they don't know how to properly apply makeup themselves. Present day, I often find that same shamer liking some of my selfies displaying my face beat to the GAWDS on instagram.
Me showing #ThePowerofMakeUp
I now work as a beauty consultant for Clinique and absolutely love spreading #ThePowerOfMakeup and confidence to my clients. Women come to me on a regular basis wanting to learn the tricks of the trade; sometimes they just simply want to learn because they were never taught or they may be at some new stage in their lives and they're just looking to feel and look refreshed. Wearing makeup is honestly no different than revamping you're wardrobe in my opinion.
One particular client story over the years of why she chooses to wear makeup has stuck with me. A few years back my client was diagnosed with lupus, which has left her skin blotchy with very noticeable red rashes on her fair skin. She wears makeup primarily to cover the rashes of course, but also to not have a constant reminder of the disease that she is battling every time she looks in the mirror.
[Tweet "Work on the inner before even attempting to alter your outer appearance."]
As far a confidence goes, yes makeup can be used as a booster, but at the end of the day you need to genuinely happy with whom you are. Work on the inner before even attempting to alter your outer appearance. And if makeup just isn't your thing, there is no reason to shame someone who loves it.
What are your personal thoughts on makeup shaming? Share them with us along with some of your #PowerOfMakeup selfies, and check out the gallery below of some beauties showing #ThePowerofMakeUp.
With a multi-layered approach to her artistry, just as she did on that winter day in December 2013 with the infamous digital drop of her self-titled album, she changed the game again on February 1, 2023, when she announced her world tour in support of Renaissance, her seventh studio album. Her cultural impact set the internet ablaze, with everyone trying to gather their coins, barter for presale codes, and figure out which cities to attend. The group chats were lit, and the Beyhive was stressed trying to get their hands on tickets.
Photo courtesy of Dontaira Terrell
Unfortunately, I was in that number. As the concert dates passed by and the one in my city drawing near all roads led to disappointment. With time ticking on the day of the Miami show and less than two hours to spare, my wallet bit the bullet, and I purchased three last-minute tickets, costing roughly $700.00 a piece (including fees) for me, my 9-year-old and 16-year-old nieces in Section 121 at the Hard Rock Stadium. With 10 minutes before showtime, we eagerly awaited the Queen to take the stage. A sea of metallic fringes, cowboy hats, disco fans, and western boots were in full effect and filled the entire stadium.
As the lights dimmed, a flood of emotions instantly overtook my body. It continued with each note she belted, along with nearly 50,000 roaring fans. The reverberating sound of the music through the stadium transported me from one era of my life to the next. As a teen girl in her bedroom daydreaming about her first love to blossoming into an unapologetic Black woman who is still on a road of self-discovery while learning to lean into the power anthem of "You won't break my soul." For over two hours, and with each set, I felt joy, love, peace, and a commanderie with fellow concertgoers. It was therapeutic as I danced like no one was watching and sang as if I were alone in my bathroom mirror.
There were no bars held, and I realized at that moment, "Nobody can judge me but me." The "Renaissance World Tour" proved to be so vast, and my Black girl joy was re-invigorated. It was magnetic and liberating, and I had to attend again, but this time, I needed to be up close and personal; I needed to be on the floor. In the days that passed, I watched more social media clips in different cities and asked myself if I would really splurge again to attend another Renaissance show.
Photo courtesy of Dontaira Terrell
After all, this would be my thirteenth time (maybe more because I lost count) seeing Beyoncé live, whether she was on tour with Destiny's Child, as a solo artist, or doing a live appearance. I contemplated for a while, but it worked itself out on its own. I was gifted two tickets and the next thing I knew, I was off to LA to attend another Renaissance show with floor seats at SoFi Stadium during Beyonce's 42nd birthday weekend! This time, things were different: no kids were allowed. It was adults only this go round.
Although the energy at the Miami and Los Angeles shows was empowering, infectious, and a celebration of life, happiness, and identity, they each provided their own unique experience. However, both concerts were what I needed for my well-being, leaving me with sore feet from dancing the night away, on vocal rest for the next few days from screaming at the top of my lungs, and on an indefinite high on life.
My introduction and love for Beyoncé began in 1996, while my older sister lived in Houston, TX, right before Bey hit the scene in 1998 with "No, No, No" as a budding R&B member. Her evolution twenty-seven years later as an international superstar and into womanhood has been an incredible journey to witness. As Mrs. Carter reminds each of us in the audience every night before the curtain closes, "I want you to remember this moment, where you're standing, who you came with, and take it with you. I hope you feel inspired."
I truly felt inspired, so thank you, Queen Bey. You awakened my inner child, and I will definitely remember these moments and take them with me.
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Feature image by Kevin Mazur/WireImage for Parkwood
