Less Is The New More: The Case For Taking Off Your Make-Up

Let's talk make-up. As far as I'm concerned (which, really, is all that matters), less is the new more. (And no, I've haven't quite managed to make myself sick of the whole "is the new" thing, so you'll just have to bear with me.)

But unlike some of my more, well, frivolous posts, I actually have some (read: one) concrete-ish examples.

Such as:

Whether or not you care, you probably noticed that the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition came out last week.

(Personally, I know this for two reasons: Firstly, because my boyfriend, of course, has a subscription, and secondly, because the expression of sheer joy that he had when he came home to find Marisa Miller resting seductively on his bedside table, resembled nothing so much as some sort of embarrassingly late / bizarrely early Christmas celebration, complete with wint'ry mix outside and all.)

The SI Swimsuit Edition is like the Holy Grail of men's magazines: little to no articles, and pages upon pages of absurdly beautiful women in little to no clothing. (Actually, that sounds more like the average issue of Cosmo, but I digress.)

(And on that note, I'd also like to give SI credit where credit is due: the women are stunning, and if I may, I'd like to assert that their photos are actually more natural-looking than the average RedBook cover. Zing!)

That said, Marisa, Marisa, Marisa. What have they done to you? Though her hip to waist to bust ratio has always had me questioning the naturalness of some of her, um, assets, if you will, I've also always thought she had the most naturally pretty face out there. And then I saw this year's spread.. Don't get me wrong, she looks beautiful, but if I may take a moment to be hypercritical: she looks old. And the point is that I would bet my bottom (read: only) dollar that if we could cotton-swab some of that eyeliner off, the end product would be younger, softer, and dare I say, prettier.

And that goes for everyone. Including Lindsay Lohan, whose Marilyn Monroe photo shoot with New York Magazine leaves little (uh, nothing), to the imagination and added 10 years to the poor girl's life. Seriously, ladies, easy on the eyeliner!

And I know that we all have our limits. I, for one, cannot leave the house without mascara or blush. I've got flimsy mousy-colored lashes, and while tans may be tacky, my paleness always needs that little added flush. But all I'm asking is that we just lighten up.

Pick your products, and use them wisely. Some rules:

A few soft coats of mascara and a light concealer are all you need. I'll allow blush, because we all love a little color, but I categorically oppose foundation. Trust me. And if you're desperate for coverage, try a tinted-moisturizer. Stay far, far away from the powders. They don't work on anyone.

My final rule? Lipstick is always in, provided you use it right. If you're going to wear it, go all out; there's nothing I love more than a bright, splashy color on a refreshingly neutral face. It's a HuffPost favorite fashion trick: Lipstick as an accessory.

I know some of you will be hard to sway. I see you. I know. You're sitting at your computer, glaring at the screen, and muttering curses under your breath about how I'll have to pry your eyeliner from your cold, dead fingers. Fine. If you want to look like everyone's drunken four-eyelashed grandmother, then go for it, but rest assured, I'll be there at your heavily eye-lined funeral, taking a q-tip to your eyelids, and whispering, "I told you so."*

And lastly, if you won't lighten up for me, lighten up for your wallets. Make-up is expensive, and well, haven't you heard? There's a recession going on: Less really is the new more!

*Author's Note: In no way did I mean to imply that there is a direct correlation between eyeliner and death. I'm just being dramatic. It's called poetic license. I think.

Comments

[Trilby]

When your bio starts out with "a graduate of Columbia University" it is probable that you are not much past 30. Excuse me, but as we age, skin gets blotchy, sallow, reddened, whatev! And a good foundation helps loads with that. No, I don't want a cake-y look, but don't tell me to forget the foundation till you've walked a mile in my 56-year-old shoes!

[Theda]

You can take your make-up off if you want.
I'm keeping mine on. I look better that way!
Eyeliner makes a woman look sexier. Look at Sophia Loren. She's an ageless beauty who still uses eyeliner.

[peonyharp]

And Verena, I enjoy your writing so much: you make me laugh. Thank you!

What's sexier than a smile.

[peonyharp]

Au naturale has always been best for me.

I use moisturizing sun block and lip balm to protect my skin and lips, nothing else.

