Hi there!
Tuesday blues have struck after a super long weekend of fun, frolic and loads of driving around the Central Coast and there's literally just one thing that cheered me up today! Any guesses? Well, this Ultra HD Matte Lipstick from Revlon that I've had with me for a year or so magically transformed me from a sleep-deprived goon to a summer fairy princess! I can't believe I've had this treasure for so long and it's just the right amount of pink I need for a boring Tuesday at work. You might wonder how a random lip product has such a massive impact on my life. So lemme jump right into today's post - a deep dive into the (not so) glamorous world of make-up! (No brownie points for guessing!)
Make-up, huh? I have been a big fan of sparkly eye shadow palettes and shimmery lip glosses even before I became a teenager. I still remember that day, nearly fifteen years ago, when my cousin and I sat down to decorate each others' eyelids with vibrant colours from this badass palette from Canada (Had to mention that, G! :D), some silvery glittery thingy and what not. (We looked like circus clowns eventually, but the joy it brought to us was priceless!) When I got my hands (or rather, my lips!) on my very first lip gloss, it was probably one of the best days of my life and believe it or not, I literally used it for ten years or something! Well, what I am trying to say is that make-up has been an integral part of my teen years and it most definitely still is. Make-up gets me excited like a little kid would for ice-cream! (I would get equally excited for ice-cream too, but that's a totally different story!) I don't even use half of the products I own on a regular basis and some of them products still lay unopened, but I still think it's an indispensable possession. Ever since I started beauty blogging, my horizon has expanded. I have been giving so many new brands a well-deserved chance. And while it's all business at the end of the day, it's also a feel-good factor for me!
Back in the day, at least in India, make-up was a mask that people wore to hide scars or pimples. Some considered it an attempt from women with duskier skin tones to look 'fair' (which unfortunately was or probably still is considered a symbol of beauty by most people) and for some others, it was just an unmitigated way of showing off. Only the rich could afford make-up and the rest who wore make-up were looked at differently. While women who wore bright, bold colours on their lips were considered promiscuous, Bharatnatyam dancers or Kathakali performers (forms of dance in the South of India) got a free pass to paint their faces. I remember wearing some very 'noticeable' blue eye shadow to office when I was in India and everybody thought it was my birthday and on days you don't wear any kajal, people seem to think that you have the flu or something! On the contrary, in most developed countries, some basic make-up that helps you look presentable is heavily encouraged and you are sort of, ummm, for the lack of a better word, looked down upon if you aren't well-groomed. For instance, my best friend had to instantly become Mickey Contractor overnight the moment she moved to the Gulf and I can see that she actually enjoys it. It's pretty disheartening to see all these preconceived notions about make-up floating around and harsh judgements being passed on women who like to glam up a little bit.
Being a social media influencer comes with a lot of pressure. We have the power to influence others and at the same time, unconstructive criticism can certainly be a pain in the neck. I have had so many aunties walk up to me and tell me that I am beautiful the way I am and that I look great without make-up. That's flattering, but that's certainly not the reason I am wearing make-up in the first place. I have come across a bazillion randos on social media who comment on my posts about how I don't 'need' make-up. Now, well, there are a lot of things we own that we don't really need. There are so many things we do that we absolutely don't need to! And nobody, literally NOBODY, 'needs' make-up! (Just like how I most deffo don't need your opinion! :p) But, why do they care so much? Why and who are these people deciding who can or cannot wear make-up and how much is too much? Who makes these rules and why are we obligated to follow them?
