I dream of magnificence. I dream of grace. I dream of being from outer area. Dream somewhat dream. Convey somewhat religion. All within the goal to make all of it appear nice. Daydreams of magnificence. Imaginations of such. The plague that we will’t appear to rid ourselves of. We dance and we sing to the beat of a drum that retains beating and scraping and reducing us up.
The quantity of instances I wasn’t ok. The quantity of instances I attempted to be. The picture of the ‘excellent girl’ properly engraved in my thoughts approach earlier than I used to be even able to comprehending it. Alas, I’m removed from that girl. And I could by no means be it. However discovering acceptance is one thing many people should take care of.
Acceptance that we received’t be the world’s or the nation’s most lovely girl. Part of the elite group, televised and glorified for all to see. Slender, tall, with beautiful smiles adorning their symmetrical options. Nevertheless, one such contestant wished to deliver us again nearer to actuality by taking part within the contest sans make-up.
The primary within the Miss England Contest’s 94 years. Hailed as revolutionary. Courageous. Legendary. However is it actually such? Or is it shallow within the sense of demonizing make-up, when she herself is blessed with excellent attractiveness? A debate ensues. So let’s look somewhat nearer.
Extra data: Melisa’s Instagram | Miss England Contest
Politics pupil Melisa Raouf will likely be remembered as the primary Miss England contestant to compete with out make-up within the contest’s 94-year historical past
Picture credit: Kam Murali / SWNS
Politics pupil Melisa Raouf will likely be remembered as the primary Miss England contestant to compete with out make-up within the contest’s 94-year historical past. She determined to go makeup-free within the hopes of inspiring different girls to embrace their pure magnificence. The 20-year-old not solely broke contest stereotypes but in addition received a spot within the Miss England remaining.
Melisa, from south London, will now compete alongside 40 different girls for the title, which will likely be introduced on October 17. She plans to compete “bare-faced” as soon as once more. Talking in regards to the contest with Tyla, Melisa mentioned: “It was fairly a frightening expertise however so superb to win this fashion.”
“It means quite a bit to me as I really feel many women of various ages put on make-up as a result of they really feel pressured to take action. If one is comfortable in their very own pores and skin we shouldn’t be made to cowl up our face with make-up,” she continued. “Our flaws make us who we’re and that’s what makes each particular person distinctive. I believe folks ought to love and embrace their flaws and blemishes, as we all know actual magnificence lies inside simplicity.”
She determined to go makeup-free within the hopes of inspiring different girls to embrace their pure magnificence
Picture credit: Kam Murali / SWNS
The younger girl went on to elucidate that carrying make-up made her really feel uncomfortable and hidden. “I by no means felt I met magnificence requirements,” she added. “I’ve just lately accepted that I’m lovely in my very own pores and skin and that’s why I made a decision to compete with no make-up. I nonetheless really feel assured in myself, with make-up I’m all hid. That is who I’m, I’m not afraid to share who I’m. I wished to point out who Melisa really is.”
“I might love to make use of my Miss England platform to empower pure magnificence and remove this poisonous mindset,” Melisa acknowledged. “With psychological well being being such a giant subject, I need to make all ladies really feel good. I simply need to take away all the sweetness requirements. I really feel like all ladies are lovely in their very own approach.”
That is the place we hit an attention-grabbing conundrum, however the principle query right here is: why do folks of all ages select to put on make-up? Melisa’s standpoint appears to solely be based mostly on the inhabitants with insecurities, those that see make-up as a type of hiding their imperfections, in addition to these wanting to attain a really ‘synthetic’ magnificence, generally seen on the entrance pages of magazines and on tv.
Nevertheless, it’s troublesome to wholeheartedly agree together with her, particularly as a lady myself who has been made enjoyable of for not becoming in with the ‘excellent.’ I all the time believed that pure magnificence was superior to those that determined to cake their faces in make-up. However as I’ve grown and matured, I now notice how a lot we are inclined to stigmatize the ‘different.’ The ‘different’ to us.
The 20-year-old not solely broke contest stereotypes but in addition received a spot within the Miss England remaining, during which she will likely be competing with out magnificence merchandise as soon as once more
Picture credit: Kam Murali / SWNS
In truth, whether or not you employ make-up to really feel lovely in your pores and skin, whether or not you employ it to develop your artistry, whether or not you employ it to discover all of the textures and glitters and fairly colours, or whether or not you similar to it, it doesn’t make you superior or inferior to an individual who chooses to not put on any, and vice versa.
