#I feel like the makeup/beauty industry should be about creativity and expression and not trying to look younger and de-aging | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

dykeotomy · 2 years

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Hey! Regarding points 1 & 2: I don't have much to say. I largely agree with what you said, so I'll be moving on directly to point 3.

3. Allow me to be a little nitpicky: you said that radfems in general used sexed pronouns for the sake of clarity, but seeing how these posts are about people who have transitioned after they became famous it isn't right, mainly because people already know they've been socialized as their sex. At that point, it's a bit disrespectful to use their dead name and sexed pronouns. You can emphasize how their socialization affects them without “erasing” their identity. I also want to point out that trans women despite being socialized as men also face misogyny, specially if they pass, because people already assume they aren't trans, and just treat them as cis women, and feminism is about fighting back misogyny, so I don't see why trans women couldn't be included here. I understand that there are a lot of experiences with the patriarchy that cis and trans women don't share, and it's important to not erase that difference, but it's equally important to acknowledge that a trans woman also face misogyny.

4. I think we should agree to disagree in part of this point, simply because we view the separation of gender and sex in very different ways. I agree with you that dysphoria is a mental illness, but I think the treatment is trying to make your body be more comfortable for yourself, at the end of the day the great majority of trans people say they are happier after they've transitioned, and don't face exclusively trans-related medical issues, that's why I think that gender reassignment surgeries aren't purely cosmetic, because it does actually help trans people to cope with their dysphoria long term, and cosmetic surgery is about fitting into a beauty standard that won't last long, and therefore won't make you truly happy in the long run. Makeup itself isn't wrong in my belief, because it's an art form in its own right. “Traditional” makeup that's used to cover “defects” in a woman's face isn't art, but it's perfectly possible to express your creativity through unconventional makeup techniques. The industry IS predatory and constantly creates insecurities on women, but the product can be recycled for artistic purposes, as well as a way to combat gender dysphoria. I understand your stand on pronouns because mine is a similar situation: I'm also a GNC woman, but I use both he and she pronouns. People have used they/them for me before because I present androgynously/masculinely, and whenever I correct them I say that I am a woman (and I really try to get that point across) and that I use he/she pronouns as a way of both acknowledging my gender and being happier with the way people address me, and I think it's possible to acknowledge your femaleness while also using the pronouns you feel most comfortable going by. (this is of course your own choice I'm just telling you what has helped me because I also got uncomfortable as people saying I was bigender/nonbinary, and maybe that can help you too)

5. I mostly agree with you; the only thing that I really differ from your point is that calling each other female, male or intersex feels almost dehumanizing. If we were to abolish gender, then words like woman & man would have no meaning because they describe gender. Being referred to as a female feels too dehumanizing and too technical. If we were to solve this problem by creating new words, that would be exactly the same as never having abolished gender, because those new words would be defined by new gender roles.

Thank you for the kind words! I will admit it is kind of scary for me to be having this conversation, mainly because in my circle of friends we don't really talk about radfem ideology in depth, we just leave it at a very surface level "radfem=bad" but I'm glad to finally be able to talk to someone this way! -L.A

3. i will simply never speak about a person during a conversation about gender and NOT use sex based pronouns. when i talk about a trans celebrity in a different context, especially irl or not on my radfem blog, i usually use their preferred pronouns. i just think it’s silly to be talking about sex based socialization and not use sex based pronouns in the same breath.

the difference between biological women and trans women who pass is that even though we may both face misogyny, it is a very different type. first of all, trans women are a small minority of the population, and trans women who pass are an even smaller percent of that. i don’t think it’s in feminism’s best interest to completely reconstruct our entire framework and ideology for such a small group of males who live as women. passing trans women face social misogyny, but they will never face female oppression such as FGM, lack of abortion rights, being the most statistically likely group to be raped, lack of representation for female bodies in medical research, etc. trans women’s oppression is different from biological women’s, and it isn’t wrong for our movements to be separate. i will always support trans women’s rights to live safely and be free from male violence, but that is not because i am a feminist. it is because i have empathy. feminism should not be co-opted by trans women just because we have a few overlapping issues.

4. agree to disagree indeed! i would not be this critical of the transgender surgical industry if there were more protections in place to make sure mentally ill people do not harm their bodies in irreversible ways, especially minors. i also think that the collective truth that cosmetic surgery is a capitalistic machine should matter more than individual feelings. i would be happier if a million things about my body looked different, but i suck it up because i know plastic surgery is a misogynistic industry. i believe in putting liberation before individual comfort, but i know that isn’t something that a lot of people in the west believe.

on makeup: i agree that it can be an art form! i follow several people on social media who use makeup as art, and i think they are amazingly talented. however, the majority of makeup consumers are not MUA’s. they are regular everyday women who use makeup to conceal flaws and to look prettier. this goes back to my point about collective liberation being more important than individual feelings: again, i know this isn’t a very popular opinion in the west.

my opinion on pronouns is pretty much the same as what i said about surgery and makeup. i may not necessarily care about the way that people perceive me and address me, but i find it important to acknowledge my womanhood as part of my political stance

5. i only used the words male and female because it was the easiest and most concise way to word my argument! i agree that calling people that is dehumanizing—this is why the words woman and man exist. they acknowledge sex without being demeaning. i don’t think the words man and woman are related to gender roles necessarily, nor do i think the words themselves are oppressive. they simply mean adult human female/male. this binary would still exist even without gender, because sex exists and is real

i really appreciate you reaching out and having a civil discussion btw!! i remember how difficult it was for me—but i try to make a point of engaging with differing opinions as much as possible. it’s good for the brain

#asks #gender critical #radical feminism #LA asks

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mountphoenixrp · 3 years

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We have a new citizen in Mount Phoenix:

Mitsuka Yamamoto, who is known by no other name, a 21 year old daughter of Tsukiyomi. She is a designer at For the Fairest and a hotline volunteer at Bohdisattva.

FC NAME/GROUP: Yu Jimin – Karina / aespa CHARACTER NAME: Mitsuka Yamamoto AGE/DATE OF BIRTH: April 11, 2000 PLACE OF BIRTH: Chiba City, Chiba Prefecture, Kanto region, Honshu, Japan OCCUPATION: designer at For the Fairest, hotline volunteer at Bohdisattva Counseling Center HEIGHT: 1.67m DEFINING FEATURES:

A beauty mark on the left side of her chin, under her lips’ left corner

Big, almond shape, sharp eyes; shiny long hair, lips with a rounded Cupid’s bow

PERSONALITY: Mitsuka is, first and foremost a sensitive, creature. She’s compassionate, empathetic, and openly affectionate to almost all living beings, probably except for cockroaches and rats. Most of the time, she’s the mom friend in the group who takes delight in taking care of others, showering them with compliments, and being there when the time is rough. Once she deems someone is worth her time and attention, she will be the ride-or-die type of companion, and they can rest assured that no force in the world could shake her commitment for them.

An artist at heart, Mitsuka is highly creative and self-motivated. She never hesitates to express her avant-garde ideas, also constantly encourages others to express themselves freely. While appearing to be wild and eccentric at times, she’s exceptionally good at reading people and is quick to set boundaries, mostly to protect herself from potential evil intents. She’s got the same protective energy around the people she cares for, for one of her worst nightmares is seeing others in pain or danger without being able to help them out.

This Japanese demigoddess does not like to be ordered around and will give intense responses both physically and mentally if forced. Not fonding of any sort of confrontations, she will avoid getting into arguments or any form of conflicts at all costs. If she is hurt, Mitsuka tends to withdraw and keep silent rather than directly verbalizing her feelings. In extreme cases, she will forget the person’s existence rather than waiting for any apologies. Having said that, when she’s forced to fight, she can be formidable.

HISTORY: TW: mention of death

“It’s the night of a full moon, when I met your father, under a wisteria tree.” Miyoung smiled gently as she looked at Mitsuka, her eldest daughter, who was sitting across from her with eyes wide open in doubt.

“But you said you met dad at an international conference?”

Miyoung shook her head, her tender smile was intact, although there was a louder command for her daughter’s attention implied in her voice. “We’re not talking about your elder brother’s dad, Mitsuka.”

To the twenty-one-year-old Mitsuka, nothing could hold a candle to Paris in summer, when the city’s beauty is at its peak, and life is just an ethereal painting of happiness. At first, it looked intimidating, how perfect everyone and everything in this city of lights, love, and fashion appeared to be. But at the end of the day, its glamourous culture and historical legacies are why she left Japan, despite her father’s deep disappointment and her mother’s great worries.

Being born and brought up in Chiba city, Mitsuka was a rather normal kid. Her family wasn’t the wealthiest in their neighborhood, but they had a two-story private house with a garage and a lovely garden in a high-security residential area, and it only took about half an hour driving to her father’s brewery located in Tokyo.

Her mother, Lee Miyoung, had traveled back and forth between Korea and Japan for her marketing business. She met Mr. Suda Yamamoto at a business conference, and he asked for her mother’s hand while she was in her third month of pregnancy, a year after his first wife’s death. Unlike most of her friends and their fathers, Mitsuka and hers had never truly got along. She didn’t remember receiving much affection or attention from him, partly because he was indeed busy all the time, and probably because she preferred to stay in her own world.

Makoto, her father’s only son from his first marriage, had always been the superstar in the family. Even though she couldn’t help but envying Makoto sometimes, she quite liked him because of his patience and kindness. Sadly, they couldn’t spend much time together, for Makoto’s study and extracurricular schedules were crazily hectic, and he usually looked exactly like their father whenever he came home after work, totally exhausted.

One night, Makoto stopped coming home. A drunk driver took his life away, when it was only one month before the national university entrance exam took place. For an eight-year-old girl, seeing her father bawling his eyes out next to her brother’s coffin was terrifying. It was also the only time she saw her father cried. After that, she rarely saw any signs of emotions on his face but occasional frowns.

Mitsuka’s adolescence was generally peaceful, except for throwing fists at some bullies at school from time to time, and constant confrontations with her father about her dream of being a fashion designer.

“He’s just afraid that you won’t be able to make a living with that job,” Miyoung explained to Mitsuka the reason behind her father’s vehement opposition to her wish, to which Mitsuka replied without a second of hesitation.

“He’s just afraid that no one will take care of his brewery,” she corrected her mother, for the first and only time in her whole eighteen years of life. “And designing is not just a job, it’s my passion, mom. It’s what I’m living for.”

Since her pre-teen years, Mitsuka had already learned to make clothes, starting from the clothing for Mini, her family’s cat. Her targets soon expanded to small accessories such as scarves and handkerchiefs for herself and her friends, and at the age of sixteen, she started her small business of making cosplay costumes and cosplay makeup for local clients. It was still a humble start compared to some other starlets in the industry, but fortunately, it was enough for her to win a scholarship to study fashion designing in Paris.

Due to her younger brother’s devastating case, her parents were adamant that she should never dream of going to Paris, or even out of the town without their permission. Mitsuka, for the only time in her life, told her parents a great lie, that she would be obedient enough to give up the scholarship, stay in Chiba, and try to get to the business major that her father wanted her to study. Meanwhile, she secretly packed her bags. Then, in one late evening, with the help of some of her close friends, she secretly fled to the airport and took her flight to Paris, leaving a long apologizing note to her parents.

The moment she landed in France’s capital, her phone blew up with texts and calls and voice mails from her parents, especially from her mother. The next thing she knew was her mother barged into her dormitory and almost flooded her room with tears and begs for her to come back.

After hours of comforting and persuading and finally threatening, Mitsuka managed to stay. However, from the moment she sent her mother off back to Japan, she couldn’t go through a day without picking up her mother’s calls or at least answering her messages, which turned out to be her best remedy to cope with the pressure of living alone in a big city whose language and culture she was so fascinated but still very much a stranger to.

Three years of hardship has proved to be fruitful. She earned the degree with flying colors and a thought-out plan for the next steps. Her mother, being the best mother on earth, took a long flight to have a cozy celebration dinner with her dear daughter. But besides celebrating her daughter’s graduation, Miyoung had another reason to pick a quiet, rather seclusive restaurant for them this time.

“I guess now is the best time to let you know the truth,” Miyoung looked into her daughter’s sparkling eyes, smiling a woman whose biggest secret is finally revealed. From that expression, Mitsuka dared to guess that whatever her mother was about to say, it was going to be ultimately important.

“Mitsuka, you’re not Suda Yamamoto’s biological daughter. Your father is Tsukuyomi-no-Mikoto, the moon god, and that means you are a moon demigoddess.”

“...”

“Okay, I am… WHAT?!?”

---

[ So that’s why I’m here, in Mount Phoenix. ]

Mitsuka finishes her diary entry with a small drawing of a phoenix’s figure below the final sentence. As she reads the long pages again, Mitsuka still hardly believes what is written is true, that she’s a child of Tsukuyomi the moon god, and that said moon god is right here on the island, in a human vessel, probably isn’t aware of her existence at all. But again, she’s indeed allowed to access the island as a Japanese demigoddess, has just done cleaning up and decorating her apartment, and has got accepted to work at two jobs – one for her dream and one for her hobby. Things sound even better than the best life she’s dreamt of in Paris.

[ But we will see. ]

PANTHEON: Japanese CHILD OF: Tsukuyomi POWERS:

Lunar Solidification: She’s able to solidify moonlight into tangible items of her wish, from a hairpin to a sword. The quality and object lifetime is depended on how much energy and concentration she’s spent on creating them.

Lunar Empowerment: Her moods and physical health are influenced by the moon cycle, as she will be more lively and physically stronger when getting in contact with moonlight, and will be exceptional jovial, even hyperactive, during full moon periods.

Lunar Healing: She’s able to heal herself and others using the moon’s energy. She can only perform this power at full moon nights.

STRENGTHS:

She’s selfless and she has a penchant for spreading her love, attention, and care around, even to strangers and stray animals.

She can read people well, and often uses what she’s learned for self-protection and self-adjustment rather than attacking others.

A feisty lady, she knows what she wants and how to gets it, mostly in the most peaceful way possible.

She has a good aesthetic sense and a gift for visual arts, so she’s willing to help beautify almost everything around her, sometimes even without being asked.

WEAKNESSES:

She can get hurt quite easily if she deems her love and care are rejected. At such times, she tends to withdraw to her shell and sulk rather than communicating directly.

Her moods can and will change in a matter of seconds; she’s learning to control her emotions better

She tends to have emotional outbursts, or nervous breakdowns from time to time, especially during New moon periods.

