The Cultural Conditioning of Makeup

There was a recent expose in New York Magazine by Kathleen Hou that asked the question of whether Instagram is making us all beauty clones. While I can’t deny that social media has changed the beauty industry, should we go so far to say that it is making us clones? I think with the rise of social media anyone can be a self-proclaimed beauty expert, whether they are formally trained or not, it’s given everyone a platform to voice their opinion. Honestly I do not see anything wrong with that, other than the advent of crazy looking makeup trends.

If you haven’t seen makeup artist and YouTuber Wayne Goss’s “Instagram Eyebrows Should be Illegal” video, as referenced in the article, it will give you insight into the issue. If you’re looking for more of Wayne Goss’s advice on this topic watch his video “Makeup Trends That Need to Die in 2016.” As he puts it, “It’s so unnatural and so horrifying.”

Video via: YouTube Wayne Goss

To me the most frightening trend in makeup is the fact that people have adapted drag in more ways than one. Not only are people “baking” their face, which is a traditional drag practice, but now we’re even using phrases like “yas queen.” Drag has a time and place, but it’s not meant for your average everyday woman.

Photo via: YouTube Heidi Hamoud

Whether it is the Kim or Kylie effect, no matter where we click on Instagram you will see harsh brows, unblended contours, perfectly winged liner, false eyelashes, over lined lips and the carved out features that look like the work of Michelangelo. It makes me wonder if everyone has completely flawless, bronze-orange skin.

We all flock to the latest products that are supposedly the best and follow YouTube tutorials and trends religiously, but where do we draw the line?

Although it does seem that makeup artist are a bit of elitist snobs when it comes to Instagram makeup, they do have a point that it is not making your skin its most beautiful and besides most of those Instagram pictures you lust after are filtered and doesn’t reflect real life.