Make Up Note

Makeup Note:
Love You WITH or WITHOUT Makeup
by Sydne Hopkins

​Re-PLACE-ing Philadelphia is building an expanded archive of cultural memory that includes multiple histories, re-place-ing the established with new narratives and understandings. Notes consider place via the street, sound, food, trees, and other portals.

In partnership with educator Joshua Block, students from Philadelphia's Science Leadership Academy are creating and publishing their Philadelphia Field Notes. Sydne Hopkins explains her experience with makeup.

 

In Philadelphia you can find makeup artists of all different backgrounds cultures and races using different makeup styles and techniques on different skin colors and skin types. There are too many cases where females are put down for what they wear and how they look. They have to be cute with bigger lips and clear faces, but men get upset when it is unnatural. People judging can’t have it both ways, you either take the girl the way she is or embrace that she puts in the effort to put on makeup and look cute.

“Girls wear makeup because they like it, not because we’re hiding our true selves. We still look the same with it we’re just enhanced.. Like, who says we can’t wear it?” -G. Smullen

 

T. Washington is one of many girls in Philadelphia who uses makeup for the fun of it. She’ll put on foundation, eyeliner, mascara, lipstick and fill in her eyebrows. Every now and then she adds a contour and highlight.  “It’s not an everyday thing” she says “I really only put on makeup on when I’m going out or I really want to feel cute.” Ms. Washington is very confident about her appearance and doesn’t think she needs makeup to be beautiful. She’s doesn’t care what society says about makeup. You can’t let what other people say about you affect the way you portray yourself.

“Too much makeup creates a false sense of self.” - J. Nearn

 

B.Coop another female from Uptown (Philadelphia) feels a little different about makeup. “You can wear makeup but not to a point where you look four shades lighter than you really are.” It’s like you’re lying to yourself about what you really look like. There should be a point where you listen to what people are saying to you, if they think your foundation is too light or too dark you should probably listen to them. Even if it’s a confidence boost, makeup creates a mask for girls to hide under. “I’m not saying girls shouldn't wear it but, you shouldn't be wearing six pounds of makeup on your face.”

Makeup can be used for many purposes whether or not it’s for confidence or just for fun. Makeup is not always good or bad for people, but like most things people love there’s going to be conflicts and disagreements. We as a sex don’t wear makeup for the approval of others, we wear makeup for ourselves. At the same time men feel like girls are lying to them about their appearance or the fact that makeup can break your face out. Good or bad there will always be girls all around Philadelphia who will wear makeup.

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