It’s easy for her to feel lonely, and she intends to get attached to people, animals, places, or anything she likes quite fast

#kpop rp #krp #aespa #yu jimin #aespa karina #mp; welcome

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madsrobe · 4 years

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Philosophy on Beauty

The idea of beauty is something that has affected me and my view of myself since I can remember. When I started high school, I started wearing makeup as a way to make myself feel as beautiful as the other girls in my grade. I thought it made me look “better.” Looking back, this was a miserable and self-deprecating time in my life. I believe makeup can, yes, be used to make people feel more beautiful and confident, but is, more importantly, an art form. It is not an easy task to apply makeup on yourself or others. A great example of this is all of the makeup artists who post photos of their makeup creations on Instagram. Both men, women, and people who do not identify with a gender, participate in this community. This community is very supportive of new and old members. These artists are very creative, and they do not rely on the need to feel pretty while doing these looks. Many of them create looks that could be considered high fashion or “out-of-the-box,” but they do not take this as an insult. Instead, they take it as a compliment on their creativity or application skills. I believe that we all have something to learn from this community. They do not rely on validation from others, and they can create stunning looks without worrying about their attractiveness. I think that makeup can make people look attractive, but what is more attractive is how it makes people feel when they put it on. If it makes them happy, it is worth it. I do not think that there is such a thing as too much makeup. I believe that everyone has a different view on how makeup should be used. It is not my place to comment on how other people decide to treat their body and makeup they put on it. Personally, I think that fashion and using clothes to express yourself are vital, especially for youth who are trying to figure out who they are. I believe that fashion has the potential to enhance beauty, but that is not its primary purpose. Instead, I think it is a tool to make people feel most confident in themselves. The companies that sell these clothes, however, are very detrimental to the self-confidence of the people in society. Throughout the past few decades, these companies have used editing software to manipulate the model’s bodies to look “more beautiful.” The only thing that these companies should be doing is selling their clothes to people who think like their products. Instead, they use their influence to put photos of unrealistic bodies into the world that take a toll on society, especially impressionable youth. In my opinion, I think that media outlets, specifically those geared towards a younger demographic like Buzzfeed News, have done an excellent job at giving people an outlet to be themselves. No matter who they are, what they look like, or how they identify, they are able to be themselves and not be judged. There is a series that Buzzfeed produces on their Youtube channel where they gather many people with similar characteristics, and they will crush stereotypes and misconceptions. For example, they will gather a group of gay people together and get each of them to record themselves reading a line such as “I’m gay, but I’m not feminine.” Many people who are living in areas of the world that same-sex relationships are punishable or unacceptable can find people like them through this platform. The makeup industry in the past decade has taken a turn for the better in inclusion for people of colour. Rihanna developed her own makeup line, Fenty Beauty, which started this revolution in the makeup world by releasing a foundation line which included a large variety of colours from almost white to extremely dark brown. People with skin colours of extreme ends of the spectrum were finally able to find a foundation that fit their skin. The people who had very light skin were not able to take part in the beautiful art that is makeup because makeup companies did not care enough to create enough shades to capture the minorities of skin colours. I’m sure most of them did not feel confident because of the silent discrimination that makeup companies were expressing.

(This essay is over 2 pages long when double-spaced but the website does not allow this type of formatting.)

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entrance01 · 5 years

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Highlighter and Bronzer: Constant Dualities in Makeup Culture

As written by a makeup user

Makeup is highly polarizing subject to the people who wear it, refuse to wear it, and resign to wear it, and speaking honestly? It can get hard to keep a singular, straight thought about it. Personally speaking at least.

A lot of the topics mentioned were usually written separately, and that’s fine. One person posting how makeup praises European features isn’t wrong! Just like another post saying how makeup fetishizes black features/trying to pass as “racially ambiguous” also isn’t wrong! These two separate camps, among the others I will touch on later, can both exist in the same realm. It’s just our job to see both sides and how either and both affect people.

I know this is far from being the first makeup-critical post nor its last, but throughout my years on this hell site, I have stumbled across numerous articles and thoughts. They are all wonderful and are written with more insight than I could ever, but this compilation is (mostly) for me.

Eurocentric Beauty Standards and Modern Black/Brownface

What do we see when we open Instagram or look up makeup artists on Youtube? Most probably the same cut and crease. The same extensive bronzer. The same cut cheekbones. The same C-shaped highlighted area. And you get the point! But what does it mean? Am I just ragging on the go-to, tried and true looks? Well yes. I hate seeing a lack of creativity, but I want to look deeper into what these artists are choosing to accentuate; what they are choosing to accentuate or hide; what they are choosing to do with their natural skin colour.

One tumblr user (that has since left this site) said, you can’t divorce beauty culture from white supremacy. And they were right. A lot of IG/YT tends still uphold whiteness as a kind of ideal! This perpetuation could be as innocent as contouring tutorials telling viewers to give themselves high cheekbones; a small, straight nose; deeper set eyes; “melon seed” jaws; etc., to an industry-wide problem like Snapchat/IG filters lightening skin tones and companies not providing a ful, broad range of foundations and concealers.

It really wasn’t until, like, what? 2017? where Fenty Beauty made a foundation line with a thorough and broad spectrum that covered almost every skin tone. And that is a travesty! What were you telling these women (and men)? “You should be going lighter than your actual skin shade”? But what’s more insidious than that is actually going out and making skin brightening products for women, especially in countries where colorism is more pronounced –like Central and South America and Asia (especially South and Southeast Asia).

The latter is not just an instance of not a lack of representation (and yes, I acknowledge that we ought to see more darker skinned actors and celebrities and so forth) but is something that can affect the livelihoods of people. Without a doubt, people treat you differently if you look a certain way. It becomes easier to navigate through society! Job prospects open up once you fit these standards, even if they are racist; one non-makeup example is how black women are expected to straighten their hair for jobs, have something like 1A to 2C hair, while other manageable hair styles that are more unique to women with 3A-4C hair (box braids, cornrows, etc.) are seen as inappropriate. But at the same time, non-black people go and appropriate these looks.

As tumblr user estoma6mp (now, luzonbleedingheart) mentioned in their (now deleted) post, what is overlining/plumping their lips and taking the styles of black women other than imitating blackness/modernized blackface? Look at Ariana Grande. The Jenners. These parties “tan” and “bronze” to achieve… I think a certain “racial ambiguity” as well as… just stealing the creative thoughts of African American (and also Latinx) women. It’s…. the coveting and commodification of “ethnic” features and styles for the sake of seeming fashionable and clout while also resting comfortably knowing that you can take off all the bronzer at the end of the day.

The Sexualization of Makeup and Children and the Infantilizing of Grown Women

The names of products and shades are undoubtedly important in creating an image and a connection in the minds of consumers. Like, what does “Killawatt” put in your mind, in my mind, other than something super bright and fluorescent like concert lights? But not all makeup will have simple names like “rose” or “peony” for lipsticks. Those don’t have enough edge. It doesn’t sell sex. But should makeup have to sell sex?

As marisatomay said in her post, makeup companies shouldn’t be naming their products after sexual terms. She goes to list names like “climax” and “super orgasm” and puns like “glow job” that may seem far fetched and almost like a strawman, but no. Those are actual names. Just look at the lip gloss selection from NARS’ site: Orgasm, Super Orgasm, First Time, Strip Tease, Triple X, are just a handful of names. There are so much more I’m not mentioning! I wouldn’t be so opposed to this naming convention if it weren’t for the fact that there are plenty of young girls who are looking to makeup as a form of expression.

Now, whether children and young teenagers should be using makeup is another point of debate. If a child wants to play with makeup and draw flowers on their face and add glitter, that’s fine! It’s all in good fun. But the moment you have girls as young as 7 or 8 becoming makeup artists, contouring, beating their faces, making themselves look like they are in their 20s, that’s where things get concerning. Like, we should let children be children and allow them creativity, but creativity with makeup is hard because the line between having fun and feeling like you need to conform to certain looks/have certain knowledge about making yourself look “beautiful” is getting more and more blurred. It’s already terrible to see elementary school children think that they need to look a certain way, wear makeup a certain way to be seen as pretty, but the makeup industry isn’t just exploiting these young girls’ insecurities. They also exploit the girls themselves. When we see brands posting closeup videos of young girls putting on lip gloss, lips parted, it evokes a certain image.

On the other hand, however, I’ve also seen makeup palettes that are very reminiscent of childhood. Saffron-Sugar wrote on her blog, that a lot of makeup also has an “unpleasantly infantilizing tone,” and I agree! Like, which makeup company hasn’t collaborated with Disney? Mermaid, unicorn, faerie, and even dessert themed products are omnipresent. This by itself isn’t that much of an issue –these are cute aesthetics, and I can get behind some of them—but it really patronizes a lot of adult women. These circumstances emphasize certain connotations with regards to (perhaps feigned) girliness.

While I said makeup can sexualize minors and expose them to unwarranted sexual tension, makeup can also sexualize that same young, innocent image in women. It’s the idea of recapturing girlhood and innocence and purity. It’s sickening because it kinda adds this “barely legal” culture –where men wait for girls to turn 18 as if legality is the only thing that differentiates a girl from a woman. And this is disgusting.

Empowerment and Societal Coercion and the Industry that Doesn’t Care

I’m glad to be living in a time and a world where I can speak my thoughts openly and find ways to be myself, but… I think it’s also this individualism that gives us all an overinflated sense of self. It’s difficult to openly criticize our behavior, our actions, as consumers and as people in a capitalistic society because so many of us do take these as personal attacks. As if we were exempt from reflecting on ourselves and have free reign to perpetuate harmful ideology and phenomena.

So…. It was, like, 2012? 2013? Where we got all these “eyeliner sharp enough to kill a man!!” and “blind them with your highlighter!” comments and posts. The idea, if I recall everything correctly, was that… a lot of girls, a lot of women, were emphasizing that they weren’t wearing makeup for anyone else other than themselves. And I think that is a wonder idea. It’s nice that you can make a hobby out of this, but I also know that there are plenty of others who are less than enthused about makeup.

I don’t hate on the women in the above scenario, totally don’t! But they can’t go around yelling how something (especially makeup) is a choice when to many others it isn’t. Plenty of women feel like they need to wear makeup in order to better navigate through society. As a personal anecdote, I know that I have been treated far better as a person the moment I “glowed up” and tried to coordinate outfits better/put on makeup in a more conventionally attractive manner/adhering to certain beauty standards. I know that in some service jobs such as waiting tables, the number of tips a waiter gets can be determined by her makeup. And let’s not even go into mental health professionals and their patients wearing makeup! It’s unrealistic the amount of time women has to spend on our appearances just to be treated like “normal.”

And the thing is, the makeup industry doesn’t care if you’re either woman! These million-dollar companies, founded on the institutional control of how women look and behave, are getting money from both camps. Advertisement will be sprinkled with buzzwords such as “empowering” and “girl boss” but those are empty words when all they want is to bank on these trends and women’s wants and/or insecurities.

And here’s the part where I struggle to conclude all my thoughts. Like my previous post about art commissions and business, this is nothing more than a rehash of what people before me have said: I just wanted to compile everything in a more accessible post for myself, rather than scroll through my makeup tag on my main blog. But I guess I need to have some form of closure for anybody who has actually stuck around to get here (and thank you for doing so!).

All of the circumstances mentioned are… quite separate from each other all things considered, but they are all part of a larger, more foreboding culture that makes women feel like they need to look a certain way (even if they think they are being unique and creative). Indeed, makeup is a form of expression and creativity for a lot of women, but to just blindly act without any insight on what you are consuming, what you are doing, and why you are doing it, is honestly irresponsible. Like any other part of culture, a part of media (especially social), we need to see who is benefiting from our actions and who is getting hurt.

#fashion #makeup #makeup culture #makeup industry #empowerment

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arabgoldenstars · 5 years

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[trans] 181214 Jessica Interview With일간스포츠 (Ilgansports)

181214 JESSICA INTERVIEW WITH일간스포츠 (ILGANSPORTS)

Jessica, who is expanding a solo singer and as a business woman, said “I have a big picture. It’s not like I’ve engaged on something in particular, instead, it’s a work I’m progress that I’m painting little by little each year. I think I’ve drawn one third of it, but thankfully up until now I think I’m filling my painting in a good way. When years pass, I, too, wonder how this picture will be completed. For now, starting next year there will be many interesting things.”

– You said you are a work-aholic

J: I’m so lucky to work while enjoying it. It’s fun because I’ve chosen a job I like to do, and because it’s fun I can carry it out gladly. Because I enjoy what I do, the quality improves, and because I get along well with my staff I can work hard.

-It’s been a while since you released a single.

J: It’s an event song. Honestly, although I’m constantly working on an album, because there has been many projects I was a bit busy this year. When I’m preparing for an album, I like to dedicate my entire time to it and immerse myself, this year I didn’t have time to do that. But because I’m constantly working on music and receiving demos, I talk a lot with the composers as well. I must release an album next year.

-Is it the first time you challenge yourself with a carol song?

J: I’ve always wanted to sing a Christmas song. When I first heard ‘One More Christmas’ I thought “this is it”. With a youthful vibe, it’s a song that makes your holiday happier. Since it’s an exciting and lifting vibe, I hope people who listen to it spend their holidays happily.

– Do you have any plans for a holiday party?

J: I really wanted to do it. Luckily, my sister Soojung’s and my schedule matched so we are going skiing to the United States. When our times match we go on trips.

– I heard that you went on a vacation with your family recently.

J: It had been a really long time (since the last vacation). It’s hard to gather all of us so when we can we must go on a trip. This time I went right after a schedule but it was really fun. My family and I went to Athens and Vienna, which he hadn’t been to before. Because our parents came it’s different than when it’s just my sister and I, but we still had a great time.

– It seems you’re very relaxed being solo for 5 years.

J: It’s always hard to adapt. Whenever something is new, everything seems harder. Of course, there were many setbacks because it was a new start. I’ve had a lot (laughs). There’s times of despair, and there’s times when you become so discouraged you wish to give up but thankfully my personality isn’t like that. Instead, I’m the type to strive to win. I’m very competitive, and I’m not shaken up by other people’s words. I think ‘Let’s see who’ll win’ and I push myself more. It’s a process that must be done carefully and consciously, not recklessly. I’m following my choices and I’m moving forward towards my future to see how it changes.

– Who or what do you turn to?

J: I talk a lot with the company’s president and our team leader. They give a lot of support to the people around them, it’s not that they cheer for you particularly, but just by sitting by their side I gain strength. I think it’s good that I’m surrounded by people with good energy.

– Isn’t it hard to work as both a singer and a business woman?

J: I think it’s all right. If singer Jessica can express herself through music, brand creative director Jessica can eventually show my identity through products. People ask “Which job do you like the most?” but I’m doing both because I like both. These days there’s many people who do different things too. Of course, I don’t want to do only one thing. What is obtained through various activities is great.

– You have your own brand and you are constantly desired in the fashion industry.

J: I think they are different. People who give us suggestions also say “You are the one who this this, let’s do this together”. Because we understand each other we don’t really collide. And since different regions have different contracts and time periods, it’s good to be able to show different brands in my own way.

– You’re a CEO-like fashionista, but do you personally think you dress well?

J: I don’t particularly think I dress well. I’m the one who knows me the most. Face, body, frame, I know it all very well so I know what looks good on me. Of course I know I have to switch things up. Since I’ve been active for a long time I’ve had many opportunities to try different types of fashion. As I’ve worked with different brands and media, I naturally learned how to dress myself.

