Colbie Calliat released that one song. That song that said, you're beautiful (like James Blunt said) even without your make-up (James didn't say that part). The music video is filled with footage of women removing their beauty products and celebrating their natural beauty. I wanted to feel incredibly moved by it all, everyone else seems to be. But I wasn't.
I appreciate it -the message, the video, the beauty -natural or made up. I love the way it begs us to rethink those habits and routines, to reflect on the underlying reasons for our beauty choices, to understand how we view ourselves in the context of everyone else.
Yes, I appreciated it. However, I wasn't convicted by it.
I didn't feel moved to skip out on make-up or hair doing or jewelry wearing or dressing myself up each day. I felt bad being so ambivalent as women posted images of themselves sans make-up, hairspray, all things beautification online. They really are naturally beautiful, I thought. And it ended there.
Then the Florkens, Treasure Tromp, and Jade & Oak pulled together a sweet message about the video and encouraged us to link-up.Three blogs I love, four writers I adore, I decided to join and to think deeply about my lack of emotions about naked skin.
I love make-up: the process of application, the way mascara opens up my eyes, the rosy blush on the apples of my cheeks. More than make-up I adore doing my hair: braids, curls, waves. Each morning I take twenty minutes to do two things I love, two things that make me feel strong, confident, and beautiful. Without them, I am not less confident, strong, beautiful, I'm all of those things just in a different way.
That's me up there. Sans make-up, hairspray, all things beautification. That's me. Naked skinned.
I do make-up and hairspray and curling irons and straighteners to accentuate the beauty that is naturally there in my skin, my bone structure, my hair. I do it to bring out my blue -some days green- eyes, to accentuate my thick brows, to give some wild life to my heavy, voluminous locks. I do it to bring out my pride in my hard (and early in the morning) work at exercise, to embolden my otherwise quiet confidence, to bring out me.
So, that's me naked skinned up there in the picture. This is me honest about beauty treatments down here in the word.
Both ways, I'm beautiful. Both ways you are too.
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And, while Colbie Calliat is adorable and inspirational and rocking a head of beautiful hair, the sass this video's got is more my style.
Yes. I gotta say when I first heard the colbie song I wasn't enamoured I felt a disquiet in my heart. I feel for a number of women the message of the song is liberating and I applaud that. However, I'm not trying so hard, I put makeup on when and if I want to and when I do it's to accentuate what I have not make me able to face the world. I'm fierce with my red lips, but am equally awesome when I have no makeup on (most of the time!). I really liked this song, and the guy dancing is exactly how I dance to Drunk in Love (solo version) minus the splits, in my kitchen!
ReplyDeletex Lucy
https://booksandbrooches.wordpress.com/
Pure, raw beauty - inside and out.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I can't say Colbie's song/campaign behind the song resonated with me either. I TOTALLY get the message behind it and I applaud that, but I don't apply makeup every day for self-esteem or confidence issues. I do it because I think it's fun, a hobby -- almost like an art, which says a lot because I'm not artsy in any sense of the word! Like you said, I'm no more or less confidence with or without cosmetics on my face. It's just in a different way.
ReplyDeleteI don't think it is necessary to always skip the makeup in order to prove how much you love your face. Just that you are secure in yourself enough that if you are running late one morning, it would be okay if you went out in public without makeup.
ReplyDeleteAnd that video is awesome.
I still haven't seen the video or listened to the song, but I don't imagine it can be that insightful because it's something I hear all the time. At least lately. We are trying SO hard to compensate for how screwed up the concept of body image is lately that sometimes it almost comes off as hateful towards those that just really love makeup and fashion. So I love the way you put it! :)
ReplyDeleteBrave. That's what you is. Brave for not wearing make-up. I wish I wasn't so self conscious.
ReplyDeleteI did love Colbie Caillat's song due to it's fact of addressing the problem with society of being make-up obsessed and that thought that we need make-up to look beautiful. I am a make-up lover, I've spent too much money on it, but I think the point we need to address is that you can look beautiful anyway, as long as ou are comfortable. Love this post and the link up.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely and totally agree with you - sans make-up, hair done, etc. I am no less confident than if I had all of those things on. It's just beauty in a different way. Like you, I love the way eye shadow makes my blue eyes pop, or a pink lip gloss brings color to my face. I also love the feeling of nakedness when I'm not wearing anything! You nailed this right on the head :)
ReplyDeletei'm with you. i love getting dolled up. but i've also never felt that i had to do so either. so i love that the message is so powerful to so many, and it is NECESSARY (i do believe that, i do), but for me, just isn't a resonator. love that video up there btw. so.much.sass.