A fresh-scrubbed, healthy glow is the sexiest look IMHO.

[skreenname]

I thought the same thing when I saw the cover! The girls inside look ten years younger. I definitely think overly made up faces look older because cake-face is associated with older women.
Personally, I tint my lashes monthly so that I dont have to wear mascara. I wear chapstick and blush in winter.

[BeyondGoodAndEvil]

I think the model's face is unattractive, but she has no control over her makeup. It's entirely in the stylist and makeup artist's hands. Occasionally the photographer will chime in with a suggestion or command if the makeup is particularly off. You can bet your life those SI swimsuit edition shots were Photoshopped to within an inch of their digital lives, so therefore any image you see in a magazine is as false as the model's surgically enhanced bustline. But as for the eyeliner comment, the truth is that there are some faces that can take it, and some faces that can't. You have to know what makes you look fresh, versus what makes you look fake.

I can't be bothered wearing makeup most of the time because I don't enjoy the process of removing makeup, particularly mascara and eye makeup. It's always messy, time consuming and if you happen to glance in the mirror halfway through the removal process, it only enhances the displeasure.

[Boobaloo]

Less has ALWAYS been more when it comes to face spackle.

Most men prefer unmade up faces, in their natural, healthy beauty.

[greymen]

It's crap, utter crap, that women should have to paint themselves anyway!

As a Gay man, I am embarrassed at the complicity over the centuries by Gay men in the beauty industry, shackling down females with such absurdities as fashion, cosmetics and those f******g HIGH HEELS.

[newjerseybadger]

H'rm. I've believed for a lot of my life that women look better without makeup... and gradually, over the years, started to notice that makeup can hide blemishes and things like the gray circles under the eyes of an ill person.

For a youngster in the bloom of health, blessed with a good complexion, you're absolutely right. But... not for everyone. At least, skin care and SPF protection, and maybe a little concealer and blush, depending on the individual and the occasion.

[bmora]

I am convinced that women who where a lot of makeup age faster. I think all of the chemicals clog pores and promotes skin deterioration.

[jneems]

I agree. Make-up is extremely toxic. "If you wouldn't eat it; if you wouldn't put it in your mouth, don't put it on your skin. It will be absorbed into your bloodstream in seconds. Same with hair products, deodorants and creams/lotions. A little of the new mineral-based lipstick, a touch of blush and maybe a bit of mascara are all any woman needs. Remember when aerosol hairspray was the rage? The hairspray manufucturers knew that it was cancer-causing, but sold it anyway. Tell the cosmetic industry to take a jump...Pro­tect yourselves.

[poorotis]

A woman who is confident, smart and funny doesn't need the ego-props of rouge and spackle.
I used to date the prettiest, funniest woman in Santa Barbara. She never touched anything but Noxema and water and moisturizer to her face.
Make-up only highlights a woman's relative self-esteem-in inverse ratio-sadl­y...

[Theda]

Hey, Poorotis. You're a man! Don't tell us women not to wear makeup.
Even the "natural look" involves cosmetics.
And don't play amateur shrink, either.
Who are YOU to say that those of us who wear makeup have low self-esteem.
Do you shave every morning? If you do, it's because you want to look your best.

[Usedtobequiet]

Go Verena! I don't even die my hair!

[TheKat]

Less is more.

kitty kaufman

[avicenna]

I'd go one further and say leave all that plastic off your face and you'll stay looking younger. I just turned 31 and have never worn make-up - and the age of my face in inversely proportional to the savings in my wallet. Though, I admit it is tiresome to be mistaken as a student after having paid all those dues - but it is funny to be taken as precocious child when addressed formally by "Dr."

[Landofjenny]

HAHAHAHAHA! "only weight matters". Funny.

I have never been huge fan of makeup, possibly because I find it tricky and it requires effort... and time... and money. So sweet. It's a pale make-up-less revolution. Count me in.

[GuyFawkes]

Personally, I find MM absurdly sexy. But, I'll admit, those are not her best pics, face-wise. Though I don't think its necessarily a bad makeup job. She admits to spending a lot of time in the sun, which is probably a bigger contributing factor to the premature aging.