As acknowledged on Fait avec Coeur, after we demonize make-up, we deny folks the expertise of having fun with make-up shamelessly. There’s a frequent narrative throughout the well being and wellness trade that carrying make-up is ‘unhealthy.’ It’s now stylish to go for the totally ‘pure look’ or to shun make-up altogether. We must always all be capable of select with out damaging judgment or a hierarchy of which is ‘higher.’ Empowerment is about permitting selections.
The message on this story is nice but outdated, and in addition considerably falling flat. On this anti-aging world, is the one who represents pure magnificence actually a 20-year-old with excellent pores and skin and undeniably lovely facial options? Now that’s a query worthy of a debate. However I believe it falls into the query of why magnificence pageants are nonetheless a factor?
“It was fairly a frightening expertise however so superb to win this fashion,” Melisa mentioned. “I really feel many women of various ages put on make-up as a result of they really feel pressured to take action”
Picture credit: Kam Murali / SWNS
The notion of the sweetness pageant has each been praised and critiqued all through its historical past. Though its roots lie deep inside historical Greece, the acquainted model got here to be within the 1850s. As defined by the PBS, magnificence pageants all over the world are primarily about placing idealized variations of femininity on a aggressive stage and awarding a ‘royal’ title and crown to the winner, however they’re additionally about utilizing femininity to characterize different points.
Historians Colleen Ballerino Cohen and Richard Wilk agree that “Whether or not the title is for Miss Universe or the Crooked Tree Cashew Queen, these contests showcase values, ideas, and conduct that exist on the middle of a gaggle’s sense of itself and exhibit values of morality, gender, and place.” The only girl turns into a logo of nationwide identification, group values, and delight.
Nevertheless, others argue that the requirements of magnificence in pageants don’t characterize all girls, with the contestants being usually tall, skinny, and light-skinned, resembling conventional requirements of Western magnificence. Whereas magnificence pageants might look like an exquisite alternative for girls to lift cash, achieve confidence, discover an pleasing passion, and higher themselves, others discover that pageants waste cash and switch girls into sexual objects, showcasing magnificence first and expertise and character second.
Magnificence pageants have been praised and critiqued, but pure magnificence and makeup-enhanced magnificence have one factor in frequent – it’s all simply skin-deep
Picture credit: missenglandofficial
Pure magnificence and enhanced magnificence have one factor in frequent – it’s all simply skin-deep. No matter what your desire in human aesthetics is, I’m a agency believer of ‘what’s inside that counts.’ I’m additionally a believer in make-up; whether or not you need to look higher for your self, categorical your self, or it’s a routine that brings a smile to your face, make-up is on no account the brand new evil.
If these so-called magnificence contests are to proceed properly into the longer term, I’d prefer to see our shifting understanding of magnificence shift alongside the fashions chosen to take part in these contests, as a result of these solely exist to perpetuate long-standing stereotypes of outward acceptance.
In the mean time, the perfect they will do is so as to add a ‘bare-face mannequin’ class. Miss England organizer Angie Beasley spoke in regards to the resolution to launch the brand new format with CNN, saying: “It encourages contestants to point out us who they are surely with out the necessity to disguise behind make-up and filters on social media.”
“This spherical within the contest was launched again in 2019 as we had been receiving so many entry photographs from contestants overlaying their faces with thick make-up and utilizing filters,” she defined. “Since then contestants submit their photographs on social media to enter this spherical. That is the primary time I’ve seen a contestant fully make-up free competing in a semi-final and he or she mentioned she felt empowered towards all the opposite contestants.”
She concluded by saying, “I’m all for make-up to reinforce your pure magnificence however there’s no want for kids to put on it so thick that it seems to be like a masks.” Speak about gatekeeping a lot…
The Miss England remaining is scheduled for October 16-17. We want Melisa and the opposite contestants all the perfect!
Picture credit: Kam Murali / SWNS
This may stay a debate for years to return, I suppose, as magnificence requirements are a few bit greater than aesthetics and desire alone. Till we be taught to simply accept each other for the folks we really feel snug being, I doubt we’ll come to a consensus.
Tell us your ideas within the feedback beneath – do you favor the ‘pure magnificence’ motion or are you an avid make-up consumer? Don’t overlook to upvote and observe for extra multifaceted content material! Have an excellent one, xoxo
Though the message is positively-inclined, it has stirred up a debate on-line on magnificence and the demonization of make-up. Tell us your ideas within the feedback!
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