Make Up...Which Side Are You On?

Recently, on a fellow blogger's site, I discovered an eyebrow makeup tutorial. What struck me was not the perfectly drawn eyebrows, but the time it took to complete just one eyebrow. The blogger mentioned that she goes through this process everyday, sometimes repeatedly if she doesn't get it "right" the first time, and I thought to myself--who really has time for all that on a daily basis?
 
The girl with the perfectly drawn eyebrows, goes by the name Jennie Jenkins (not her real name). She is a truly stunning (in my opinion) Nigerian girl in the UK who does makeup tutorials, always has great hair, and has a cute sense of fashion. If you haven't heard of her, you should visit her site (after you read this post). She isn't paying me to say any of this, FYI. I genuinely think you should check her out--especially if you are one of those Nigerian females that doesn't really understand makeup and had to master Photoshop just for the sake of touching up your Facebook pictures.

I just don't get it. That extra time in the morning that it takes to apply all that make-up, do the hair, coordinate the outfit, etc, for me all that time could be spent sleeping.

I do use makeup but--I don't use it daily nor with the precision, dedication, and attention to detail that some people do. In fact my penchant for purchasing makeup has sometimes caused Mogaji to look at me askance because I clearly don't use all the stuff I have. (SAT words of the day, "askance" and "penchant")

I only use makeup when I'm going "out". To put all that effort into going to class or work on a daily basis? I just can't. What will happen on that one day when you don't wear makeup to work or class? What then? Will we all do a double take and think "Whoa! What happened to you?". Or are you destined to always have makeup on?

For clarification sake, I'm not being a "hater" (before any e-thug comes here to defend Jennie). She and I actually went to school together in Nigeria before she moved to the UK--so I am not being a hater.

When I apply makeup, people are always "pleasantly surprised". I'll give y'all an example. One day I wore makeup to work (at my old job) because we had an important meeting with clients. I didn't even pile it on like I would for a social event. Low coverage foundation, powder, hastily done eyebrows, and mascara. Simple.

That day everybody at work exclaimed that I was "so pretty". Someone in the office said, and I kid you not, "Now I see what Alpa Chino sees in you". My (former) co-workers think Alpa Chino is "hot" and I suppose, to them, that my face without makeup did not look pretty enough to snag the attention of an "Alpa Chino" type. **insert eye roll**

When I heard this "compliment", I thought to myself, so you mean my sparkling personality and intelligence were not enough to convince you that I was a catch? You had to see me with makeup?

I also wondered if the difference between my bare face and made up face is really that serious. I could put up before and after pics and have you all decide, but then we know that isn't going to happen!

MAC makeup. I'm really not a MAC fan. I've tried, but there are less expensive brands that work much better for me

I think its better for people to meet and admire you (or not) in your natural, or extremely close to natural state, and then be "pleasantly surprised" by your "other" face on those occasions when you do use makeup. But, this is just my opinion and don't use this logic if you are some sort of celebrity where daily pounds of makeup are a necessity.

I would like to know if many of you are in the business of applying "serious" makeup on a daily basis like Jennie Jenkins does.

Also, I've always wondered how guys really feel about makeup. They may never admit it, lest a misguided feminist attack them, but I think I am correct when I say they like when we have it on.

What side are you on?

If you're bored you can always visit here and here to see pictures of female celebrities without makeup. Some are truly surprising.

Finally, its Nigerian Blog Awards season again. Just like last year I urge you to nominate Ego Du Jour for the awards. This blog is perfect for: Best Blog by a Blogger based outside Nigeria or Best Designed Blog or Best Daily Read or Most Unique Voice, or all of these categories.

You can complete the nomination form on the Nigerian Blog awards website. You have to enter the blog's URL not name. So type egodujour.blogspot.com for this blog. Nominations close June 17th!