– If you had to pick between warm-tones or cool-tones?

J: It depends on my mood. It’s a bit embarrassing to say it myself, but makeup artists say that my face isn’t fixed to a single tone and goes well with any tone. I’m not sure what looks good on me but I like that I can show different emotions based on the color scheme.

– Fans say they want to see you with blonde hair.

J: I want to go blonde but it’s hard because my hair is weak. My hair is really thin and it looks healthy right? But when you try touching it like this you can feel how frail it is. I want to go blonde but I’m scared of bleaching it and I’m worried about how damaged it would get if I dye it, so I can’t. I hope the fans can endure it.

– You have a very honest and realistic personality.

J: I’m very down-to-earth. If it doesn’t seem plausible I give up and do something that can be done. I’ve been like that since I was young. When I was a trainee too, if there was a song I couldn’t sing I’d say “I won’t sing it. It doesn’t suit me.” and find another song. I’d rather show the things I can do with confidence. I think it’s a constant trait. People usually put in effort into the things they can’t do, right? In my case, because I know myself well, I think it’s a waste of time and get over it quickly. I’m not always in the right but I trust myself.

– How did you come to sing a contract with the American agency UTA?

J: We held many meetings with different companies but I felt that UTA was different from other companies. It was a company that cared more about my career than business. They considered the future and made a plan, and gave me support. More than anything, they tell me I am young. In Korea, I feel the issue about age because I’ve been active for 12 years, but they tell me “You are still young so let’s take things slowly. There’s many things we can do.” They feel like a warm family.

– Is there a reason for picking a big company?

J: I think there is a leader for every industry. There is a leader for every place in the world, the same goes for the entertainment industry. It’s not something I’d join recklessly out of spite and because I know that country well I wanted to be with the best people in the industry. Thankfully, joining UTA was a win-win situation. They said were also looking for people like me. They told me “You’re a unicorn” because they thought I was perfect.

– I think the expansion of K-Pop is also a huge factor.

J: Yes. I think seeing ‘K-‘ in music, fashion, beauty, etc. is a heavy influence. When I go to a foreign country I hear the word ‘K-Pop Star’. I can’t deny it. Sometimes I hear that people know of me. Not just towards me, but I think a global door towards Asia has been opened.

– You also went to Cannes Film Festival this year.

J: It was a new experience. I went as a guest of a jewelry brand and I was also surprised. When the liaison first arrived I asked ‘Why should I go?’ ‘What I’m I supposed to do there?’ but they told me it was one of the usual events of the brand. I also didn’t know that at Cannes Film Festival important brands held a party and they even invited several people who aren’t movie actors, like influencers, to attend the red carpet event. I was invited to be at the red carpet for 10 minutes but because it’s so wide I thought a lot about how I should stand there. It was a new atmosphere.

– Seeing the actors, did you think of challenging yourself with acting?

J: I have plans of acting. When singing the contract with UTA, we discussed various areas. I hope I get a good opportunity (to act). It’s a time where Asian people are getting attention overseas so I think the response would be good.

– What do you do on days when you don’t have a schedule?

J: I don’t do anything (laughs). I don’t really like exercising. I put resting first and only when I have a trainer I exercise. I really love eating so I just eat well and rest.

– The pictures you took with actress Park Min Young became a big topic.

J: We’ve been friends since pre-debut. We met when I graduated from 3rd year of middle school to my first year of high school (T/L: In the US that would be going from freshman to sophomore in high school). We have a 3 year difference and back then she was a big unnie. When you’re a kid you feel the age difference more strongly, you know. If unnie asked me to dance I would dance. If I came from Korean class I would use what I learned with unnie, when I learned a new word I really wanted to use it. I still remember when I learned the word ‘straight hair’ and I told unnie, she’s someone who has seen me grow up.

– You’re in an open relationship with the company’s president, is it going well?

J: Yes, it’s just that I don’t want my fans to be upset and I don’t want to be loud about it.

– Is there a secret to self-care?

J: Watch the amount of food you eat and drink water. Those are the two most important. If I want to each chicken I only have two pieces. I usually eat half the chicken but if I need to regulate the amount I refrain from it. I’ve never been able to stop eating. Instead I drink a lot of water. It helps digestion. I can’t even measure how much water I drink. My mother calls me a carp (type of fish).

– Did you fulfill the plans you had for this year?

J: I had the goal of being healthy and I’m very healthy right now. I wanted work to be more fun and I had a lot of fun working. Luckily, I had the chance to visit many countries. I said I wanted to have many encounters and I learned from meeting with many cultures and speaking with others. There’s something you can learn in every country. Isn’t it wise to have those kind of experiences?

– Is there something you want to try next year?

J: To mature accordingly to my age. I hope I can expand more and I become the kind of person that expands their horizons. Next year I’ll be 30 and I think I’m ageing naturally. Next year, too, I want to raise B&E a bit more and to deliver a lot of music.

– Is there any content you are preparing?

J: I’m thinking of trying fun things with my sister. Starting from the photoshoot on January, I think we’ll be able to make fun contents. These days we have YouTube, Netflix, and other platforms so now that I think about it there’s many fun things I want to do with my sister.

– We’re also anticipating a new album.

J: This year there wasn’t a lot music schedules but I want to release an album next year. I want to try to concentrate on music a little more for those who are waiting. I hope they can anticipate me next year.

English trans cr; gldn_star translations

#jessica #Jessica Jung #interviewjessica #kpop #idol #arabgoldenstars

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extrology · 6 years

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Baekhyun. Struggles & Talents

Saturn Dominant

among all Baekhyun’s faces there’s this hidden serious and wise side

powerful concentration on goals (remember his motto 'Life is Only a Path Full of Efforts'?)

overall this guy loves to work. And he works hard

saturn also makes him honest and straightforward

most likely rebellious youth

the second part of his life should be easier and more fulfilling

(probably difficult trainee days, struggles with finding career path and “superstar” ego)

saturn prompts him to seek the essential, security and longevity (makes him even a bigger materialist. Maybe 4th time mentioning it. sigh)

saturnians deep down hide a golden heart ♥

strong aspects who gift him with great social skills counteract and fix the struggles your average saturnian has. He’s left with all the positives, lucky one

So saturn gives him some trouble in the earlier stages of life but teaches structure, wisdom, honesty and inspires to work hard.

People say it’s an awful planet to have as a dominant as you usually have terrible pre 25es but Saturn teaches so much that life becomes incredibly easy and smooth sailing after that

Other prominent planet in his chart is Mercury (planet of logic, communication and brains).

Saturn and Mercury as two most dominant planets make him a very smart, logical, social, straightforward, reliable and hard worker with a golden heart. If you combine with the charms of the rest of the chart you get the most perfect being alive. How is this even possible? Does he really have such few flaws? Does he exist. even.

Aquarius & Capricorn as dominant signs.

Aquarius gifts Baekhyun with originality, geniusness (is that a word?), to the point of eccentricity

makes him likeable and impassive

tremendously sexy and charming in public ;)

tends to get in trouble for his nontraditional behavior

but honestly, people might simply label him as “strange” “extra” if he shows his true colors

doesn’t open up on a personal basis but he tends to do so easily in public (you know those people who are awkward when you get alone with them but otherwise are the star of the party. yup, that’s him)

despite nice and sociable character possibly frustrates many people in private

because he finds it impossible to show deep and warm affection, emotions or tears one-on-one

(so he’ll give you advice and will try to be a good friend but he would feel pretty tense alone with somebody. It would get awkward real fast if you started crying. He would be such a lost puppy. He would hug you but then would be at a loss of words. He wants to be a good friend and help you but at the same time doesn’t know how to do that and overthinks everything. Probably with Aries Mercury would say how he’d beat up everybody who hurt you and how they all will pay for it. Such a break of character, but it’s pretty common. I know several people who act this way. Prefers being in a group overall )

Aspect Patterns

Earth Grand Trine (all aspects are very strong)

blesses Baekhyun with exceptionally good looks (i lost count how many times I wrote that already. we get it universe. he’s born to be handsome)

surprisingly lucky when it comes to his career

can achieve anything by working hard (remember Aikido, Rock band, relationships, popularity in school? I’m not even talking about EXO. If he sets his mind on it, he can make it big)

Baekhyun was popular all his life. And I can’t imagine it being otherwise with this planet placement.

T-Cross shows a very serious problem (common in businessmen and famous figures). People usually know where the problem is and are able to fix it.

Baekhyun’s problems lie in relationships with people

needs friends in order to feel safe and secure (this usually comes from low self esteem, in his case he has a huge Aquarius ego that needs to be petted)

(Baekhyun is the type to ask friends to go even to the convenience store with him)

really selective when it comes to friends (conceited)

prefers people several years older

doesn’t know how to be personal with people (social butterfly/class clown, awkward when one-on-one)

Huge “I want to be original, weird and myself but I also want to fit in and be loved” struggle

saturn here makes it harder, so every time he shows his true self people laugh and make fun of it

(by true self I don’t mean active and outgoing, I mean that “extra” guy we sometimes see on stage, the guy who walks in on other members showering, undresses other members on stage and embarrasses everybody around him overall)

saturn is here to teach him to detach from his hurt ego and not to take what others say personally

(when he would let go of himself and start doing weird things or shared his dance videos, his friends would make fun of him. It probably hurt him far more than we can imagine)

he probably had to pretend to be normal and act by the social norms (Baek was one of the most popular kids in school after all)

by doing so he fed his ego but with fake love as he never showed the real him

and Aquarius wants to be recognized for his true original self so he was never actually happy (I believe he tried expressing himself by joining a band and with other hobbies)

People like Baekhyun need a lot of praise and recognition from strangers

as they feel like it’s fake when it comes from their friends

and they know they have to deserve the praise.

in their head they’re always thinking

“I don’t deserve the attention, I need to be perfect to earn it”

“I have to become stronger, smarter, more courageous and well rounded”

overworks himself for it

but then the T-Cross points that the solution is in romance and entertainment

as relationships are crucial at forming his personality, I believe that love transformed him.

In relationships there’s nowhere to hide, he had to be alone with his girlfriend however uncomfortable it was.

This is where he learned how to be more personal, show warmth and affection.

He probably became more confident and not so reliant on others as well.

(He said he reads “how to be a good boyfriend” books on his free time. I mean he probably knows it’s his problem area)

work in entertainment industry is probably helping him a lot with dealing with his “weird but want to fit in and be liked” personality.

Fans give him a lot of support and it probably makes it easier for him to finally accept himself for the quirky weirdo he is. (I honestly hate those people who said that Baek should wear makeup as he looks ugly without it. Poor baby was so close to fully accepting himself and then... little shits)

(it’s probably no secret that Baekhyun values friendship very very much. And whatever problems he had concerning it in his early life he’s probably solving them right now)

Bonus

Baek has 3 quintiles. It’s rare for a person to have one quintile (straight off a talent or a lovable quirk). But this guy has 3 of them

is great at experimenting, creativity, having fun, tasks that ask for individuality but also great at sacrificing his ego for the sake of common cause.

Free and open expression of feelings, instinctive over-acting and self-dramatization but everybody loves it (it’s his charm)

By the way I describe him, you may think he is soo damn conceited when it comes to making friends but I’ll just explain it here

Friendship is something SO SO important to him. We already know he’s the best kind of friend to have. And because he values friendship so highly, gives so much love and attention to his friends, he doesn’t feel like throwing it around and letting everybody in.

if he’s willing to become friends with you, you two are going to stick together for life, you just need to prove you’re worth the trust and absolute loyalty. ^^

Now about the materialism. I say it a lot. But what I mean is that he likes to be surrounded by nice things. Have good headphones, nice car, apartment, a nice phone, suit. It’s not his main goal but he just feels good surrounded by beauty and it gives him comfort. Who doesn’t have this side to them? His is just a tiny bit stronger

I know this post was kinda dry, but I gotta find out all ins and outs of the personality to make correct assumptions later on. ^^; The next post is going to be all about Love & Relationships though *smirk*

So in the middle of writing this post I started questioning my morals. Am I invading his privacy by doing this and making it public? Am I an awful human being? So I cut out the more personal chunk and I doubt I’ll write something as serious about other members. It’s way more fun to read and write casual posts about crushes, hobbies and everyday topics anyway~ ^^

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wandernona · 6 years

Photo

Hi again!

As I promised you long, long time ago, I am going to share you my story: experiences I went through during my very first work in Jakarta couple months ago. I took notes last time --just so you know, I am no longer working there but I think it might still be worth telling. Whether later you’ll get inspired or fall asleep, here you go.

Pic source via Google

I had notes taken in August 2017..

My very first job after graduation

Here I am landed in one media agency in the capital city of Indonesia. In the world that I’m living in, I was not familiar with the existence of ‘media agency’. And now I am working as a media planner. It started last September in 2016 when I came to one of this job-opening event held in Kuala Lumpur. I entered the room with my head full of thoughts of which table and company should I first come to. So I decided and came to this table. I then handed my CV as the person in charge during that day started to conduct the short interview session. It went well, except that I didn’t know how to answer what that company was about back then. But days after that, I got a call and informed that I got accepted to do the three-months internship with this agency.

What an experience! I didn’t fear anything back then as soon as I introduced myself to everyone in the room. Everyone seemed pretty busy and still, I didn’t get any single clues of what might happen to me after that. Days passed by as I went through all the responsibilities and job desk, I realized I didn’t prepare myself enough to enter this job. I never actually majored in marketing or advertising, and it had been ages since I use Ms. Excel. I thought I will learn a lot about digital marketing but what I did back then was nothing more than technical works such as chopping the newspaper every morning (that was how one the colleagues kept teasing me about to describe the ads tracking activity). Another thing was to bring the wasted paper into the paper shredder machines or sometimes just typing out the notes that I wrote down during the meeting session with random vendors.

Aside from that, the job was pretty much related to media studies I learned at Universities. From all the confusion of those new things and deadline, works thrown with instruction but no guidance –I held myself back, inhaling, exhaling, and I came to the realization: Life before AND after University? They are two different things. I had no choice than to learn it by myself or ask people around whenever they’re not busy with work. Three months passed and slowly, it started to make sense to me, how the company evolves and how the work flows, and each of everyone’s responsibilities in the room. In my last day, I got this empty feeling of not learning much about digital marketing and advertising, but I must admit, it’s a new world to me and such a short of time to get to know it makes me feel like losing.

Living in Jakarta for the first time

As I was still craving for the experiences, I decided to move out from Kuala Lumpur and apply to the same company, with its branch located in Jakarta. The feelings were still going on and off inside me, my brain couldn’t function enough the day I went to the office and met everyone. At that moment when I shake hands with them, I wasn’t so sure if this is what I actually want to do forever. But I know that I really want to learn and this company gives what I expect it from the start: transfer of knowledge and connection. And it is something priceless and valuable. I mean, I could have just read all those books about advertising or any online references of media planning, but it never makes sense to me. I had to actually learn it by doing it.

