Make-up

I don’t trust people who wear make-up. Not only are they blatantly hiding what they actually look like, their nonverbal facial expressions become harder to read.

I admit to a personal bias against anything that covers a person’s face. I am very annoyed by anyone wearing a motorcycle helmet. One of the most obnoxious things about winters in Iowa (besides the weather) was how everyone bundled up in scarves and thick hoods so that you couldn’t see them. I am absolutely phobic about clowns and people dressed as mascots.

I understand the idea of occasionally dressing up for theatrical effect. In that context, putting on make-up is a part of the whole process of turning into a pretend character. It is acknowledged and obvious that the guise is fantastic and not an actual representation of a comprehensive human being. Rather, it is a caricature of an archetypical part of ourselves, which we wish to briefly explore and share with others. I might not want to get too close to you while you’re playing the part, but I appreciate the gesture.

Whenever I see someone wearing make-up outside of a theatrical context I immediately assume they must be insecure. Why else would they be hiding their face from us and pretending to be someone they’re not? Also, anyone willing to spend so much time preening themselves into a faux-reality on a daily basis must be high maintenance; an attitude and style of life I do not prefer dealing with.