You don’t even have to be pretty, have good skin or be healthy to be a model anymore. All you need is to fit into the fashion industries’ cookie-cutter mold and they’ll shave down that nose, plump up those lips, erase those rib bones, and place your photo on every magazine cover and leave us “normal people” scratching our heads, wondering why we don’t look like “everyone else." That is why I am so thrilled and refreshed to see the new campaign for Make Up For Ever.
Make Up For Ever’s new advertisement features a close beauty shot of a model with the words “You’re looking at the first unretouched make up ad” next to it. Hell did not freeze over and the ad is still beautiful. The model is gorgeous, the lighting is flattering and the makeup looks really good without looking “fake." I remember seeing my touched CoverGirl advertisement and thinking that I looked like a fish. I wasn’t used to seeing my face without any lines, imperfections and it didn’t look right to me. The model for Make Up For Ever can be proud of her work because it is just that, her own work. There’s nothing worse than doing a shoot and not being able to use the tears, or prints, in your portfolio because they don’t resemble you. Who decided that faces looked better without any flaws? I like the little wrinkles on my forehead. It gives me character, shows that I’m not a child, and that I’ve lived. Perfection is so boring.
I fully support Make Up For Ever in their endeavor to release real, beautiful ads that show their products in action. I hope other make up companies do the same. Can you imagine living in a world where the before and after photos were real? I would love to know how products really work before buying them. I’m so sick of mascara companies claiming that they will “plump your lashes” while flashing the face of a model wearing the biggest set of fake lashes. That isn’t even retouching, it’s just lying.
It’s time that we, as consumers put our money where our mouth is. If you are sick of being lied to every day by badly air-brushed ads, then show your desire for change by purchasing an item from Make Up For Ever. If you don’t have the money then send them an e-mail expressing your support and you will aid in the continuation of these fantastic ads.
Also, make your voice heard by contacting your favorite make up brands and asking them to do an ad campaign like this one. Love CoverGirl? Why not send them an e-mail or letter, or call customer service and tell them that you love their products but will not be able to continue supporting them until they put girls who look like you in their ads. At the end of the day, you are their boss. If you stop buying from companies that Photoshop their models, they will have no choice but to surrender. Please take this seriously. It only takes a couple of minutes and will save thousands of people from self-esteem issues.
Thank you!
I've read this message and it seemed to me very sincere! Thank you Whitney!!
ReplyDeleteI not model and not the known person... I simply Russian girl who dreams to see the world without a make-up! I was tired of falseness, from deceit and stereotypes!
When I was 14 years I was serious ill. After I was long time in the hospital I began look not so well! I saw that I become ugly! I began to hear insult words in my address... It was heavy. Every day I saw different advertizing in which showed beautiful girls with an ideal figure, beautiful long eyelashes, smart hair! I began to hate myself and to dream to look also as they. I began to buy cosmetics which they advertized, but I didn't receive result which advertizing promised!
Once I have refused treatment in hospital... It was the risk. I've looked at this world other eyes! I've understood that the most important thing it is not beautiful eyelashes, not a beautiful figure..... ALL of IT isn't important! I have understood that the most important is SOUL! I stood opposite my mirror and long time looked at myself studying and understanding my body! I have seen at myself ridiculous freckles, the beautiful brown eyes, an interesting hair color, a birthmark on a cheek..... I loved it in myself! Soon I have changed! I have read many wise books, have learned to rejoice lives! I am assured of myself now! I strong and beautiful!
The make-up isn't necessary to life! I love people not for the beauty ... I love people for their soul, for their parity and sincerity! Now I don't use cosmetics often because I like natural beauty! To me it is not important as the person looks.... To me it is important that he was the good person!
Dear Whitney! Thanks you for all! You the wise and light person! I am proud of YOU!
P.S PLEASE SORRY FOR MY ENGLISH, IT IS NOT WELL!
P.S.S.