In my case right this time, I am currently not only experiencing my very first workplace after graduation, but also am trying on living in the new environment. New city: Living in Jakarta alone for the first time. Aside from the traffic jam that keeps giving me headache day by day, adjusting myself to surroundings never felt this exciting. With the friendly people around –greet and guided me in between their little free time of the works, I could feel the warmth around this new family of mine. I feel grateful.

Working in beauty industry nowadays and #SocialMediaUse

I used to think makeup is just one thing for women that need to cover their flaws, nothing more beyond that. I used to think we shouldn’t be bothered to talk much about it since beauty comes from the inside, remember? I was like: I bet there will not be much of things to say about makeup other than the variety of its colors and its function to colored the lips and cover the pimples. The thing that I didn’t know back then is, the beauty industry covers a lot of different topics. During the meeting, we always came up with the whole plan of how we promote and create awareness of the product existence to the market in so many ways I could never think of. It never occurred to me at first on how women think red lipstick can brighten their day, until I got involved in the team to create the idea itself and come up with a plan and strategy on how to plant it in the audience mind, by utilizing the social media and the influencers.

The role of social media influencers are so much important for the industry, with their communication to their own audience is so impactful and beneficial. For some of them, especially the makeup artists and the beauticians, I think they have the potential to create their own economy in a world where improving your appearance never seems to hit a recession. Interesting, right? What comes to your mind when you watch those beauty gurus on You Tube? Was it simply just because they look pretty -it entertained you? That’s one enough reason where the makeup and beauty industry fill in that confusing gap and get something out of this phenomenon. Well, this is not breaking news, but I guess not many people out there are aware of this fact, especially when the outcome is: they eventually go to the department store and buy the product.

The beauty field is filled with many chances to meet and work with fascinating people. I can see that from the past month I experiencing working with client and all agencies, most of them that choose a career in beauty come from a creative and artistic background. Makeup, skincare, hair, nails, are all areas that promote the creative process, and sharing my ideas during the meeting with all of them, it really takes my creativity to a whole new level. Or at least I could say that, I get inspired –in so many ways.

I used to judge people that involves within the beauty industry and how insignificant are those things in life. When it actually takes such long time and big efforts to come up with one plan just to launch one single product. It takes more than one creative ways to use the social media as the platform to influence the target audience in the market. As it is bad enough to know that a lot of people nowadays spend most of their days going on Instagram and browsing random things on You Tube, it is a good opportunity for them to do business, even great to advertise themselves with the free platform provided online. This reminds me of the topic of final year project that I did last year, to get to know how young adult female perceive the content of those video blogs. Whether the industry wins the heart of the audience and succeed to make them buy the product, the very important fact is that how media platform becomes a powerful thing to influence and control the decision of the market. Powerful enough to create the perception and control the decision of the market. Again, this is not new information.

In the other words, I learnt social media at this company. I learnt digital marketing and how good I am with ppts + Ms Excel at this company. I learnt how to get work done at this company. And most importantly, I learnt how not to judge a book by its cover here.

So, should I start Vlogging?

After a long day at work I stayed up late into the night pondering the question ‘what would I like to do in life?’ The concept of Key Opinion Leader (KOLs), those who performed online and attracting lots of viewers has been around for a while. It brought my attention since long time ago by seeing those influencers that promoting the best beauty product to the audience. I embraced the idea immediately and since this plan has always been in my bucket list –to be someone that can inspire others, I decided that I want to be an influencer too. One of the near future resolutions this year is one to build my own channel on YouTube. I’ve always wanted to be on the camera and telling story to others, so that people in anywhere and anytime get informed and inspired by the stories that I tell. The other things I need to do before I die is to publish my own book, and to travel around the world and completing my mission to visit all continents.

And evidently, as Indonesian internet advertising market is showing the stronger growth from time to time, I think it is very smart for all of us to actually produce something instead of only consuming, by using the free online platforms to express yourself, creating awareness and positive impact on those potential audiences, and better –to make money out of it. Coz, why not?

#experience #firsttimer #lifeaftergraduation

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winedwords · 7 years

Text

Finn| Into Your Arms |Bálor

Title; Into Your Arms

Pairing; Finn Bálor/Reader

Word Count; 5523

Summary; If it’s just a game, then I like the way that we play.

Warnings; NSFW. Body painting leading to smut. Smut for smut’s sake. Here be no plot. Latex free.

A/N: repost from the old blog

If there was one thing I hated most about my chosen and beloved profession, it was cleaning my airbrush gun and brushes before each body painting session.

Cleanliness was next to godliness and I was practically divine, cleaning all the tools of my trade before and after each session. My back ached from being hunched over a sink for hours, my cuticles and palms dry and cracking from cleaning solution, and feet terribly sore from being on them all day. My thoroughness and attention to detail in every aspect of my career had served me well and had landed me my current position.

Makeup artists were a dime a dozen these days, with everyone with some cheap brushes, a neutral eyeshadow palette, and an iPhone claiming the title. It was a disservice to those of us who literally starved for the opportunity to assist more established artists, who had to decide between spending the money on purchasing items for the kit or paying rent. I put in my time and paid my dues, assisting and learning from award winning artists, landing small gigs that didn’t pay, to finally getting a contract for a television show and working a Fashion Week.

The WWE was just a new challenge.

I had joined the Glam Squad three months ago when one of their girls went on maternity leave and they were desperate for someone who was proficient in airbrush and body painting. I got along famously with the others, after a few days of initial awkwardness and tension. We had all cut our teeth in the industry and there is a certain degree of professional jealousy that taints every relationship, but this felt more like family. The camaraderie was there, it had to be, since we traveled like nomads across the world, never staying in one place too long.

I was the first one at the arena, and for good reason.

It was another pay per view, which meant I needed to be at the arena obscenely early to prepare for body painting.

I found the dressing room to be used for the artists easy enough, the gophers having gotten to the arena just before me and they had set up our stations. Now it was just myself, the soft sounds of a random Pandora station, and thoughts of my muse.

Finn Bálor.

He’d essentially given me free reign, after the first couple of sessions, with his body painting. He’d entrusted me with making him look badass and let my creativity run free. That feeling was addictive, especially after doing nothing but a smoky eye and flawless skin on women who were already flawless.

He though… he was perfection personified. Brilliant blue eyes, a wide smile, sharp jaw line, and what seemed to be negative body fat, every muscle sharply defined against his pale skin. He genuinely appeared to be carved out of marble and given his predilection for almost too tight tailored suits combined with his affectionate gestures for other male superstars, I had some questions about his preferences. Okay, some questions was an understatement, when in reality he could just have been living up to the reputation of being European.

I chuckled to myself and shook my head. Glancing back down, I realized I had been cleaning the same makeup sponge for a solid five minutes and the material was starting to shred. I made a face and grumbled, before pushing the now ruined egg shaped sponge into the trash can rather violently.

There was twenty dollars down the drain because I was busy thinking about my very possibly gay male fantasy.

“God fuckin’ damn it. I need to go buy more fuckin’ sponges.”

Someone cleared their throat behind me and I nearly jumped out of my skin, whirling around with a hand pressed to my heart to see the tall Irishman that had interrupted my thoughts. He was just standing there with his hands in his pockets, a silly grin on his face.

“Should I come back later?”

I frowned and shook my head. “No, no, it’s fine. What are you doing here? We don’t have to start painting until eleven.”

His grin pulled just a fraction wider and he glanced down at his phone. “Yeah, I have the paintin’ session at eleven, but it’s half past already. I apologize fer bein’ late.”

My mouth dropped into a perfect o, my brain working rapidly to try to recollect my schedule. “Oh shoot, I’m sorry, I lost track of time.”

Finn laughed, his face lighting up. “Oh no, darlin’ it’s fine. It’s m'fault for bein’ late and ye seemed pretty absorbed in cleanin’ yer brushes.”

I waved off his words, already beginning to arrange the alcohol based body paints on the table that would serve as my work station.

“It’s all okay Finn. I was just about ready for you anyway. You know the drill.”

Finn chuckled and unzipped his hooded sweartshirt to reveal his bare, broad chest. My mouth went dry and I had to look away quickly with a cough, grabbing at my brush belt, nearly knocking over my carefully arranged set up.

Finn’s expression was simultaneously amused and unreadable, the flicker of heat that I caught on his face making me feel suddenly self conscious. As quick as it had appeared, it was gone, leaving me to think it was just a figment of my imagination. My face flushed as he pulled his sweats low enough to be dangerous, the smooth flesh of his pelvis exposed to my suddenly too hungry eyes.

I gave the barest shake of my head, trying to clear out the rapidly forming unprofessional thoughts. As the tall Irishman was sorting himself out and getting comfortable for the hours long painting session, I pulled my hair up into a sloppy ponytail to get it out of my face. I was fussing with the spray bottles of alcohol and strapping on my brush belt, the weight of his eyes on me the entire time.

I was dressed almost too comfortably to be professional, hastily applied makeup that had been put on in a compact, and my hair, though now in a ponytail, was only finger combed this morning. A quick glance in one of the mirrors along the wall had let me know that there was nothing out of the ordinary on my face. What could he possibly be looking at?

The possibility that he was looking at me flitted across my mind, but I dismissed that thought as soon as it had come. I was being ridiculous. Even if he was straight, there was no way he would look in my direction. We were surrounded day in and day out by ridiculously beautiful women, let alone the women who hung around after the shows and in the hotel lobbies who were hoping to warm the talent’s bed for the night. Finn was sweet and well mannered, but an incorrigible flirt if the rumors about Japan were true.

I sprayed a large fan brush with alcohol and swirled over the black cream makeup, before turning to face Finn. I don’t know why I had a slight tremor in my hands or why every nerve ending in my body was on edge. I had done this exact same process with Finn multiple times, so was I all out of sorts now?

“Ready?”

Finn stretched his neck to the left, then the right before nodding while turning his back to me to start painting.

“’m always ready darlin’.”

I hesitated for just the briefest of moments, my heart skipping a beat. Nope, he totally wasn’t making a sexually laced flirtatious comment in my direction. I was just imagining things and clearly needed some quality time with my battery operated boyfriend. I mentally shook it off, before beginning the outline of the demon eye that I had sketched out a couple of nights previously. My mouth went a little dry as I watched the well defined muscles of his back flutter, tense, and jump under the bristles of my brush.

“Dunno why yer brush is always cold. Can’t they make this stuff warmer?”

I giggled.

“Unfortunately not, Finn. It’s hard to keep alcohol warm in spray bottles. And you know it gets worse once I fire up the airbrush machine.”

He groaned playfully, before the two of us fell into a companionable silence. For well over twenty minutes, the only sounds in the room were the soft notes from whatever song Pandora was playing, the spraying of alcohol into the cake makeup, and the bristles of the brushes gliding along skin.

I always started low on his back, being a full head shorter than him. It was just easiest to start there and work up, when I would eventually need a step stool to reach his broad shoulders and onto the sensitive skin of Finn’s neck. He truly did look like his body was carved by one of the Renaissance masters, all milky smooth skin and chiseled muscle. Predictably, my mind went wandering to places where it shouldn’t be and wondering what his skin would feel like underneath my fingers…

“Y'know, every time ye do this, I almost want ta go ta sleep. It’s relaxin’.”

His voice interrupted my thoughts and I flushed, my brush never faltering. I kept my eyes low, trying to focus on the line work, when I noticed it.

He was crouching to make it easier for me to paint his back. I took the smallest of steps back.

“Finn, you don’t have to crouch. I have a step stool for a reason.”

He snorted, almost incredulously.

“Ye’ve been helpin’ me out wit this for… four months now? And yer just now noticin’ that I’m crouchin’?”

I couldn’t help myself, the giggle that snuck out was a little high pitched and flirtatious.

“Oh I’ve noticed before. I just didn’t care enough to let you have it easy.”

I could feel the grin in his voice as he clucked his tongue against his teeth.

“What’ve I ever done to ye, (Y/N)?”

I exaggerated a sigh, before playfully quipping back.

“The mere fact you exist, Finn.”

The Irishman barked out a laugh, “Ye cannot just leave me hangin’ like that, what’s the real reason?”

I was thankful that his back was to me, because I’m almost positive that my face was doing its best imitation of a tomato.

“I get a lot of messages from the female friends and family members who watch RAW. I don’t hear the end of it.”

He snorted, “And here I thought it was because of the Twin Terrors.”

I froze, the angled brush motionless on his skin, before I shifted on my feet. I looked at the back of his head curiously.

“The Twin Terrors?”

Finn shrugged and he glanced back over his shoulder to meet my eyes. “Marie and Lauren in wardrobe.”

I made a face and pressed my lips together tightly.

“I have nothing to say about them.”

How he picked up on what I thought was well disguised distaste for the two women who made up wardrobe, I don’t know. I’d never heard them called the Terror Twins, that was relatively PG compared to the epithets others on the Glam Squad called them. Why did Finn even bring them up? I kept to myself backstage, so I never really paid attention when they were fawning over him, especially when it seemed that he enjoyed their attentions.

I didn’t pay him any attention.

At all.

Ever. I swear.

He shrugged again and his mouth pulled into an almost childlike smile, that for some reason came off as incredibly sexy. I was sure that any red blooded woman, and some men, would have that the same as well.

I blinked rapidly and went back to painting the flesh of his back. It was a few minutes of brush strokes, the blending of colors, complete with the marveling at the way his muscles jumped, and a long, loaded silence before I caved.

“The objection I have to them, is the same objection I have with all women that act like that. It’s not because they’re paying attention to you.”

He was silent for a moment, tension flooding his shoulders.

“Oh…”

I could have sworn that I detected the barest hint of sadness in his accented voice after I said that, but it could have been just my imagination playing tricks on me. He was flirting with me like he flirted with everyone, male or female, backstage. The time I had spent around him had led me to believe that he flirted with the same ease that he breathed, it was just natural to him. It was that flirtation, combined with the accent and smile, and Finn could quite literally charm the pants off of anyone and they wouldn’t know what had happened until Finn was back in Ireland.

I swapped brushes and colors, setting about coloring in the fangs of the demon I was painting onto the Irishman’s back. I had knelt down to paint along the small of his back, my neck and back having tired from hunching over. It was a few minutes of complete silence between the two of us, Pandora still chirping away, when he sighed and a low chuckle rumbled through him. That chuckle was like a jolt of electricity to the juncture between my thighs. The rumbling and short laugh was incredibly seductive and laden with heady intentions.

I glanced at him curiously, expecting to only see the back of his head, but instead I was met with bright eyes and his trademark grin. I was woman enough to admit that Finn’s smile, no Finn’s everything really, affected me in decidedly not professional ways. He affected me in ways that almost always ensured that I needed a cold shower or at the very least, would strike me dumb for a solid minute.

“What?” I muttered, looking back down to my work as I swirled red in strategic places of the demon’s mouth.

“Oh, nothin’,” he mumbled. He took a breath and continued, “I was jus’ thinkin’ that you’ve spent hours on yer knees fer me and I haven’ even taken ye ta dinner.”

