The makeup – to wear or not to wear, that is the question?

Makeup has been around for centuries, but somehow there is still some stigma surrounding it.

It can be bad if you wear too much, some will protest if you don’t wear it at all, but we just say to hell with them all. It is your face, so you should be able to do what you want with it, right?

While it should be as simple as ‘your body – your choice’ things tend to get a bit more complicated sometimes. That is usually the deal with emotional relationships, and girls tend to get emotional with their makeup. You know, we’ve all had one of those days when we don’t feel that great and we use makeup to cheer ourselves up, or as an armor that hides our inner mood from the world (just because I feel like crap on the inside it doesn’t mean that I want to look like crap too). Also, we’ve all experienced in bigger or smaller amounts the pressure that society puts on us to look a certain way. Add the insecurities that we all have on top of that, and it’s no wonder women can feel bad about themselves if they go makeup free.

I wouldn’t really say that my make-up bag is too crazy or that I would sell my kidney on the black market just to get that Kylie lip kit that everyone is freaking out about. Still, I have my favourite products and if I’m going out of the house I will in 99% cases (except when going to the gym) have my makeup on. It won’t be full-on-contouring-madness kind of look, but at least some mascara and eyebrow pencil will be used.

That is why I wanted to applaud Alicia Keys for showing up on the red carpet sans makeup. I just thought about how it must take a lot of courage to face the whole world through all the cameras pointed at you, and to be so proud and beautiful as she did. In case you were living under a rock haven’t heard the beautiful singer rocked all natural look at the MTV’s VMAs this year and I loved it. As always, opinions were divided, but I just wanted to scream “Brava!” at her. It took guts to do it and especially at the red carpet that is a synonym for glamour and being all dolled-up. And while I don’t suggest we all throw out our makeup, I know that I want to work my confidence up to the point where I will feel comfortable without a touch of makeup. I appreciate the power it gives me to enhance my beauty, but I also want to feel that the real Ivona is good enough as well. I have Alicia to thank for inspiring me.

What did you think about her VMA appearance? And what kind of relationship do you have with your makeup?