This Guy Actually Learned Something From Wearing Makeup

In our society, most see makeup as a girl's game. When a dude applies cosmetics, it gives some people pause. And, when a guy who generally doesn't wear makeup dons a swipe of red lipstick, it can be construed as a farce. That's why an experiment recently performed by Isaac Fitzgerald of BuzzFeed immediately caught our eye.  Fitzgerald didn't set out to shock. His plan was simple: Wear makeup every day for five days, adding more each day. See what happens. On his first day, he only wore concealer and mascara, moving on to a full smoky eye and dark lipstick by day five. Men and women don't always understand each other when it comes to makeup. Many of us are familiar with the scenario in which a male friend or S.O. exasperatedly exclaims, "I like you better without makeup!" This usually happens while we're midway through our primping routines. Fitzgerald, too, had been guilty of spouting these words to his girlfriend. "I thought that was the right thing to say. Her face is so beautiful. Why put paint on it?" he writes. "Actually, it was a dumb sentiment, rooted in the fallacy that women only wore makeup for male attention, as if only the opinions of men mattered." Instead of making his "dude with lipstick" shtick the butt of a joke, Fitzgerald wound up learning an important lesson about why makeup matters. "I found wearing [it] to be an interesting experiment in self-presentation — something I don’t often get as a dude who’s been dressing the same way for years," he writes. By the end of the week, he recognized that a lot of people wear makeup for the way it makes them feel, not for reactions from others. It's a lesson that everyone, not only men, could benefit from internalizing. Many people say that celebrities and others in the public eye who wear too much (or too little) makeup are opening themselves up for criticism. They use that as a shield to hide behind when hurling insensitive comments. But, there's no reason everyone should adhere to the same standard. Why can't everyone do what makes them feel good, whether this means wearing a ton of makeup or none at all? Head over to BuzzFeed to read about Fitzgerald's experience. Next, may we suggest he walk a full day in heels — or try on Spanx? Related Links:
Men Wearing Makeup For The First Time Is Surprisingly Emotional
What The Heck Is Makeup Primer?
A Brief History Of Men Wearing Makeup