My face was radioactively hot and I could practically feel the tips of my ears sizzle at his words. Something was wrong. Finn was an unrepentant flirt and an incorrigible charmer, but never had I heard him be so vulgar. There had always been innuendo, most certainly, but he had never been so forward.

And than… It struck me like a bolt of lightning. Did he really mean to ask me out? We barely knew each other, having only made small talk while he was essentially held captive for body painting.

And I still pretty sure he was not interested in women.

“Aren’t ye goin’ ta say somethin’?”

I glanced back up at him, before straightening up to my full height and turning to my supply table, with every intention of hiding my burning face. Even at my full height, I would have only reached his collarbones. On my tiptoes, I would have been able to see over his shoulder or maybe even speak into his ear. I was painfully aware of how large he was in comparison to me, and how easy it would have been for him to overpower me… If he was that kind of man. My gut and observations told me he wasn’t, he was never anything but respectful.

“What do you want me to say?”

He turned to face me, but I was still making every attempt to hide my face in order to try to cool the flush on my face.

“Oh goodness Finn, I thought ye’d never ask!”

His attempt at an American accent was miserable, yet endearing.

I sighed, picking up the white body paint and yet another brush, before turning around to get back to the job at hand. Too bad that I was struck dumb by how quietly Finn had been able to move towards me, within an arms distance, without me noticing and the way his abdominal muscles practically rippled. Any progress that had been made on cooling the flush on my face was all for naught, as I did my best impression of a tomato.

“Why’re ye blushin’?” he inquired.

I looked up to make direct eye contact, my face burning. His eyes were searching mine rather intensely, looking for something that I wasn’t quite sure of.

“Ye’re never this quiet,” he remarked.

I shrugged, trying to be nonchalant, like I wasn’t just thinking about the heavy, blatant innuendos and what he could have possibly meant. “Maybe I’m having an off day?”

His eyebrow raised so high, I could have sworn it disappeared into his hair line. “Every single time’ve come in here fer the paintin’, ye’ve talked m'ear off about somethin’ or another. And now ye won’t say anythin’ and ye’re doing a pretty good impression of a cherry. What’s goin’ on darlin’?”

Had I really been so talkative? My stomach roiled uncomfortably at the thought. My mind flashed to all of our previous sessions at a dizzying speed, and it was true, every time I had been around him in the past, I had babbled. I don’t know what it was about today, but it was different. The words that would have previously rushed out of my mouth were now no longer there.

‘Or… You’re afraid that if you open your mouth today, you’ll say something that’ll embarrass the shit out of you.’ That dark little thought came unbidden to my mind.

“Don’t take it that ’m complainin’,” he said. “I mean, I like listenin’ to ye talk. I find yer American accent relaxin’.”

I frowned for a moment, before stepping forward and painting a broad stripe across his collarbone. Just like any other time when I had painted him, he shuddered as my brush glided over his skin in this particular area, but Finn never said anything about it. It was… Curious. I noticed it happen every time I painted in the areas of his collarbones, chest, and neck, but I had brushed it off. I had thought that it was maybe just a ticklish reaction and not the thing that the tiny, horny voice in my mind wanted it to be.

It was after the second or third stroke of my brush and the corresponding full body shudder, that I had noticed that the feeling in the room had changed.

“O-okay,” I stuttered, having decided that I needed to get away from him for a few moments, just long enough to collect myself. I began to pull away when he reached out for me, catching my elbow in a large, calloused hand. Sparks danced underneath my skin where his hand was, and he spun me back around to face him.

Before I could regain my ground, his lips were on mine.

At least, that’s what I was pretty sure that was what was occurring.

I was already dizzy from being spun around, and now this kiss was making me dizzier. The moment our lips had touched, there was a tingling, thrilling electric surge that shot through my body. Finn was possessive at first, claiming my mouth, an arm wrapped around my waist in an iron grip. It felt like he was trying to make me understand something, just by using his mouth. Slowly, after several moments of our mouths working feverishly against each other, the pressure of his mouth on mine lessened, and he pulled back slightly.

His eyes were searching my face for something, but I couldn’t put my finger on it, as I was in a daze. My legs felt like there were made of rubber and I desperately needed something to hold onto for support.

Definitely not gay. Definitely appeared to be attracted to women.

Okay, so he wasn’t gay. European. Only European.

I blinked owlishly, trying to clear the cobwebs from my mind, as he stood motionless in front of me, his mouth still only a breath away from my own and his arm still tight around my waist. I was confused and ridiculously turned on all at the same time. I was most certainly viewing Finn in a new light, one that I was able to admit to in the light of day and not just when I was alone at night.

“Um, wow.”

Well that was brilliant and eloquent.

He just chuckled, his eyes bright, and shook his head. “Let’s get this finished so that we can make plans for dinner tongiht.”

“Who said I accepted?”

The shift from lightheartedness to dark and predatory was faster than a blink. Before I knew what was happening, Finn was kissing me again. Just the same as mere moments ago, but this time, he was kissing me thoroughly until I was convinced. This time though, when he began to pull away a second time, I reached an arm around to keep him securely in place so that the kiss wouldn’t end. It didn’t take much strength, because he clearly didn’t want to leave the embrace either. His other arm dropped lower than the one that was wrapped around my waist, grazing daringly against my butt.

I grazed my teeth against his lower lip and his fingers curled into the clothed flesh of my butt in response, before pressing me firmly into his body and holding me in place. It was there that I could feel the rather impressive evidence of his arousal and I was lost. It had been quite some time since I had been with a man and my body was screaming for this kind of attention. That it was Finn, in all of his Adonis-like glory, made the heat pool dangerously fast between my legs.

Curious as to his reaction, I slid my hand between our bodies, running it down his bare chest as my brushes had done so many times before, and he stopped our kiss. Instead, he watched the trail of my hand, both of our chests heaving in tandem as my hand traveled still lower, almost of its own accord, stopping at the waist of his joggers. I looked up at him, the question clear on my face.

“Please don’t tease me darlin’.” His voice was strained and rough and I’ll be damned if it didn’t make my thighs clench together.

My mouth was a little dry as I ran my hand over the clothed bulge and grasped what I could. Impressive didn’t even begin to describe what Finn was clearly gifted with. The strangled moan that tore from his throat startled me and my eyes were wide as they shot to meet his half lidded ones. His lips were just barely parted and his pupils were so blown out from the sensations that only the tiniest sliver of blue was visible. That was all the cue I needed, running my fingers along the hard ridge a few times more.

He stopped me quite abruptly, his hands clasping my hips as he maneuvered me backwards. I was in a daze and not terribly oriented to my surroundings. My mind was a pink and lusty haze, and I most certainly was not thinking about where we actually were or the very, very real threat of someone walking in on us at any given moment.

The backs of my calves hit leather covered cushion and my question was answered. I had forgotten about the old leather couch that was pressed up against a wall in this locker room, but it was going to serve its purpose quite well.

There was no way he was backing out now.

Hopefully, he wasn’t just doing this to play with me.

His fingers slipped up underneath the hem of my shirt, not straying from my waist until they began lifting the shirt with their progress, mapping out the contours of my body. I mewled and shivering at his touch, it felt like he was leaving trails of fire across my skin, and Finn appeared to be satisfied with my reactions.

The shirt came off over my head and then it was thrown haphazardly somewhere within the room, and a perfect moment of clarity settled in my head, the lust induced haze lifting briefly. I placed my hands on his chest and pushed him away ever so minutely, and he paused the distractingly erotic way his fingers were tracing up my ribcage. He moved back, albeit reluctantly, a slightly worried and questioning look on his face.

I held up a finger, just to signal to him that he had to wait a minute. It also served the purpose of allowing me to regain my wits.

“We can’t smudge the paint.”

Relief blossomed across his eyes, the tension in his face relaxing.

“Oh. ’ve no problem with that at all darlin’.”

I giggled, and moments later he was completely naked, as he had made short work of his joggers are Armani boxer briefs. Why I knew and catalogued that information, I didn’t know. My eyes trailed down, and my mouth went dry. I wasn’t new to sex, but I could honestly say I had never seen a cock look beautiful, but I suppose it had to match the man it was attached to.

Without another thought, I reached out and wrapped my hand around the base, giving his length an experimental stroke. He inhaled sharply, his eyes dropping shut, and his hips stuttering at the touch. I grinned and released my grasp for just a moment. His eyes opened for a moment, until he saw me working my bra off of my shoulders and he was more than eager to assist in that venture. So eager in fact, he helped me to slide my panties off, pressing soft kisses to my hips and thighs, before sliding back up my body to press a fiery kiss to my mouth.

My hands were splayed over his chest, to stabilize myself as I was no longer sure that my knees would support my weight. A nip at my lower lip made my nails reflexively dig into the firm flesh of his chest and he moaned. The sound itself was sinful and sent another rush of liquid heat to the juncture between my thighs.

I stepped back again and switched our positions, so that he could sit on the edge of the couch, his back far from the cushions as to not smudge my work. The change of positioning was a great equalizer, as I didn’t feel so overwhelmed by him and the size of his body.

His arms were long enough to ensnare me again, pulling me down on top of him before I could gather my wits again fully. Finn’s hands went directly for my core, his long fingers curling up to press against the tight bundle of nerves found there. The bolt of pleasure that surged through my body left me breathless and ground into him, my eyes slipping shut and my hands finding purchase on his barely painted shoulders.

His hand slipped further down and I took the opportunity to grind into the heel of his hand, but it wasn’t enough. It wasn’t enough contact, enough friction, enough pressure. I knew what we both needed, as did Finn. I rearranged my position in his lap, straddling him in such a way that his cock rest along my inner thigh like a brand and my breasts in my face. His eyes glazed over in a way that if it were any other situation, would have been funny, but then his hands were suddenly there, cupping and teasing and pinching. The matter was settled, Finn was indeed a boob man.

He stopped in his attentions rather suddenly, gazing up at me with wide blue eyes.

He wanted me to make the next move. He wanted me to tell him that I wanted this.

And oh god, did I want this.

I shifted onto my knees and moved over him, his hands again on my hips, guiding his cock into me as I shifted my hips downwards.

I can honestly say that I had never felt anything so mind meltingly amazing or felt so full. I was stretched to the limit and neither the long groan that escaped from my lips as my hips met his or the way my head fell back in bliss could be helped. His lips found the sensitive skin of my neck, coaxing me to look back to his molten gaze. I began to move my hips, slowly at first, but his hands guided me to a pace that he was in control of, not allowing me to move any faster or slower than what he wanted. The dig of his fingers into the soft flesh of my hips should have hurt, but there was something erotic about the way he dictated the pace.

Everything in me wanted to go faster, to buck wildly, to chase my own release, but his grip stopped me from doing so. I leaned into him, kissing his mouth his lips again, in a vain attempt to distract him. My efforts failed, as his thumb slipped our moving bodies and stroked at the slick bundle of nerves just above where our bodies were connected, and white hot fire surged through my veins.

It wasn’t until that moment that I realized how far gone I was, and it only took a few flicks of his finger for me to be spiraling out of control. My fingers dug into his chest, leaving little half moon indentations. His hands circled behind my head, fingers lacing up into my hair, as he smoothly changed our positions while never breaking our contact, pinning my hips to the couch as he was crouched in position between my spread thighs.

With smooth movements, he began to move in and out of me with more force and speed than could possibly keep up with. I could feel a second release building, coiling tightly in the pit of my low abdomen.

It was only a matter of time before I was gasping my release again, my hips arching wildly. One of his large hands steadied me by resting on my lower stomach with the other on my thigh as his own body was wracked with shudders. He leaned over me, keening lowly into my ear. It was a most intoxicating mixture of a groan and grumble combined together.

We lay like that, in our post-coital haze, his body pressing into mine and his head cradled in between my neck and shoulder. It was as our bodies slowly began to calm and come down from the endorphin induced high, did the reality of the situation hit me.

“I’m confused… Y-you’ve never shown an interest in me before.”

He let out a huff of air that sounded suspiciously like a self-depreciating chuckle. “’ve been tryin’ to get ya to pay attention t'me since ye came on board months ago.”

I blinked rapidly, my heart stuttering in its rhythm at his words.

“But…”

Now that I thought about it, he was always within my line of sight when I arrived and hanging around the Glam Squad’s “office” when he really had no reason to be there. Whenever I say him, he was flirting heavily with the women that were almost always around him. Was it to make me jealous? I didn’t know, but the puzzle pieces were starting to fit together.

“Why me?”

“Because ye aren’t the Terror Twins.”

I craned my neck to look at him, though his face was nuzzling into the skin of my neck, I could have sworn I saw a grin. I thought I would have had something smart to say, but nothing came to mind. My head fell back into the worn leather cushion of the couch and I just listened to Finn’s steady breathing.

“Are ye goin’ t'have dinner with me now?” His question pulled me out of my sated, content haze.

I chuckled languidly, “What did you have in mind?”

“I was thinkin’ we find a little twenty four hour diner after the show.”

I chuckled, “Oh be still, my beating heart.”

He laughed and pulled away to look at me. “I promise to take ye out proper later, but that’s all I got right now.”

I smiled and lifted my head to meet his twinkling blue eyes. “You throw in a coffee from Starbucks and I’m yours.”

“A coffee?” He was almost incredulous. “I coulda had ye months ago if I’d gotten ye a coffee?”

I laughed, and wiggled myself out from under him. I stood on shaky legs, to look for my clothes and give a small prayer that no one would walk into the locker room. It wasn’t until after I finished the body painting and we were preparing to leave that I noticed that the door had been locked and essentially barricaded from the inside.

Finn shrugged and didn’t look the least bit remorseful, even if he did hold his hands up defensively

I couldn’t bring myself to be upset.

#finn balor imagine #finn balor smut #finn balor fic #repost from the old blog

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cocoaswatches · 7 years

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For Colored Girls Who've Found Makeup As a Creative Outlet - When Telling People To "Love Themselves" Isn't Enough

When I first became interested in makeup, I didn't see it as a way to alter my looks or hide my features, I saw it as a way to further express my creativity. Similar to my interests in fashion, dipping and dabbling in makeup just seemed like something I would really enjoy.

The satisfaction of finding the perfect red lip or the perfect bronzy eye shadow was analogous to finding the perfect pair of boyfriend jeans ---gratifying, rewarding, in other words, sweet.

The feeling was so satisfying that although it took me YEARS to figure things out in the makeup department (and I think most of us know why,) I kept pursuing it, and I still am.

While I realize that there are many existing societal pressures making women feel the need to wear makeup, I also believe that the beauty world is changing into a place that helps many utilize makeup as a tool to express their creativity. It helps many come alive in ways that little else does. It's an underrated art form that often gets more flack than it deserves. That's why comments like those of Zadie Smith, and others often rub me the wrong way.

When speaking about raising her daughter, Smith felt disheartened when she noticed she was "spending too much time looking in mirrors." She promptly implemented a "15 min rule," for getting ready in the morning.

