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I love to get dressed up and look pretty. What girl doesn’t? It feels nice, even if I am wearing jeans to put on a bit of mascara. Makes me feel better about myself.
Just enough to enhance my lashes a bit. None of the 3D lash stuff here. Makeup should compliment natural beauty, not totally change your look.
Makeup can be a lot of fun, but on a daily basis, what’s the point?
Today’s makeup is filled with many chemicals-many of which can cause early puberty and disrupt the natural hormone balance and a whole host of other health issues. There are a few brands out there that I would feel comfortable using, or even making my own, but I don’t use it enough to invest much time or money in it.
But, here’s the thing, I have a little girl now. I am thinking about things in a slightly different light.
Society tells us to look ‘nice’ we need to wear makeup and look our best to feel good about ourselves.
Now, there is nothing wrong with looking our best, but here is what struck me the other day:
Will L. feel like she needs to wear makeup to look good, or even to feel good about herself?
Would teaching her that she, as she is, is a masterpiece (Ephesians 2:10), to take good care of herself, inside (both physically and Spiritually) and out (through a natural skin care routine-not makeup), not be better? To teach her to have a gentle spirit?
Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear—but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious.
1 Peter 3:3-4
Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly garments, but rather by means of good works, as is proper for women making a claim to godliness.
1 Timothy 2:9-10
I have heard people ask some ladies why they wear makeup, and they reply can be “For myself.” I used to think it was the best answer.
I have been weighing my motivation in wearing makeup. Do I need makeup to feel good about myself? Or am I adorning myself with a gentle spirit and the good works that is the overflowing fruit of my relationship with Christ?
I know for me, the later is a much more fulfilling, more lasting feeling.
If we spend more time doing our makeup and hair than we do in the Word and intentionally teaching our daughters, something is wrong.
I am not saying wearing makeup is bad (though, if you do, please try to find some natural ones!), just sharing some ponderings.
What are your thoughts on the subject? Do you wear makeup to feel good about yourself? Have you ever thought about the fact that God made you just the way you are and you are the work of His hands?
I think you’ve hit on so many important things here. And I love that you’ve opened it up as a discussion instead of declaring war on anyone who handles it differently. Bottom line: I believe we’re out of control when it comes to all things make-up and fashion. James chapter one talks about a pure religion being one not corrupted by this world, but our idea of beauty has been SO corrupted by this world. And you make some great points about natural makeup.
Here’s my perspective as a guy. As you stated, God made you just the way you are. Why change perfection. It’s one thing to go to a gala dressed up. It’s quite another just to go shopping.
I wrote a writing very similar to this. For me I’ll let our girls “play with make up” but through that show them they dont need it to be more confident or more beautiful.
My husband used to tell me that makeup is deceptive now a days because so many women use it to mask themselves. You could meet a girl, think she’s gorgeous, start talking to her, decide you want to get to know her better, and not realize that the face she wears in public is not one you would recognize when she’s in the comfort of her own home. That to me is really sad. Make up has become about transformation and that is a huge problem. That means women aren’t recognizing that splendor of who God created them to be (physically).
I grew hearing my mom say things like, “honey if you want to use that make up for play that’s fine, but just know that you are gorgeous without it.” Hearing that close to daily created confidence in me. I have never felt the NEED to wear make up. I would rather just “wear me.” In my opinion there is nothing wrong with make up until it becomes a NEED or a mask. Because that tells me you are relying on who man says you are instead of who God says you are.
On another note: I’ve been cruising through your blog and saw that giveaway you are doing (the Time Warp Wife study)! I’m excited to enter and check out a few more of your posts!
I wear makeup some days and some days I don’t. I feel totally comfortable either way.
I guess I have conflicting thoughts on the issue of makeup as well. I grew up in a home where makeup was part of the norm for my mom. She has rosacea and for her to be comfortable in public, she always had on makeup. She had also gone to beauty school and did all my hair and makeup before school dances.
Now, I do not wear makeup every day. I find it’s too time-consuming of an effort for me, especially if I never leave the house. But I also know that putting on even just a little mascara goes a really long way towards helping me feel like I’m putting my best foot forward. I know that my husband appreciates when I put on makeup that accents my features because he sees that I’m caring about myself and my appearance and that’s a big deal for guys.
Do I think I need it every day? No, absolutely not. Does my husband tell me I need to wear it? No, absolutely not. Will I let my daughter wear it? Absolutely. I will let her experiment with age appropriate colors as she gets older, and have at it during dress up play time with friends. It’s a silly part of being a kid. I think if we portray makeup as bad or sinful, it’s only going to push girls to sneak it, not learn to apply it appropriately and mess with their psyche. Not that we have to be of this world, but we need to be comfortable in our skin. And teaching to the heart of the matter first, and talking about where true beauty comes from before allowing makeup to be worn is definitely a must.
We haven’t talked makeup for our little girl yet, I don’t think makeup is sinful, but I don’t want her to feel as though she needs it to feel good about herself. THanks for commenting!
I wear makeup on a daily basis. Even if I’m at home. I feel it’s a great yet simple way to enhance my natural beauty. I am really confident in who God made me but I don’t feel it hurts to look our best for ourselves and our husbands. My daughter is 6 and loves playing dress up and wearing makeup. She just has fun with it. It’s not like she wants to wear it already. I feel by not making it a big deal she knows that she is already beautiful inside and out and that it’s just a fun accessory for her right now. Great points here!
I enjoy makeup, but I also enjoy not putting it on (like when I’m home). lol. I think we have to be careful with our daughters – it’s important that they be tasteful with it and also not wear it until in their teens. The age is getting younger and younger I think. But yes, inner beauty is to be the priority.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us on Tuesday Talk!
I almost never wear makeup and when I do, it’s not usually for myself–it’s for the outside world. I sometimes aggravate my liver which shows in my skin and I work in a health-related field. People don’t always understand what they see and in my case, it can affect my income. I can’t even say I’m upset about the matter because it doesn’t happen very often; but I have definitely explained it to my daughter when it happens. She used to tell me I had boo-boos on my face when it would happen and that was really hard for me back then. At that time of my life, I wore makeup more often… but to console my little girl who thought I was hurt.
Rarely… but more rarely for myself.
Lots to think about here. I don’t wear make-up daily but do wear mascara and lip gloss if I go to town with hubby or on the weekends if we go somewhere nice. Because it is so little, I don’t feel like I am painting my face and this is where I am comfortable right now… Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us on the Art of Home-Making Mondays at Strangers & Pilgrims on Earth! 🙂
You raised some important questions, and I hate that I fell so far into the world’s twisted view of beauty. I grew up wearing make-up to make myself feel more comfortable with my looks — like I wasn’t good enough without it. I was self-conscious about talking to people I felt were prettier than me if I didn’t have my “game face” of make-up on. But then I had an allergic reaction to the make-up. After many months without it, I’ve had to rethink my views. I’m learning to accept myself. For myself at least, make-up is reserved for special occasions rather than feeling like it’s a daily necessity.
I deal with conflict personally often. Even before my babe, I work as a preschool teacher, and know my impact on those little minds. I want boys and girls to know that makeup is not the “normal” way of being, and is not required to be seen as beautiful and worthwhile in our world. However, I like to get “all dolled up” sometimes. I’m hoping that by not wearing makeup on a daily basis, but using it lightly to enhance my looks when I go to a special occasion, much like I would wear a fancy outfit that I wouldn’t normally, that my little one will understand that it’s not taboo, but it’s also not necessary. So many tough concepts in Parenting! Thanks for raising these thoughts.