Show Some Face: When Less Makeup Is Much More
Beauty trends come and go but they are always with us - at all times, there are trends shaping the way people (especially women) dress and cover their faces in various cosmetics and beauty products. Sometimes, these are more subtle, at other times, they are dominated by strong lines, contrast, strident colors, and excess, in general. But a face completely covered in makeup hides the natural beauty of a face - and it changes it to the point of turning it into something beyond recognition. This is not an expression of who you are but a desperate need to look like who you want to be - and at times, it can be way too much. Luckily, an emerging trend called "make-under" is coming to set things right.
What is a "make-under"?
The closest thing to a definition for "make-under" is using fewer practices meant to make a person look attractive. A modern-day person's look - not only when it comes to makeup but covering everything between a haircut and clothing - is often overdone to the point of becoming unattractive. A "make-under" is a transformation aimed to offer a person a much more natural look. This term usually applies to women - they are, after all, who wear all that makeup - but it can be applied to men as well.
It's spreading
This summer, Elle columnist Kristina Rodulfo shared a story about how the "naked face" worn by Duchess Meghan Markle during this summer's Royal Wedding inspired her to change her look completely. Apparently, celebrity makeup artist and longtime friend of the Duchess, Daniel Martin, gave her a makeup that let her natural beauty shine through - freckles and all - saying that any more stuff put on her face would have become "distracting".
Celebrities in need of a makeover have started embracing "makeunders" lately, both in public and at their photo shootings. One of the most prominent examples is Lady Gaga, famous for her extravagant appearances in the past - who has toned it down to a series of almost bare-face selfies shared on Instagram or Christina Aguilera, who has gone from her signature smokey eyes and bold red lips to a no-makeup album cover. And the list could go on and on.
Makeunders come with unexpected benefits, too. Rodulfo pointed out the two most important ones in her article: on one hand, by reducing the number of beauty products you use, you allow your skin to clear up (shocker - the less you cover your complexion in various beauty products the more it can breathe and regenerate), while on the other, the time it takes to get ready each morning will be cut down significantly. And, perhaps most importantly, it will allow you to show your natural beauty to the world.