She mentioned things like:

“You are wasting time, your brother is not going to waste any time doing this. Every day of his life he will put a shirt on, he’s out the door and he doesn’t give a shit if you waste an hour and a half doing your makeup."

As a prominent Black British author, Smith's comments carry a lot of weight and were covered my major news outlets. But I found her comments to be extremely problematic. And I'll tell you why.

1. Women should have the autonomy to decide how they spend their time.

If little Jaimie or Joelle or John wants to spend an hour and a half on makeup, maybe, just maybe, that interest and that talent can be fostered into something that can eventually turn into a career. (And even if it doesn't, but it makes them happy, who cares? As long as they get their other shit done. 🤷🏿‍♀️) Apart from the obvious makeup artist route, practicing makeup artistry teaches one about color theory just as much as it does about patience + perseverance.

Why is something that has been pigeonholed as a "woman's activity," automatically given a negative connotation? Do we tell boys to stop playing video games because "girls aren't wasting their time doing it." No, we don't.

I firmly believe that feminism is not about being equal to men, its about women having the access to choices without meeting violence and prejudice in the process.

The choice to pursue a career in engineering, without meeting the sexist environment that world brings. The choice to wear short skirts and crop tops freely, without having to worry about the wandering eyes of men looking to take advantage. The choice to pursue a career in makeup artistry, without facing any stigmas about it being frivolous or superficial. Its about autonomy, its about choice.

2. Conventionally attractive people should check their privilege before telling someone how to be.

Smith's comments were annoying, but, ironically the impact of her words were crushingly coupled with the way she looks.

Whether she likes it or not, Smith is conventionally beautiful, especially for a black woman. Her light skin, narrow nose, and loosely coiled hair makes her a prime candidate for Jet Beauty of the Week in the black community. As someone with this bit of privilege, Smith's words on beauty come off harsh, uninformed, and out of touch.

Instead of criticizing her daughter, or anyone else for the matter, for being worried about the way they look, why not take a look at the societal pressures that make one feel this way. It's almost like victim blaming in a sense.

It's why I also took issue with Alicia Keys, #NOMakeup Movement (which she didn't launch until after she got her acne and skin issues under control btw.) I believe our time would be much better served tackling the reasons why someone with hyper-pigmentation needs to wear makeup in an interview rather than judging her for putting some concealer under her eyes. Our time would be much better served exploring why someone like Lil Kim, who was a gorgeous mahogany successful female rapper, felt the need to alter herself to the point where she is no longer recognizable, instead of placing the blame and onus on her for doing so.

"In a 2000 interview with Newsweek, Lil' Kim said, “Guys always cheated on me with women who were European-looking. You know, the long-haired type. Really beautiful women [who] left me thinking, 'How I can I compete with that?' Being a regular black girl wasn't good enough."" -- Essence Mag

In the past, society has told women that we need makeup to get jobs, or to get the attention of men, and then we wear it and are somehow we are wrong for it? Then all of a sudden our patriarchal society decides that being "natural" and wearing ones real hair is of the upmost importance, and "you gotta take her swimming on the first date." 🙄 It just doesn't make any sense.

Instead of criticizing the way people respond to societal pressures, maybe we should work on ways we can try to change society and alleviate those pressures.

3. Shallow pieces of advice do little to combat the depth of beauty issues that stem from today's society.

Our society is deeply flawed and has placed value on certain skin tones and facial features. This isn't groundbreaking news. This phenomenon goes back centuries and is marked with racism, imperialism, and anti-blackness. While I am the first one to say I love a good inspirational quote or meme, simply telling those, for example, with darker skin, who don't feel beautiful to "love themselves," or "value themselves," isn't going to fix this wicked problem.

Does it help? Sure. When it's delivered in the right way, from the right source, messages of inspiration encouraging self love and self care can help someone begin to see value when they look in the mirror, especially if that message is coming from someone who looks like them. (which is why representation is SO important, but let me not make this article hella long)

But we need to do more. In addition to presenting more diverse representations of beauty standards in the media, we need more spaces where people feel comfortable and safe being their authentic selves; which is why I can stan for the beauty community on social media. Although it is definitely flawed in many ways, the beauty world on social media has allowed so many people to find a creative outlet that makes them feel beautiful by their own standards. The beauty of something like YouTube, for example, is that people feel amazing emulating makeup looks inspired by everything from an album cover to a candy bar to potato chip packaging. (seriously.)

The amount of innovation I see on the daily is truly mind blowing, and is just one way many are reclaiming the beauty industry and redefining it in a way that works for them.

One of my favorite quotes is by Steve Maraboli (although side eye that this is coming from a man.)

"There is nothing more rare, nor more beautiful, than a woman being unapologetically herself; comfortable in her perfect imperfection. To me, that is the true essence of beauty."

Let's create spaces where we can be unapologetically ourselves, whether its with makeup or otherwise.

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drag-family-trees · 7 years

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Wreck Room Idol Meet the Performers (Part 1 of 3)

In NO PARTICULAR ORDER, here are the contestants for the comeback of WreckRoom Idol! Do you have early favs?

Alexander, age 21

What attracts you to drag? How and why did you start doing drag?:

What attracted me to drag was the Glamour and beauty of everyone even the king's I started doing drag as a queen and found myself as male being transgender female to male it makes me feel like I belong somewhere.

Describe your drag persona. Who and what influences your art?:

My drag Persona is kind of dark kinda nerdy kind of cool he tries too hard to be liked by everyone. My stepdad influence is my drag he's always trying to win the favor of my brother and sister. Also music helps me feel secure.

How has drag impacted your life?:

Drag has impacted my life in helping me gain a family and great friends. It has also helped me become more true to myself and showing me that it doesn't matter who you are or what you do but you can be what you love.

Why did you decide to compete in WreckRoom Idol?:

I wanted to get into Idol because I know I will do well at it I feel like I can showcase myself and be true to myself..

Can you give me a glimpse at what people can expect from you in this competition?:

Expect more than you bargained for with Alexander you will see me and expect some punk rock songs but I will pull pop or even classic rock.

Do you have a favorite WreckRoom Idol? If so, why?:

I haven't honestly watched any of the previous Idols I don't want to psych myself out.

Quick catchphrase: GO!:

My catchphrase would probably have to be “oh shit!” because I don't really pay attention a lot of the time.

Porcelain Vahjeen, 22

What attracts you to drag? How and why did you start doing drag?:

I’ve always been attracted to drag because of the glamour and because the confidence that the Queen’s exuded. I always wanted to be able to have that confidence and really to be able to push myself and do things that made me uncomfortable and drag was a way for me to be able to do that and also to grow as a person along the way.

Describe your drag persona. Who and what influences your art?:

If I had to describe my drag persona I would say porcelain is a space alien who came down to be a Stepford wife, It didn’t really work out so she took up stripping to raise money for the hungry orphans on her planet. I take a lot of my inspiration from either men or women really who either exuded the confidence that I want to show, had/have a glamorous lifestyle that I want or they’re just particularly funny. I would say other drag queens are where the majority of my inspiration comes from. I don’t particularly look to any specific person or group of people. It’s just always inspiring for me to see a queen go out in an unconventional outfit and a song the audience barely knows and turn it into something beautifully entertaining.

How has drag impacted your life?:

Drag has made me more confident as Tyler, it has also made me more aware of the way women and the LGBT community get treated negatively. I believe because of drag I have learned more of the important political parts of the LGBT community and it has given me a whole new meaning as to why I do drag. It makes me want to get involved and stand out in the community. All to further not only LGBT rights but also women’s rights. Drag has also been a way for me to find other people who are like me and who are interested in the same things that I am. it has built friendships are strong and valuable to me that I never would have had them without some heels and a wig.

Why did you decide to compete in WreckRoom Idol?:

I decided to compete because the Wreckroom is where I started and I would like to show my appreciation for the Wreck. Once it closed myself and other underage queens and Kings really had nowhere to go. I would like to be able to do my part in making the WreckRoom be successful and to stay that safe haven for those underage baby Kings and queens who can’t get into the 21+ bars yet.

. Can you give me a glimpse at what people can expect from you in this competition?:

Do you remember the first time you tried to make an omelette and it turned into scrabbled eggs, but you ate it anyways? I am scrabbled eggs and this is going to be delusions.

Do you have a favorite WreckRoom Idol? If so, who and why?:

Season 3, Alotta Vahjeen. For obvious reasons. Without Alotta I wouldn’t be where I am today. Not only is she my drag mother, but she’s also my roommate and one of my best friends. Without her I don’t believe I would be able to show the confidence that I have now. My face would probably still be a big mess as well.

Quick catchphrase: GO!:

If at first you don't succeed, destroy the evidence...

Jupiter Marie Halliwell, 21

What attracts you to drag? How and why did you start doing drag?:

Since I was young I always enjoyed dressing up and being someone I wasn’t. I mean everyone loves playing pretend and playing dress up when they are kids and to me drag is the adult version of that. It’s about letting my creativity shine and spreading love through breaking societal rules. Describe your drag persona. Who and what influences your art?:

My drag persona is a character in and of herself. She’s a character from a novel series I’m writing. She’s queen of a planet who lost her husband on an interstellar honeymoon and got stranded on Earth. Rock and Roll is the bigger influence as far as aesthetic goes. My biggest local influences would be queens like Jak’Kay Monroe and Alotta Vahjeen. Overall, my main inspirations stem from rock and roll artists, like Maria Brink, Lzzy Hale, Dorothy, and tons more.

How has drag impacted your life?:

Its been a negative and a positive, I’ve met a ton of amazing people through drag and I’ve grown some much as a person. On the negative side, I’ve definitely made bad choices spending money I shouldn’t have on drag. Over all it’s been most definitely a positive experience that I wouldn’t ever change.

Why did you decide to compete in WreckRoom Idol?:

it’s been a lot standing dream of mine since I first stepped on the WreckRoom stage in 2015 as Franchesca. I have heard so many amazing stories about the competition and I’ve know plenty of former competitors who have gone on to do amazing things with their drag career. Can you give me a glimpse at what people can expect from you in this competition?:

A glimpse of what people should expect me from? As I said, I love Rock and Roll, but I’m more than meets the eye. As they say, “Expect the unexpected.” Do you have a favorite WreckRoom Idol? If so, who and why?:

Overall, no, specifically because I loved each winner for their own unique reasons, and I can’t say one is better or more my favorite than any of the others.

Quick catchphrase, GO!!: I’m out of my world. I’m out of my mind. Running through space and running through time.

Mikayla Kanielle, 26

What attracts you to drag? How and why did you start doing drag?:

The escape from the "normal" world is why I enjoy it most. I love being different. My friend Phillip, aka Gizele Monáe inspired me to do it most. He painted me for my first show and let me teach myself from there. A main reason why I started and continued doing it is that I want to be leader for the community. To build myself into a respectable entertainer. Thats something I think Gizele has done and I'd like to make her proud and be the best I can be.

Describe your drag persona. Who and what influences your art?:

I say this from time to time but I'm the "Kakashi" of drag. Simply put, anything I see someone do and I want to do it, I will! Most of the inspiration I get comes from my sisters, Lyza LaRue, Krystal Naomi, Shalula Minaj(Queen), and Iman Naomi. Just by watching them I've learned how to better my makeup skills, crafting, and my performances.

. How has drag impacted your life?:

Drag has given me this kind of purpose. I've tried a few other things in my young life but nothing makes me as happy. Crafting and creating things makes me feel almost best. But when it all comes together perfectly on stage, there's no better feeling!

Why did you decide to compete in WreckRoom Idol?:

Having seen Queens and Kings compete, whether they won or lost develop into a better performer. Also building a platform and proving to myself that I can do this. I can rise to the challenge.

Can you give me a glimpse at what people can expect from you in this competition?:

Effort, Vigilance, and Expression.

Do you have a favorite WreckRoom Idol? If so, who and why?:

Mine would definitely be Season 3 winner, Alotta Vahjeen. Even though she calls herself a trash monster she's still consistent, evolved and polished for her craft. She knows she is and her worth as an entertainer while still encouraging us that are still learning.

Quick catchphrase: GO!

"I'm Mikayla Kanielle baby, and I Can·yell"

Dahlia Black, 19

What attracts you to drag? How and why did you start doing drag?:

Pretty much the first time I ever got attracted to drag was the Halloween show two years ago. For me it's like for one night a week, I can be whoever I feel like.

Describe your drag persona. Who and what influences your art?:

My drag persona is pretty much a combination of the powerhouses in the pop music industry. You know who they are, Britney spears, Katy Perry, Beyonce, etc.

How has drag impacted your life?:

Drag has impacted my life by boosting my self esteem, also it's a place for me to blow off steam.

Why did you decide to compete in WreckRoom Idol?:

I decided to compete in WreckRoom Idol because I've always had a pep in my step. I figured I could let that rub off on other people.

Can you give me a glimpse at what people can expect from you in this competition?:

Hmmmm.. A glimpse of the competition... color. Lots of color. Oh. And many many many impersonations.

Do you have a favorite WreckRoom Idol? If so, who and why?:

Honestly I don't have a favorite idol, they're all huge influences and it wouldn't be fair to just pick one.

Quick catchphrase, GO!:

Too much glitter in this room I presume.

