May 18th, 2018

  The opening page to my computer is the MSNBC news page.  Throughout the day, as I happen to walk past my computer, I can see if anything of monumental importance has happened anywhere in the world.  Obviously the headlines are what I'm seeing.  The Big Letters.  So it's really important stuff like the latest goings on at the White House or the Volcanic Eruptions in Hawaii, the latest shenigans politically everywhere on the globe, wars, diseases, tragedies and of course anything related to anyone last name of Kardashian (insert much shaking of head here).  So for the most part, important stuff, right? 

So imagine my surprise when I walked by, vacuum cleaner in hand to see a headline about how actress Mila Kunis went grocery shopping for her family while wearing no make up  (gasp!)  Do you mean to tell me that Ms. Kunis is actually a real person?   There was even a photograph and for the record, she equally pretty sans make-up.  But really?  How is this news?  

For the record, I go without make-up most of the time!  There is the photographic proof right there at the top of the page.  Me  - no make-up.  And I have the audacity to show that face in public!  I know!  Shocking!

Apparently it's a "thing' now.  Famous or wannabe famous women having their photographs taken and then put out there on social network with no make-up on.  Aaaaaaand I think I'm supposed to be surprised?  Or upset? Or maybe I'm supposed to congratulate them on their bravery? Or something?  Not quite sure what that's all about. Yes, yes, celebrities are usually photographed looking their absolute best, with all sorts of hairdressers and make-up artists fussing over them with beautiful clothes to wear and professional photographers on hand to snap those shots.  All true.  But they aren't hitting the red carpet every day of their lives!   Of course there are days when they walk around with their naked faces hanging out.  Why is this a surprise? More importantly, why is this news?

I am not the foremost authority on make-up of course and in fact, I didn't wear make-up until high school and even then it was only when the gaggle of girls I hung out with were together. There was one girl in particular, her name was Beta, who was often in the mood to play with make-up.  She was seriously into fashion and theatre and had a lovely hand at applying the paint.  I always marveled at her results but I didn't own any make-up myself so generally speaking, I didn't wear any.  My mother didn't and neither did her mother. It just wasn't a part of the 'how to be a girl' lessons of my childhood experience.  

At some point in highschool, one of the girl gaggle celebrated her birthday at a Merle Norman makeup store and all of us were treated to Make-overs.  Frankly, the results of that day, while interesting, were not pretty.  Beta did a far better job in my opinion and I just didn't care for the scent of their product.  I didn't buy any of it.

My next make-up wearing experience was in college when on a boring Sunday, another friend painted me up.  It was fun, it was silly and I enjoyed it but not enough to bother doing it myself.  Bear in mind, this was during the 70's, the hippie-dippie era of "letting it all hang out".  Going with or without make-up didn't seem to make any difference to anyone.

Then I married and immediately produced three little boys. I barely had time to shower, I certainly didn't have time to bother with fripperies like haircuts or make-up even if I were so inclined.  So as it turns out, it wasn't until I was about 40 years old and looking for work that I started trying to figure out how to choose make-up, apply make-up and so forth.  Something that most girls learn in their tweens, playing at mom's dressing table, I didn't learn how to do until I was almost half way through my life.  In case you wondered, my first attempts were laughable.  But I persevered and eventually worked it out so that I didn't look like Bozo the Clown when I was done.

From 40 to 63 I put make-up on almost every single day. It became as ordinary a thing as brushing my teeth.  It was an important part of  how I presented myself to the world.  In a way, it was a mask, part of a costume that I put on every morning before I went to work.  On the weekends I continued to put  make-up on, just because it was  part of my morning routine. I guess it was just habit.

Then we moved here.  Initially, without giving it a second thought, I continued.  And then one day I ran out of...something....I don't recall what now and went out with just sunscreen and moisturizer on.  Naked face out there in the world!!! And guess what?  Nobody cared.  The world didn't come to a screeching halt.  Amazing! The freedom that accompanied that realization was incredible.

It's not as if I never take the time anymore to "put on my face", of course I do, sometimes.  But only when I choose to, not because I feel like I need to put the costume on anymore.  And seriously  maybe I'm deluding myself, but I honestly don't see an enormous difference in how I look with or without.   The left is without, the right is with. You be the judge:

I'm just back from Pilates class right now and therefore bare-faced.  I remain uncertain as to whether or not I will bother with make-up today. And what's more, since I walked to and from the class, I've already been seen in public. With no make-up.  Somebody alert the media.