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The article
As someone who has lived many places, I find that attitudes toward make-up (and how it essential it is to present oneself professionally if one is a woman) are regional.
In the south, make-up is required. Eyeshadow used to be more important than eyeliner (which "ladies" thought looked cheap), but I'm less certain about that now. I do know that I'm more likely to see a daily full face of make-up among women down here.
In the northeast, I learned quickly that even my minimal European style make-up wasn't required. If I wore it, fine. If I didn't, fine. Boston was the first place where I heard colored lip gloss referred to as make-up rather than something to keep lips from getting chapped.
In Belgium, mascara and a bit of lipstick were expected for daily life, but more than that was looked a bit askance, though women in high positions who might be captured under television lights might wear a foundation and powder, it was kept natural looking. In the evening, one picked whether the eyes or the lips would be the focus and make up appropriately. I tended to go for mascara and red lips in the evening.
Los Angeles women seem to wear at least as much make-up as Southern women, but it has to look "natural" in the day time. I've seen pictures touted as "no make-up" looks on movie stars where I've counted at least three tones of eyeshadow, false eyelashes, and two blushes.
If COVID-19 gets more women to either the European or, even better, New England views of make-up, I'll be very pleased. In DC, I'm one of the rare people to wear no make-up (beyond the aforementioned tinted lip gloss) to the office.
I love make-up, but I'm glad I no longer feel obligated to wear it unless I want to.
As someone who has lived many places, I find that attitudes toward make-up (and how it essential it is to present oneself professionally if one is a woman) are regional.
In the south, make-up is required. Eyeshadow used to be more important than eyeliner (which "ladies" thought looked cheap), but I'm less certain about that now. I do know that I'm more likely to see a daily full face of make-up among women down here.
In the northeast, I learned quickly that even my minimal European style make-up wasn't required. If I wore it, fine. If I didn't, fine. Boston was the first place where I heard colored lip gloss referred to as make-up rather than something to keep lips from getting chapped.
In Belgium, mascara and a bit of lipstick were expected for daily life, but more than that was looked a bit askance, though women in high positions who might be captured under television lights might wear a foundation and powder, it was kept natural looking. In the evening, one picked whether the eyes or the lips would be the focus and make up appropriately. I tended to go for mascara and red lips in the evening.
Los Angeles women seem to wear at least as much make-up as Southern women, but it has to look "natural" in the day time. I've seen pictures touted as "no make-up" looks on movie stars where I've counted at least three tones of eyeshadow, false eyelashes, and two blushes.
If COVID-19 gets more women to either the European or, even better, New England views of make-up, I'll be very pleased. In DC, I'm one of the rare people to wear no make-up (beyond the aforementioned tinted lip gloss) to the office.
I love make-up, but I'm glad I no longer feel obligated to wear it unless I want to.