#wreckroom idol #oklahoma city #drag #drag queen #drag king

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iamandco · 5 years

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PHOTO: Grant Lamos IV/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images The most beautiful cosmetic you can have is passion. — Yves Saint Laurent Don’t let today be a waste of makeup. I’m a big believer that if you focus on good skin care, you really won’t need a lot of makeup — demi moore The best cosmetic is great skin. Wearing makeup has always been a catch-22 for women. If we wear makeup, we’re seen as superficial and vain. If we go bare-faced, we’re asked, “Are you sick?” or viewed as unprofessional. However, modern makeup artists and beauty icons are here to flip the script on this restricting narrative around makeup. Here are thirty makeup quotes that will make you proud to sport your smokey eye. — Pat McGrath Though she is one of the most influential runway makeup artists of all time, the average person most likely hasn’t heard of Pat McGrath. Pat McGrath is to beauty what Coco Chanel is to fashion, what Andy Warhol is to art, and what Frank Lloyd Wright is to architecture. Despite her influence and revolutionary makeup artistry, however, McGrath rarely gets her due shine outside the high fashion industry. In an interview with New York Magazine concerning her Founders Award from the CDFA Fashion Awards, McGrath describes her relationship to makeup. Some people might despair in having to destroy their art at the end of the day, but she describes it as inspirational. What’s the point in doing the same makeup over and over again if it’s going to disappear every night? You may as well take advantage of makeup’s temporary nature by trying a new technique or style every day. If you’re sad, add more lipstick and add attack. — Coco Chanel When my eyeliner is on point, my life is on point. Treat your makeup like jewelry for the face. Play with colors, shapes, and structure. It can transform you. — Francois Nars I dream of making women not only more beautiful but also happier. — christian dior Drawing a black line across my eyelids makes me feel 10x better. All things are possible with coffee and mascara With a good makeup brush, every woman can be an artist. I remember the first time I wore mascara, it changed my life. When I was 13 I went away to boarding school and I started wearing mascara. Overnight, I felt instantly more empowered, magnetic and mesmerising – I felt enriched with confidence. — Charlotte Tilbury A pivotal experience in every makeup wearer's life was the first time he or she felt empowered by makeup. Maybe it was the time you were allowed to wear lipstick for the school play, and you felt a new surge of confidence stepping onto the stage. Maybe it was when you tried winged liner and discovered a new way to express your inner badass. Whatever your personal experience, it’s always incredibly empowering to claim makeup as a tool for self-expression. Like Pat McGrath, Charlotte Tilbury is a renowned makeup artist who has moved on to designing her own line of makeup. Her most well-known products include her lipsticks and glowy bronzers. When all else fails, turn it into a smokey eye. Lipstick is really magical. It holds more than a waxy bit of color – it holds the promise of a brilliant smile, a brilliant day, both literally and figuratively — Roberta Gately Have a better relationship with your makeup and take the time to learn what your products will do. — Sam Fine Beauty is about enhancing what you have, let yourself shine through — Janelle Monae I believe all women are pretty without makeup-but with the right makeup can be powerful. — Bobby Brown I’m very proud of my skin and my face, and I have no problem not wearing makeup. I don’t wear makeup because I feel like I need to cover myself up or because I don’t feel confident. I wear makeup because it’s fun; it’s like painting on my face. — Zendaya Zendaya is well-known for her glowy makeup looks and dramatic brows. However, she doesn’t want her fans to get the wrong idea about why she favors dramatic highlighters and lashes. In an interview with Elle, she explains that her desire to wear makeup doesn’t stem from any type of insecurity, but from a desire to express herself. She then comments on how makeup and beauty culture is changing with millennials and Gen Z, saying, “People don't wear makeup to impress people or because they'll be seen in public. It's more of a hobby now, just because it's fun.” Although “no-makeup-makeup” looks may have been more popular in the early 2010s, abstract neon green eyes, rainbow eyebrows, and other extreme makeup tutorials are now the most-viewed videos. I love natural beauty, and I think it’s your best look, but I think makeup as an artist is so transformative. — Marina and the Diamonds Beauty without expression is boring. — Ralph Waldo Emerson Great eyebrows don’t happen by chance, they happen by appointment. In the morning from the minute that I wake up / What if I don’t want to put on all that makeup / Who says I must conceal what I’m made of / Maybe all this Maybelline is covering my self-esteem — Alicia Keys I’d be lying if I said there’s no pressure on women to wear makeup. In 2016, Alicia Keys sparked a mini-revolution by making a public choice to give up makeup. In an essay in the publication Lenny, Keys explained that she had felt stifled by makeup from a young age. As she skyrocketed into fame, the media judged her for choosing to leave her hair natural, dress in relaxed clothing, and wear minimal makeup. Keys began to change herself to fit into a persona that the public would accept, hiding her true self behind a mask of makeup. For every woman who feels empowered by makeup, there exists another who feels trapped by it. Alicia Keys believes that every woman should be able to choose whether she wants to wear makeup or not, and shouldn’t be judged for doing either. Every woman deserves a man to ruin her lipstick, not her mascara. — Charlotte Tilbury Need we say more? On a bad day, there’s always lipstick. — Audrey Hepburn Make-up can only make you look pretty on the outside but it doesn’t help if you’re ugly on the inside. Unless you eat the make-up. — Audrey Hepburn Audrey Hepburn, classic film actress, beauty icon, and star of films like “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” and “Roman Holiday,” knows a thing or two about beauty. She’s well-known for her doe-eyed look and thick eyebrows but claims that makeup can only help a woman’s beauty so much. In this hilarious quote, she observes that makeup can enhance a person’s outer beauty, but can’t do much to help their inner beauty. Unless they munch on some eyeshadow. Lipstick is really magical. It holds more than a waxy bit of color – it holds the promise of a brilliant smile, a brilliant day, both literally and figuratively. — Roberta Gately Have a better relationship with your makeup and take the time to learn what your products will do. — Sam Fine All jokes aside, there is a brand called Bite Beauty (available at Sephora) that claims their ingredients are so natural, you can eat them. Though they don’t recommend you actually eat their lipstick (Why waste your money, anyway?), they assure customers that they don’t need to slather chemicals on their lips to achieve a gorgeous red, nude, or vampy lip. There are no rules when it comes to makeup — Kevyn Aucoin One of the first celebrity makeup artists, the late Kevyn Aucoin was a legend in the beauty world. His success came from his refusal to accept makeup conventions, a trait that would lead him to become a favorite of celebrities like Madonna, Cher, and Whitney Houston. If you frequent online beauty communities, it’s likely you’ve seen dozens of videos or articles titled, “The Dos and Don’ts of Makeup.” Some of the “rules” featured in those guides probably included “Don’t pair a bold eye look with a bold lip,” “Don’t match the color of your lipstick and eyeshadow,” “Don’t bring your blush above the cheekbone,” and countless others. But if one of the world’s most legendary makeup artists didn’t believe in those rules, why should you? In the age of Youtube and Instagram, we’ve seen neon green eyes paired with cherry red lips, entirely monochrome looks, and blush brought all the way up to the eye—and each look has been beautiful. Don’t let some arbitrary rules stifle your creativity! Eyebrows are the one thing you can get into shape without exercising Makeup is no different than clothes and accessories — it’s embellishments for your face. And it also gives you creative freedom. You get to have that moment in front [of] the mirror every morning and give yourself self-love. You’re making yourself up beautiful which is essentially self-love. — Michelle Phan When Michelle Phan a.k.a. the mother of the Youtube beauty community speaks, we listen! Michelle Phan was the OG beauty influencer, providing makeup tutorials to a world of blue eyeshadow and frosty lip gloss that sorely needed some beauty tips. Coming from a dysfunctional family, Phan rose to become a top Youtuber and founder of her own company, Em Cosmetics. In this quote from her interview with HuffPost Life, Phan places makeup in the same self-care category as using face masks and taking bubble baths. When doing your makeup, you’re giving your full attention to yourself and therefore indulging in self-love. Not many people may notice your new eyeshadow technique or fancy highlighter, but if it makes you feel proud and beautiful, that’s all that matters. Lipstick is the most valuable weapon in a woman’s make-up kit. It has the power to transform the appearance and mood of the person wearing it, and, at the same time, arouses the admiration of everybody else. — Monica Bellucci In an interview with Hello Magazine, Monica Bellucci, an actress and beauty icon, discussed her collaboration with Dolce & Gabbana on their new line of lipsticks. Bellucci might not be a makeup artist, but she knows the power of a good bold lip—one of her signature red carpet looks includes bright red lipstick! Eyeshadow, blush, and bronzer are all important, but none of them have the same influence on a makeup look as lipstick does. Each lipstick shade has a mood associated with it. For instance, red represents confidence and flirtatiousness, black represents fierceness, nudes represent natural beauty, and pink or orange represent fun and a carefree spirit. A simple lipstick change can change the way the whole world sees you!

#self care #self love

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ladystylestores · 4 years

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Black Models See Rising Representation in China – WWD

https://ift.tt/387a5nA

LONDON — While the Black Lives Matter movement is spurring swift change across the fashion industry, and society as a whole, in the U.S., the demand for Black models in China is also on the rise because of a new wave of designer brands that see inclusivity as an integral part of their DNA, and a more open-minded social environment that champions Sino-African relations.

China has a very different dynamic and history with Black people compared to the U.S., where the majority of African Americans were brought to the continent as a result of the slave trade. Most Black people living in China are there to do business or study by choice, and the majority of the population in China holds a neutral-to-friendly view toward them, as China’s history books would describe how its “African brothers” helped the country regain its seat at the U.N. in 1971.

On a diplomatic level, China is the biggest supporter of many African nations. It has pledged more than $150 billion in loans to the continent between 2000 and 2018 as part of the New Silk Road initiative, and in June, Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged to cancel the interest-free debts owed by several African countries as part of Beijing’s move to help the region during the coronavirus pandemic.

China also built the first electrified railway from Addis Ababa to Djibouti in 2018, based on China’s high-speed railway, and many other huge infrastructure projects that previous colonial rulers considered unworthy to invest in.

Chow Tai Fook’s campaign for Children’s Day.

Still, Black representation in the Chinese media is rare, and when it appears it can raise eyebrows among some more conservative observers.

Hong Kong jeweler Chow Tai Fook, for example, posted three campaigns featuring the hands of a Black model playing a game with an Asian model for China’s Children’s Day on June 1 on Weibo. This kind of interracial depiction from a Chinese brand generated heated debate, with more than 19,000 comments and 300,000 likes on the post.

Some expressed their extreme and nationalist views, but the majority of the comments defended and praised Chow Tai Fook’s inclusive casting. One user said: “Thank you Chow Tai Fook, this is the right attitude a Chinese brand shall have, respecting different races and values equality.”

For a long time, fair skin has been associated with beauty, wealth and prosperity in China. Skin-whitening products are some of the bestsellers for beauty brands, from Lancôme’s Blanc Expert range and Estée Lauder’s Crescent White series to Chanel’s Le Blanc skin-care and makeup lines. While Unilever and L’Oreal have dropped any references to white or whitening on skin-care labels in response to the Black Lives Matter movement, the majority of luxury beauty brands have not yet taken a stance on this issue.

But with more Chinese traveling around the world and staying connected via social media receiving information from all sorts of cultures, the country’s ideal of beauty is changing. Leading Chinese models like Liu Wen, Lina Zhang and Chu Wong are some of the most in-demand faces in fashion at the moment, and their success is shifting the country’s decades-long obsession with Western facial features, such as double eyelids and a sharp jawline, toward more a progressive and diverse beauty standard.

Ajak Deng on the cover on Modern Weekly in 2012. She is the first Black model to be on the cover of a Chinese fashion publication. Courtesy Photo/John-Paul Pietrus

This kind of open-mindedness is helping the fashion industry in China to become more inclusive toward Black models.

John-Paul Pietrus, a photographer who has been working with Chinese fashion publications for more than a decade and shot the first Chinese fashion magazine cover featuring a Black model — Ajak Deng wearing Comme des Garçons in 2012 for Modern Weekly produced in China (Vogue China put Naomi Campbell on the cover of its January 2009 issue, but it was not photographed in the country) — said he can feel there is an increasing demand for Black models in China.

“The first time I shot a Black model in China was in 2004 for Jalouse, when Elite was having their international model competition in Shanghai,” he said. “I wanted to do a big portfolio that showcased cultural diversity. I didn’t want the cliché of having a white girl in front of a concrete jungle sort of colonial thing. Instead, we shot Aye Tounkara all around Shanghai.

“People on the street were curious. They stared at her as odd. They hadn’t seen anyone like her at that time. People might have seen Naomi Campbell or Tyra Banks kind of Black models, but not her kind — shaved head and super dark skin and she was wearing super glamorous designer clothes. A car drove by, and the driver was so amazed by her, the car crashed into a lamppost,” he added.

Model Aye Tounkara on the street in Shanghai. Coutresy Photo/John-Paul Pietrus

From the 2010s, as international brands began to bring more diverse models to their China shows, local fashion publications began to have more opportunities to work with Black models. Pietrus photographed Ajak Deng for Modern Weekly and Numéro China when she was in Shanghai for an Hermès show.

The Chinese editions of Vogue, Elle and Harper’s Bazaar have occasionally featured Black models in their editorials, but not as frequently as they want to. Editors and stylists cite the challenge being there simply aren’t that many Black models based in China, not even for a few months. Pietrus said he had never even seen a Black model’s card in China back in the day.

Men’s wear designer Feng Chen Wang said she had to fly Black models to China for her shows when the local agency couldn’t provide enough options. Having lived in London for more than a decade, Feng believes any brand should make inclusivity a part of its core values. She uses a diverse cast of models every season and in special projects she does with Converse and Levi’s.

A look from Levi’s 501 jeans x Feng Chen Wang campaign. Courtesy Photo

Fiona Lau of Ffixxed Studios, a Shanghai-based label, said if an emerging brand wants to reach the same level of casting diversity as in Paris or London, it will have to search hard within its limited budget.

“We are both originally from Australia and one of the fortunate things about growing up in Australia is living in a really multicultural society, so diversity is something that has always been an important part of what we do,” she said of her and her co-creative director Kain Picken. “With regard to the situation here in China, to be honest, we have not had that many options for Black models when casting our shows or look books, compared with the Paris shows.”

Beginning last season, the designers began to scout models through their personal network. “We used a Black male model for our look book who is actually our friend Daniel Magunje. He is really interesting, a Chinese speaking fashion blogger from Africa, now based in Hangzhou, and we wanted to work with him. It was a similar situation when we worked with Boubou the Crow, a French hip-hop dancer based in Shanghai. We sought him out ourselves. We need to be more proactive in finding our own models if there is not enough diversity provided through traditional agencies. It’s something we can continue to work on in the future,” Lau added.

Daniel Magunje in Ffixxed Studios’ 2020 fall look book. Courtesy

For big brands, the demand to have diversity of models in a show in China is on the rise, but very slowly, observed Tina Steele, communication director at event agency K2 in Shanghai.

“Diversity is not a priority. Very rarely have clients requested or accepted Black models in China. They wouldn’t say it directly, of course,” she said. “On average we’ll have either 50 to 70 percent Asian models and 30 to 50 percent Caucasian models. So far this year, for our shows we are only going for Asian models since most ex-pat models are unable to come in the country.”

The lack of Black models in China could also be attributed to economics, since for an agency to bring a model from overseas they need to be able to provide a certain amount of sustained commercial work to make it viable for the agency as well as for the model, although Haitian-American model Christina Rateau argues otherwise. She has been seeing more Black models working in Shanghai in recent years, mostly from Brazil.

A regular at Shanghai Fashion Week and an international business graduate from Shanghai’s Donghua University, Rateau has had a good career in China, walking for brands like Sirloin, Private Policy, Yirantian and INXX, and appearing in campaigns for Puma and the Bosideng x Jean Paul Gaultier capsule.

She said there is little competition when a brand wants to cast a Black model in China, and she can count all the Black models in Shanghai on her fingers. Rateau has been in Indianapolis with her family since the COVID-19 outbreak started in China and, based on the portfolio she built up in China, she has signed with an agency in the U.S. to explore the international market and creative roles behind the scenes.

Christina Rateau poses for Vulkan. Courtesy Photo

Rateau thinks Black models are getting more representation in China because Chinese clients are trying to mirror what high-fashion brands are doing — increasingly putting an emphasis on racial diversity. “With LVMH after Virgil Abloh came on board, you see his fashion shows and it’s like, ‘This is what it could be, man!’ And China is trying to mirror a lot of foreign trendsetting in that way. It’s like, ‘If Black models are cool abroad, we have to get that going here,’” she added.

