Sisters Are Doing it For Themselves (and Have Been All Along)

Article by Gabriella Sotiriou

I’m sure you’ve all seen that meme floating around Twitter and/or Instagram these days. Or maybe you haven’t because it’s not one of the really good funny ones. It’s more like the sort you’d send to your mum or auntie because they’ll ‘get it’ without needing a whole folder of millennial humour in their minds. The meme (if you can call it that) is an illustration of two hands holding a mask as though it's just been removed from a person's face. On the inside is the print of the wearer’s face left over from their makeup. Some patches of foundation and smeared pink lippy are now on the fabric and most likely not so much on the face. At least not where it was original applied at least, something I know from personal experience. The accompanying message to this image goes something like ‘proof that we wear makeup for us and not for anyone else’. After seeing this for what was probably the third time and thinking ‘yeah obviously, well done’, I actually stopped and did some thinking. It was exhausting and I needed a coffee. Maybe it will get you thinking and drinking an Americano also. 

Firstly, yes, this does prove that we wear makeup for ourselves. But more importantly as the meme suggests, we’re not just talking about the type of makeup that subtly ‘improves’ our existing appearance. It’s not just a bit of concealer and lip gloss that is on the back of the mask, oh no. It’s a bright fuschia pink lipstick that looks as though it could be a matte finish which we all know is the most troublesome to wear comfortablely for more than about 15 minutes. On the 16th minute it dries up past the point of ‘matte’, showcasing every crease and crack in your lips, reminding you of every pot of Vaseline at the bottom of your makeup bag. Anyway, I digress. This meme has actually got something interesting and important to illustrate to society at large. Women will carry on wearing colour, glitter, full coverage (and all the rest of it) even if no one knows it’s there but themselves and their flat mate who they passed eating a slice of toast before heading out. This is a small victory amongst this time of crazy despair. Women are carrying on doing it for themselves and not only that, but the meme proves that they always have been. I mean I don’t know about you but I certainly didn’t choose to go out and spend £20 + at MAC precisely at the moment when no one would ever see the colour of my lipgloss again - I use what I already have and wear looks that I know I love. 

So this is not just any old meme. It represents a huge group of people who love and wear makeup as a part of their self expression and freedom - something that is even more important in a time of so many restrictions and trials for mental health. So keep wearing your winged eyeliner, your brightest highlighter, your fluffiest false lashes because there's no more important time than right now to practice and stress self love and inner strength. Because we have been doing it for ourselves this whole time. It’s only taken a pandemic to prove it.