Is Makeup Like War Paint?

The woman in the following video presents her case for why she believes makeup is like war paint. What do you think?

Some of the highlights from her video are below.

Makeup is literally war paint. It is putting on a mask for the world to look at so that they think a certain thing about you...But, my understanding of war makeup, of war paint, is that you want to look fierce. You want to be feared, you want to look fierce. You want to frighten the enemy. And, for women, it's the same thing, you want to go out there and you want other women to look at you and think a certain thing about you. And, you want the men to look at you and you want them to think a certain thing about you...

What [makeup] is doing, it's attracting people to us for our own gains...Once someone gets to actually know you, it doesn't matter as much. Like, before you get married, you're always gonna be flawless. Your dress is gonna be perfect. You're gonna wear your big push-up bra and your tight jeans. And, your hair is gonna be beautiful. And, your makeup is gonna be flawless because you want to attract this person to you. Once you've attracted them to you and you start to feel more comfortable and they start to love you, you don't feel like you have to put on your war paint because you feel safe in that person's environment...

[Makeup] is something that women put on to feel more confident in their surroundings. And, to get a certain message across to other people. Either, "Don't touch me, I'm very professional" or "Love me, I'm flowery and pink and pretty" or "I'm a vixen, I have all this on because I'm super sexy and I want a boyfriend."

If this woman is right, it has significant implications. Consider the following study.

The idea of a woman feeling the need to “put her face on” before confronting the world may seem retro, but according to a new study, that impulse might not be so dated. Two-thirds of women surveyed said that heading to the office bare-faced caused them more stress than public speaking, going on a first date or enduring a job interview, reported The Daily Mail.

The survey, conducted by The Vitality Show, a UK-based wellness event for women, polled 3,000 British women about their make-up habits. The heartening news was that over 50 percent women said that they are more than happy to show their makeup-free faces to close friends, family members and significant others. But when it comes to the workplace or romantic encounters, makeup supposedly can make or break a woman’s confidence.
LINK

When you put that study in the context of what the woman in the video below claims, it makes me wonder if society isn't more of a literal war than any of us realize.


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Great thread and personally I like women in make-up as it makes them look sexy.

No.

It's socialization. It's also a kind of right-of-passage for girls when they get to start wearing makeup, so in that sense it is kind of tribal. Weird, but true in my personal experience.

originally posted by: Tindalos2013
Great thread and personally I like women in make-up as it makes them look sexy.

My girlfriend wears no makeup, ever. I think that's optimal because she looks the same way all the time. And that is very attractive...I wouldn't want to wake up next to someone who looks completely different than they usually do (because of makeup).

There are other benefits too. She has no hang ups about going out at any time. There's no "I have to spend 30 minutes to get ready" stuff. And, it saves money. And, of course, there's the health effects of makeup to think consider.

originally posted by: AboveBoard
It's socialization. It's also a kind of right-of-passage for girls when they get to start wearing makeup, so in that sense it is kind of tribal. Weird, but true in my personal experience.

Are you ignoring the study I referenced in the original post? I found it when I was researching for this thread. It's a shocker to me. I had no idea most women felt that way.

a reply to: Tindalos2013

This is a really crappy attitude. Your message is women are not beautiful unless they're camouflaged in war paint.

Yes, I agree it's war paint. Women are at war not only with men, but with themselves.

It's disgusting. Women are objectified. Period.

Women accept men as they are. Why can't men do the same?

a reply to: AboveBoard

I like women without makeup. I think women are more beautiful not wearing paint. Nice thread!

My wife wears very little makeup. I hate the stuff. It smells terrible. Mostwomen don't have a clue about how to match shade and hue, and they end up looking like either bozo the clown, or worse....like they belong in Slipknot.

I joke with my sister that its a shame she wasn't born less ugly, so she wouldn't have to paint an acceptable face on for the world to see.

a reply to: Profusion

So if make-up is like war-paint, then what does it mean when a woman shaves off her eyebrows, then draws in these nasty looking fake eyebrows that don't even fit their faces properly?? I only ask because the little quip you quoted states that women do this so men/women don't think certain things about them, but I can't help but think that nobody can think anything good about eyebrows like that. Unless it is to truly frighten those around them to which I say.....good job??

There's this blonde woman around town that's shaved off her natural eyebrows and drawn on nasty ones. You can tell where her natural eyebrows would be based on the structure of her face, yet the ones she draws on look like she took the McDonald's logo, cut it down the middle vertically, and placed each golden arch right above her eyes. It's the scariest thing ever, yet she walks around like she looks good.

Why!? >_________

originally posted by: bigfatfurrytexan
My wife wears very little makeup. I hate the stuff. It smells terrible. Mostwomen don't have a clue about how to match shade and hue, and they end up looking like either bozo the clown, or worse....like they belong in Slipknot

I used to work at a pizzeria for a few years back in the day, so I learned a "cheesy" analogy regarding make-up that many don't seem to understand. Make-up is like oregano on a pizza. It's meant to be a garnish, to accentuate the overall flavors of the pie, it's not supposed to be a whole topping. XD

a reply to: Necrobile

Im going to try that.

"Honey, makeup should only be oregano on your cheesy face".

When I was young, I rarely wore makeup, and I think I looked fine - fresh and healthy - naturally.

As I have gotten older, I find that with no makeup I look tired and a little haggard. So I wear a little makeup to make me look fresh and healthy. The key is to apply it so that no one can tell you are wearing any without really looking for it. If it's obvious at first glance that you are wearing makeup, you're doing it wrong.

Girls these days look more like clowns than warriors if you ask me. With makeup, less is always more. I, too, rarely wear it. I like lipgloss, and maybe a touch of mascara if I'm being fancy. Other than that, I think a ton of it looks gross and ages people.

I prefer women who are comfortable being natural.
Makeup highlights underlying insecurity.

I think of war paint as something that tells the other warrior whose team you are on. "Don't kill me, I'm wearing the same war paint as you!"

Make-up or not making-up for women has thousands of reasons behind it. So many that it would be difficult to discuss in an internet forum post.

For myself, I wear lipstick because it balances out my face. Sometimes I wear powder to even out my complexion. I wear make-up because without it, I feel like I am telling the world "I don't care about my appearance". But I don't apply that to other women who don't wear make-up- I know there are a variety or reasons why women don't wear make-up- and not just because they don't care about their appearance.

Sal



a reply to: Profusion

I guess that in some situations, makeup can be considered war paint.

When my husband and I are planning to go out somewhere, I do my makeup, and my husband instinctively knows not to complain about hurrying up or a war really will ensue.

I always thought of it as more like clown face paint.

originally posted by: GrandCourtJester
I always thought of it as more like clown face paint.

Clap, clap, clap!

a reply to: Profusion

When I see women absolutely covered in makeup I'm reminded of something more animalistic, more of a Baboon showing it's big red ass than a warrior lol.

a reply to: BelowLowAnnouncement

I said eariler how much I love a natural looking girl with out war paint until I found this before and after photo. This girl needs a little war paint.

a reply to: Quantum12

Well you have me there. I can't argue with that LOL.