"Advertising is the modern substitute for argument; its function is to make the worse appear the better".-George Santayana
"Many a small thing has been made large by the right kind of advertising".-Mark Twain
love, Lola
I thought it prudent to add a guys point of view here ladies I hope you don’t mind. It would seem marketers ran out of ideas at some point, and in their oh so bright wisdom decided to push false ideas into unresisting minds. The age group for marketing to young girls to wear makeup gets younger and younger. We have baby pageants… where did we go wrong? Parents please let your children be children. The biggest cheapest change we can all make is by taking the time to teach our young daughters about makeup and boys when they start asking about them. If we leave it to the magazines and salesman what do you think will happen? Children are impressionable the jerks that come up with these marketing scams and lawyers that make them all legal know this. I agree with you Whitney telling them by e-mail and what you can afford to buy is a really good start.
ReplyDelete“How are we supposed to feel about ourselves when the standard is being set at someone else’s definition of perfection?” ~WT
How can our daughters know what beauty is unless we teach them? How can they know that anorexic, pale, bones sticking out is not beauty. We here in America are so two faced. We broadcast programs on national geographic for example that shows people of 3rd world countries skinny as rail posts every rib bone showing and we say this is bad. We then turn around and ask our models to willingly starve themselves to the same near conditions and then airbrush out all the rib bones and all the “unnatural” features that comes from starvation. What a shock that the average American can’t achieve that look. So what happens next? Well one of two things. Populous group A: will spiral into worsening bad habits and overeating as compensation for lack of self control and the inability to look like the girl in the magazine. Generally this will continue to spiral downward. This leads to a complete lack of self-esteem. Populous group B: will spiral the other way, into anorexia and severe depression. Again leading to a complete lack of regard to ones self and often less than no self-esteem. The adds target these impressionable girls because the more depressed they are the less rationally they think and the more makeup they buy. I would compare it to any addiction out there, crack cocaine comes to mind. The user spirals into severe depression and obsesses over the next fix.
Both of these groups are the severe example. Sadly to some degree we all fall into this trap. Ever see a man’s mag? Of course there is no make up, but there is plenty of airbrushing and ‘enhancement’ so guys can fall into the same marketing trap for different reasons.
It would seem I have started to ramble my apologies.
ReplyDeleteThe point is. Parents it starts at home. Take 5 minutes out of your day to answer you daughters questions about makeup. The whole point of makeup is to not know it’s there. It’s meant to be or was meant to be a subtle enhancement of natural beauty. To take the natural raw beauty that the woman possess and draw it out for the eye to be drawn to. Girls you honestly need very precious little. Marketing scams don’t want you to know that so they come up with twenty million different products to sell you more crap… and it is… it’s crap. A gentle application of foundation if any a touch of lipstick, or more subtle lip balm (gives it a nice sparkle with out being overpowering.) and a little blush is all you honestly need. If you want to get really crazy with it ok… maybe a light amount of eye liner. Not much just enough to accent the eye.
“I’m so sick of mascara companies claiming that they will “plump your lashes” while flashing the face of a model wearing the biggest set of fake lashes. That isn’t even retouching, it’s just lying.” ~WT
That’s exactly it, big companies will do what ever they can to make you buy their makeup. They will claim anything they have to. I just love the “clumpy” lashes. They put super glue on fake lashes and then filmed the girl trying to put her mascara through. Or my other favorite, they’ll go out and buy the cheapest most worthless mascara out there gob it on incorrectly and let it dry out and start filming. Advertisements lie to you legally. They all want you to look like Mimi from the Drew Carey Show. They want you to wear twenty pounds of makeup. Why? Because it makes them money. That’s all they care about.
“Perfection is so boring.” ~WT
Girls understand my last point. I’m a guy I think I can speak on behalf for them. What we really want from you most is you to be happy. Yes we enjoy the primping and preening and attention to detail and the great pains you go through to look ‘good’. But at the end of the day the mascara, the foundation the blush the lipstick, the eyeliners it all washes off. What do we have left? Just you in all your unvarnished natural beauty. That’s why we love you that’s why we are with you. For the person you are, the natural you. A friend said this years ago and it stuck with me ever since and it is what I will leave you with.
“Looks will get you across the room, personality will keep you there.” ~KH
Wow! Thank you for both of your comments. Lola, I'm glad that you were able to share your story with me. I understand why you feel the way you do. Aaron, you should write more! It's refreshing to hear someone that shares the same views. Sometimes I wonder if I am crazy but then I realize that the fashion industry is surely the crazy one, morphing good people into insecure wrecks. Thank you.
ReplyDelete