At the same time, she acknowledged the complexity and wider implications of her modeling in China. “We’re also just not the beauty standard here. That’s a fact. It is weird, too, to impose someone else’s beauty standards onto China’s thousands of years of beauty standards. That said, I still think it’s still important to accept any and all kinds of beauty,” she said.

Magunje, 23, who came to China in 2014 to study accounting at Hangzhou’s Zhejiang Gongshang University, said he found self-confidence by modeling in China. “In Zimbabwe or South Africa, you have to be strong and muscular to be a model. I didn’t really fit in. After I got here, I was just shopping in a mall, minding my own business, and this very well-dressed guy just approached me and said he wanted me to model for his Taobao brand,” he said.

Since then, Magunje has an average of three modeling jobs a month while running his own cross-border business, helping Chinese companies to enter the African market, and promoting African designers and textiles in China. He said he never goes to a casting — jobs come to him from word-of-mouth recommendations — and he has discovered that there is, in fact, a hidden demand for Black models, who are often overlooked by professional modeling agencies, which tend to prefer Asian and Caucasian faces.

“I am thinking about starting a modeling agency to represent Black models in China,” he said. “Lots of my friends ask me how I started and they are looking for jobs in modeling in China, and I truly think I am in a good place to help. “

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identybeautynet · 3 years

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Violette Is Democratizing “French Girl” Makeup With Her Debut Product Line

Violette Is Democratizing “French Girl” Makeup With Her Debut Product Line In a recent dispatch of her popular newsletter titled “Why I Don’t Contour,” the 37-year-old French-born, Brooklyn-based makeup artist and influencer Violette laid bare her feelings on the face-fixing cosmetics craze. “French people don’t contour. We don’t buy it. We don’t understand it,” she wrote to her subscribers. “It’s like putting on a mask, and that’s not what we’re into.” She goes on to encourage her readers to treat themselves more gently, doing away with the idea that there’s anything that needs fixing to begin with. “Maybe try some color, some red lipstick, eye shadow...take a few pictures, and fall in love with yourself again.” As “French girl” aesthetics go, there’s the unassailable archetype—impossibly cool and deliberately unattainable—and then there’s the 2020s update: earnestly celebrating whatever you’ve got to work with. And that’s where Violette, who goes by her first name only, has carved out a singular space. Today, she is expanding it with a multicategory vegan beauty brand, Violette_fr, that nods to her social-media success—a community of 300,000 that has helped rack up more than 24 million views on her @Violette_fr YouTube channel—and draws on 10 years of research and feedback from friends, models who have become friends, and, of course, followers. Within minutes of a Zoom call earlier this spring, it becomes clear why this particular French girl resonates with women in America—not to mention this particular American living in Paris. Violette beams onto the screen with a wide smile, surrounded by enviably good light and dressed in a flowy white blouse and jeans. Her eyes—lined in a deep blue pigment from her new collection—are dusted by her signature Birkin bangs. She is excitedly telling me about her new office in the Brooklyn Navy Yard, and after years of standoffish first encounters with other Frenchwomen, I find her warmth and approachability disarming. Also refreshing: when Violette admits that she’s not actually that into makeup. “No one should be dependent on a product to feel good. It should be an extension of our identities, like a wellness tool,” she says emphatically. “What interests me is the ephemeral art you can create with makeup, not the trends.” This kind of creative expression isn’t about doing nothing, she insists, despite a pervasive “effortless beauty” narrative that surrounds her and her work, which she acknowledges is a loaded concept. And it’s not about losing yourself in a convoluted process, either. “The way you wear your makeup should make you feel something. But I don’t like when it’s trying too hard.” “She’s a multihyphenate artist,” says Glossier founder Emily Weiss. “She has a practical and playful approach to translating beauty into everyday life, which is often very hard for professionals to do” As a fine-arts student at the prestigious École du Louvre in Paris, Violette stumbled into makeup, intrigued by the idea of using the face as a canvas. With no formal training and without assisting a more established artist—the most tried-and-true road to success—she decided to pursue a career in beauty. After a yearlong stint in New York at 19, knocking on the doors of modeling agencies and showing up to shoots with her own loose pigments, she moved back to Paris with a four-year goal: Make it work as a makeup artist on her own terms, or move on. Early jobs at French Vogue helped her build a reputation for custom-mixed colors and modern textures, earning her industry support and exposure. In 2012, at just 27 years old, she was named international makeup designer for Dior Beauty, the youngest in the brand’s history. When Violette returned to New York three years later, similarly determined to make it work in the U.S., she launched her YouTube channel, which features a confessional and upbeat tone and covers everything from the impact of pregnancy on skin and hair (Inès, her daughter with her photographer husband, Steven, was born in 2019) to the mood-boosting power of a red lip. “YouTube viewers are savvy, and they can tell immediately when a creator is faking it,” Derek Blasberg, YouTube’s head of fashion and beauty, explains of Violette’s polished-to-a-point appeal. “She is the real deal, and that’s why she has performed well on the platform.” That, and the fact that she made it a priority to evolve her own channel into a network that showcases content from like-minded contributors, such as chef-activist Sophia Roe and British-Indian blogger Kavita Meera Mehta. “She’s a multihyphenate artist, really, not just a makeup artist,” says Glossier founder Emily Weiss, who became fast friends with Violette after they met in Cannes in 2012, during Weiss’s erstwhile days as a blogger. “She has a practical and playful approach to translating beauty and makeup into everyday life, which is often very hard for professionals to do.” That’s precisely why Estée Lauder hired Violette to be its global beauty director in 2017—and it’s ultimately what she hopes to accomplish with her own brand, which spans makeup, skin care, fragrance, and hair, in practical formats with low-waste packaging. “What’s the goal of trying to compete with Lauder?” Violette asks, noting her deliberately tight curation. “I wanted to create products people don’t have.” The result is what she calls “street luxury”—top-shelf formulas at accessible prices. A unisex roll-on fragrance smells of musky vetiver, while an ingenious volumizing and oil-absorbing dry shampoo has a built-in brush applicator for on-the-go touch-ups. There’s also a single, universal highlighter for all skin tones, six liquid eye paints in highly pigmented colors that are easily blended with fingertips, and the only red lip color you need—a creamy blue-toned crimson designed to mimic the color and finish of rose petals in Paris’s Bagatelle gardens. But the standout offering just might be the Boum Boum Milk, a three-in-one toner, serum, and moisturizer with an innovative creamy spray-on texture that Violette formulated with clean-beauty chemist Luc Jugla. “It’s my hero product,” she says, walking me through how easily the hydrating Icelandic glacial water– and–fermented birch-sap emulsion mists onto the skin. It can even be scrunched into hair for a languid look—that once-essential part of the romanticized Gallic construct that has, finally, started to break down. These days, what the Frenchwomen I see every day want is the freedom to embrace exactly who they are without ascribing to outdated, unrealistic expectations. They are drawn to brands and products that afford them the same opportunity—and that are easily obtainable: In addition to being available in the U.S. on Violettefr.com, the products will also line the shelves at select Parisian pharmacies this spring, something that should excite local French girls (and tourists who aspire to shop like them). Adds Violette, “My dream is that everybody feels welcome here.” Styling: @allisonbornstein6 Hair: @drewmartinhair Videographer: @thestreetsensei beauty tips: Violette Is Democratizing “French Girl”, Makeup With Her Debut Product Line, beauty tips: Violette Is Democratizing “French Girl”, Makeup With Her Debut Product Line, beauty tips: Violette Is Democratizing “French Girl”, Makeup With Her Debut Product Line, beauty tips: Violette Is Democratizing “French Girl”, Makeup With Her Debut Product Line Read the full article

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rebellocal · 5 years

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Divine Womyn Interview Series with Janae Hurst

The all around creative, Janae Hurst chats with us about current career moves and being adventurous when it comes down to her life and chic style. A galore of photos and more below!

Teh Jai’Lyn:

Describe your craft, your artistry?

Janae Hurst:

I am a photographer and hopefully soon to be fashion Icon in the city or something like that laughs. Teh Jai’Lyn:

Lets get into this bag! (Bag placed on top right of top and middle photo), Your two pieces won for Canal Place fashion award show can you describe the process of it all?

Janae Hurst:

Y’all wont believe this I caught fabric store five minutes before closing on Tuesday and the show case was on later on that week. I interned with Canal Place and in the beginning of the internship we had to pick out of a bowl of different decades, ironically I got the 2000’s. So I decided to base my look off of Katrina,it was almost a given because I was kinda blowed that I got the 2000’s like what else would I base it off? It had to best represent for New Orleans.

Yeah honestly it took more time curating ideas than piecing the look together for me. Curating the ideas and making the description that was my favorite part and it took the longest. Curating the idea took about three months and creating the look took about less than four days. I worked with a designer named Paige her brand is L’Jai Amor and I also worked with an Indian beader (Uncle Zack) he’s from the 7th Ward. Yeah it was crazy how it all came together, Paige and I did a fashion show once before and she called me back to direct a fashion show, which was three weeks before the showcase. My weeks were so jammed pack laughs so I really didn’t have time to focus on Canal Place.

That following Monday I had just started my job at Monty’s and I kept thinking to myself if I don’t get a bag or start on a bag by today…I can x that out. This is Monday the showcase is Friday, soon as I got off work I shot to H&M found a bag THANK GOD and I bought it to Uncle Zack Tuesday and he didn’t start beading until Wednesday. I told Paige about everything and I ended up making it to Jefferson Variety five minutes before closing, I knew exactly what I wanted and I purchased the fabric.

Teh Jai’lyn:

How did you feel once you were awarded?

Janae Hurst:

We were supposed to be there at 5 the program started at 6, I got there at 6:02. I got there late so I’m running off a lot of adrenaline my bag was still getting beaded at 5:30. Everyone that passed me said “Janae come on” but I had seen all my peers stuff and I knew that mine miraculously looked good together. I didn’t expect that at all, to be honest I was just honored to be in the internship I thought it was a blessing. I go to Canal Place all the time and not necessarily to shop but as a kid we would pass through Canal Place, you know window shopping. So you know to be apart of a program and then to win, and win twice it was super cool. It was a blessing.

Teh Jai’lyn: As far as you creating your own brand, having a degree in marketing, making a name for yourself do you want to recreate yourself in a sense thats different from everyone else?

Janae Hurst: I think recreating yourself is Important and necessary, not all the time but every few years sometimes you have to recreate yourself and your brand to continue to have your audience engaged to you and what you’re doing.

Teh Jai’lyn:

What does feminism mean to you?

Janae Hurst:

It means being God Like because if God was any Gender he would be a woman, not a man. Feminism is being gentle when we don’t want to, loving when we don’t want to, you know when it’s hard….its somethings you can’t help as a woman that we try to sometimes avoid but its really beautiful elements and aspects that makes us who we are. Feminism is being a proud woman.

Nyjell Moses:

As far as womyn creatives or any woman in any industry that allows them to express themselves… do you feel like their is going to be a major shift in how women are viewed and are portrayed?

Janae Hurst:

Most definitely theirs going to be a shift, well the shift is happening, umm the shift is full blown right now and its scary to some people. Its scaring people. We in America are pretty blessed to express feminism in the broadest of ways because in other countries they can’t. Its coming and when it does happen worldwide its going to cause so much cautious and things because were in a world thats patriotic and it shouldn’t be and at one point it wasn’t you gotta do your research, but its happening again and it will make the world a better place because women should be in charged for sure laughs.

Nyjell Moses: What is your creative process and how are you able to experiment with everything that you do, being versatile?

Janae Hurst:

My creative process i think it begins like everyone else’s, which is an idea. Umm, I like to explore a lot and you’ll probably see that on my stories and stuff even on and off the camera like I’m always exploring my life is super fun. Sometimes I have so much more fun off the camera I really need to buy a GoPro, its so ridiculous. Just being adventurous and always being open minded to things that inspire you laughs.

Teh Jai’lyn:

How would you describe your personal style and how you show it in your work?

Janae Hurst:

I just wrote down three adjectives for my personal style, minimal, classic and statement making. It’s hard because, with my style or even with my style with shooting or even just putting things out there, believe it or not I’m very reserved sometimes with my work or even just what I do and go sometimes you’ll even see me disappear from social media.

I believe its super important to be timeless. I know my style and my style has a great deal combining where I’m from and the current audience that I have is timelessness. I know where I’m from has a lot to do with my style, so its like a huge impact even with just being a little flavorful. We from New Orleans, its just in us we can’t help it and flavor is always timeless. Just Catering to the audience, I have a degree in marketing so sometimes you understand the metrics peoples understanding and how things work.

Janae Hurst:

Umm…. I don’t really know how to answer that, People gravitate towards me people really do I’m not going to lie I am more reserved than some people think.

Teh Jai’lyn:

Do you feel as though when people post on social media do they grasps for opinions or attention as far as our generation do you think that they go to social media to gain reassurance from others?

Janae Hurst:

Both. Reassurance and they go for attention, and thats all of us like I would not front, and that is why people continuously use social media to gain followers because when you see a little red dot or whatever comes up you get INSTANT gratification and it feels good you know so, people definitely use social media for attention and some more than others and as we know and things like that.

Teh Jai’lyn:

Do you believe that the industry bites off of our cities culture? And do you think as a city full of art and unique culture we don’t get the recognition we deserve that we’ve put into Pop Culture?

Janae Hurst:

Yeaaaahhh, the industry does. Ugh its makes me cringe even when hearing Chance over a bounce beat like you know what I’m saying, things like that. We definitely influence people Golds and it don’t be no grills this sht*s permanent like that sh*t makes the culture go into flames its really fire. The impact that we can have on people and we don’t realize the sh*t, we really don’t, well some people really don’t.

Nyjell Moses:

What womyn inspire you and why?

Janae Hurst:

Women who inspire me 2X…. My aunt, auntie Ta “Sunshine”, she’s probably the reason I’m a little more girly than I was. I grew up with a lot of guys so thats kind of hard to break through, she use to give me her old polish, makeup and hand downs and you know I learned how to do all those things like that. Ashley Longshore, she’s a artists here in New Orleans and she has a gallery here on magazine st. CRAZY style like crazy anytime I ever seen Gucci platforms she’s the first person I think of because she was the first person I saw with Gucci platforms on. I love Lady Gaga laughs. Lady Gaga is like y’all, R.E.B.E.L. like US R.E.B.E.L.’S. Well she’s always been herself and never gave a sh*t and never will and I hope she never don’t.

Teh Jai’lyn:

What is your favorite thing about being a woman?

Janae Hurst:

Ouu I feel like I think about this often, my favorite thing about being a woman especially about being a black woman is just the sassiness. Having the world as your runway I think thats so much fun. Another favorite thing about being a woman I feel like beauty is so unlimited. Everyone theres something thats added on my monthly things to do but I LOVE IT. Beauty is truly unlimited being a woman it continues to add on.

#NolaCreatives #NolaPhotographers #NolaFashionistas #FemTheFuture #FEMINIST

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