It's time we changed people's beliefs and opinions about make-up. Make-up is a form of self-expression; it's sheer art. It's something that could uplift your mood. If you think that too much make-up could take a toll on your skin, that's a hundred percent true - but you can always up your skincare game. Make-up may still be a little too pricey, but nothing a common man can't afford to splurge on every once in a while. There are pros and cons to everything and doing everything in moderation is the key! While I am more than happy walking the streets of North Sydney with bare face and maybe some lip balm, my acne scars gleaming (Okay, bit much? :p), I would be equally psyched if I could do a full face of make-up with a primer, a BB cream, a concealer, a lip primer, a lip stick, contouring, smokey eyes and all that jazz. Some of us can't do without our matte lip sticks, some don't set foot outside their homes without a thick line of black kajal underneath their eyes, some are passionate enough to do a full face - how much make-up you want to apply on your face is YOUR decision! The ball is always in your court, ladies! It's your face, your life and you are the boss here. Don't be shy and go all bonkers with your precious Huda Beauty palettes or just rub some moisturizer all over your face or do nothing at all. Do not compromise on anything, definitely not your make-up routine or your make-up experiments just because of some uninvited criticism. I urge you to be more open-minded about new kinds of make-up or fashion or music or art. We now live in a world where we have enough freedom to pursue anything we wish to, so dare to be different!
On that note, let me sign off by saying, put on some red lipstick (or not) and live a little!
Love,
Hand On The Hip
P.S. Thanks Gauri for this brilliant idea for a blog post! I hope I have conveyed your message loud and clear! :) Also, just realized you're my very first MUA from fifteen years ago. So cool, huh? :D #MakeUpSisters
Tuesday blues have struck after a super long weekend of fun, frolic and loads of driving around the Central Coast and there's literally just one thing that cheered me up today! Any guesses? Well, this Ultra HD Matte Lipstick from Revlon that I've had with me for a year or so magically transformed me from a sleep-deprived goon to a summer fairy princess! I can't believe I've had this treasure for so long and it's just the right amount of pink I need for a boring Tuesday at work. You might wonder how a random lip product has such a massive impact on my life. So lemme jump right into today's post - a deep dive into the (not so) glamorous world of make-up! (No brownie points for guessing!)
Being a social media influencer comes with a lot of pressure. We have the power to influence others and at the same time, unconstructive criticism can certainly be a pain in the neck. I have had so many aunties walk up to me and tell me that I am beautiful the way I am and that I look great without make-up. That's flattering, but that's certainly not the reason I am wearing make-up in the first place. I have come across a bazillion randos on social media who comment on my posts about how I don't 'need' make-up. Now, well, there are a lot of things we own that we don't really need. There are so many things we do that we absolutely don't need to! And nobody, literally NOBODY, 'needs' make-up! (Just like how I most deffo don't need your opinion! :p) But, why do they care so much? Why and who are these people deciding who can or cannot wear make-up and how much is too much? Who makes these rules and why are we obligated to follow them?
It's time we changed people's beliefs and opinions about make-up. Make-up is a form of self-expression; it's sheer art. It's something that could uplift your mood. If you think that too much make-up could take a toll on your skin, that's a hundred percent true - but you can always up your skincare game. Make-up may still be a little too pricey, but nothing a common man can't afford to splurge on every once in a while. There are pros and cons to everything and doing everything in moderation is the key! While I am more than happy walking the streets of North Sydney with bare face and maybe some lip balm, my acne scars gleaming (Okay, bit much? :p), I would be equally psyched if I could do a full face of make-up with a primer, a BB cream, a concealer, a lip primer, a lip stick, contouring, smokey eyes and all that jazz. Some of us can't do without our matte lip sticks, some don't set foot outside their homes without a thick line of black kajal underneath their eyes, some are passionate enough to do a full face - how much make-up you want to apply on your face is YOUR decision! The ball is always in your court, ladies! It's your face, your life and you are the boss here. Don't be shy and go all bonkers with your precious Huda Beauty palettes or just rub some moisturizer all over your face or do nothing at all. Do not compromise on anything, definitely not your make-up routine or your make-up experiments just because of some uninvited criticism. I urge you to be more open-minded about new kinds of make-up or fashion or music or art. We now live in a world where we have enough freedom to pursue anything we wish to, so dare to be different!
On that note, let me sign off by saying, put on some red lipstick (or not) and live a little!
Love,
Hand On The Hip
P.S. Thanks Gauri for this brilliant idea for a blog post! I hope I have conveyed your message loud and clear! :) Also, just realized you're my very first MUA from fifteen years ago. So cool, huh? :D #MakeUpSisters
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