Makeup: an undervalued art form

Think makeup is just for covering flaws? Emily Sayers wants us to think again… With the #nomakeupselfie at the start of the year, as well as ongoing discussion promoting body positivity, cosmetics have come under close scrutiny. While some have gone bare-faced in aid of cancer awareness, others have done it to promote body positivity in young people. What is often left out of these debates is the artistic side of makeup and the positive effects using it can have. It’s potentially restrictive to assume that all women depend on makeup to mask their flaws and simply cannot go outside without it – for a lot of women (and men), makeup is expressive and fun and an outlet for creativity and self-expression.

Photo: Vancouver Film School/Flickr

Most people assume that women often wear makeup to look ‘healthy’ and ‘more awake’. However for those of us who use makeup as a creative tool, this is most definitely not the case – just take a look at the recent trend of black lipstick which has re-surfaced from the 90s. Other popular colours are dark forest green (MELT Cosmetics’ lipstick in the shade ‘Blow’ is a bestseller), not to mention blue-ish greys and various other attention grabbing colours. While this trend has definitely seen more popularity in the US, with indie cosmetics brand MELT (founded by Rihanna’s makeup artist) at the forefront of the trend with their ultra-matte long lasting lipsticks, more and more US makeup is being made available to UK markets through third party online sites. An alternative brand to MELT which is available in the UK is Illamasqua, which offers some very unique colours and a great mix of matte or satin textures. An affordable, good quality alternative to Illamasqua and MELT is the NYX Macaron lipsticks, which are available in rainbow colours. Personally, I would recommend Illamasqua for their pigmented, matte textures, but of course part of the fun is trying out what’s available and experimenting.

Most people assume that women often wear makeup to look ‘healthy’ and ‘more awake’.

These lip colours are evidence of a growing trend which focuses on a more fun, expressive and experimental way of using makeup. Having said that, there is creativity and skill in even the most basic of makeup looks (winged liner, I’m looking at you). Revlon’s recent mini ads ‘Tattoo meets eye artistry’ take inspiration from tattoo artist Jess Simpson, who is shown using the Revlon liner to darken her pencil drawing (how clever). The adverts feature two looks: The Geometric, and the Bird and Cage. The Geometric look is more wearable, but both are fun and creative. While Revlon are not the first to use graphic liner, they seem to be the first to market liner as an artistic tool. The two looks are definitely daring and made to look easy in the adverts, but nonetheless I applaud Revlon for drawing attention to the artistic capabilities of makeup through these ads.

Photo: Flickr / Renata Alves dos Anjos

There are several brands that are widely popular and available which do seem to embody a certain type of creativity and fun seen in both the AW14 runways and the Revlon ads. Favoured by makeup artists and addicts alike, MAC has been the go-to brand for their impressive range of colours. Though much of their range lends itself to pro-makeup artistry, it’s available to those without pro membership, like their mixing mediums or their matte cream that can be used anywhere to deliver a sheer, no shine texture. MAC offers all of the products needed to create a classic, simple look or products for a more modern, edgy look. Take a look at their website for simple ‘Instant Artistry’ tutorial videos which range from classic brown liner to perfect sculpted lips. Urban Decay is another example of a high intensity, high impact colour brand which is known for bold looks (especially their Electric palette, which features bright eyeshadows ranging from neon yellow to a rich, deep blue). Some more budget friendly, artistically minded brands that are widely available in the UK are Sleek (available in most Superdrug shops and online) and NYX, which is available in some larger Next stores but is more accessible online. The Sleek eyeshadow palettes are particularly good and a great place to start experimenting with looks. Asking me to go without makeup is not a challenge – I do it daily and I don’t depend on it. While I understand for some people it’s a safety net, I don’t think it should be limited to that. Asking me to stop using makeup is also like asking me to stop painting, reading or playing video games, to stop consuming art and creating it. Although there are negative ways of using makeup, the medium which for so many people is an outlet for expression and creativity shouldn’t be attacked. Why not pick up that lilac lipstick and navy eyeliner? Art is all about having fun and experimenting; let’s use our faces as the canvas.