ReplyDeleteYup! I think that makeup is fabulous and fun and I too love finding new products that I adore! That being said, I often struggle with negative self-talk and I know that sometimes I see the makeup as a way to cover up the things I dislike about myself! I think this linkup is for sharing the things we may NOT be confident about and learning that somewhere ... someone admires those very same things! In a world where Photoshop is king and everything get a filter, it's nice to just stop for a second and realize that we are beautiful -- with or without those things.
ReplyDelete-Kate
www.theflorkens.com
Yes to that video - the pop of color, the fierceness, the play on words. I love it all. You're such a stunning person - inside and out. And your natural arch? Gimme.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you. I do like the Colbie song but I also know that make-up (for me) is a fun, relaxing, artful part of my morning that I honestly enjoy doing. I put on make up because I want to and it makes me feel good- and sometimes that means I'm done up all the way and sometimes that means I don't have a lick of it on. Some days, make up makes me feel more like "me." And I don't think there's anything wrong with that.
ReplyDeleteYES this is how I dance to every beyonce song too!
ReplyDeleteBetween James Blunt, Christina Aguilera, and Colbie Calliat, you think that we would all just be comfortable in our own skins! Don't worry about doing make-up or hair, you look great Sweetie!
ReplyDeleteI like the Colbie song beyond just the message about make up and hair. I like that it tells us we don't have to try for approval in any way - by the make up we wear, the clubs we join, the way we perform. I love that the message is quit trying so hard to earn everyone's approval and just be yourself in every way.
ReplyDeleteGirl you look good naked! ;) :P
ReplyDeleteYou are absolutely stunning!
ReplyDeleteYou would think that Katie but sometimes we forget to be that way.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you -- I wasn't very moved by Colbie's new song/video. I think it takes a lot of self-confidence to go without make-up, especially if you're someone who wears it every day. Whether it's there or not, we're all beautiful in our own ways. But at the end of the day, I love wearing make-up. It doesn't hide what's there, it accentuates what's there -- and that makes me feel good. Loved this post supporting both sides of the coin with makeup!
ReplyDeleteYES! This is exactly how I felt: "Yes, I appreciated it. However, I wasn't convicted by it." And yep, that is a very fun song.
ReplyDeleteThis makes me want to have a MAD dance party while I cook dinner tonight and probably breakfast tomorrow too. Because, SHAKE THAT BASS. :)
ReplyDeleteYour fierce lips: awesome. I haven't figured out how to master the whole lipstick thing.. YET.
Now it can be the way you dance to Meghan Trainor too!
ReplyDeleteXOXO.
ReplyDeleteMascara. That's my thing. I realize that I just love making my lashes look thicker and darker because mine are so blond... And that's my daily "must have", otherwise I feel like the others are just a bonus -so to speak. :)
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh that Christina ballad. Oh. my. jam. Loved it in high school! :)
ReplyDeleteOh yes I love the way that you pulled out so much more than the make-up message. LOVE. I'm surely a member of the try hard club so taking a breath and giving myself grace there is so wonderful! :)
ReplyDeleteThat would mean so much less from anyone else.
ReplyDeletexoxo, thank you!
ReplyDeleteI think confidence comes in so many ways and forms that make-up is just a little piece of it... That said, getting to apply makeup and accentuate what you love about your face can be a daily reminder of how much you love your eyebrows or your butt chin! ;)
ReplyDeleteRight?! Even Dave Navarro said if you don't like that song then you have no soul! ;)
ReplyDeleteI watched the video and thought, "that is sweet I hope it helps someone". That wasn't to be me though cause I already know I am fabulous just as I am. (Well most days I do.) I loved the linkup though because I love seeing strong women doing things others wouldn't dare. We rock!
ReplyDeletelove your take on this! agreed that i love wearing makeup too and feeling good about how i look. but it's nice to confront my fear of not wearing makeup and put it out there on the internet too. since, as you said - we're beautiful both ways!
ReplyDelete