There’s no denying the influence of societal norms on how we present ourselves to the world. Looking at photos from different eras, we can see the ebbs and flows in women’s physicality, clothing, makeup and hair trends. While beauty trends are often seen as rebellious reactions to previous societal ideals, I don’t think it’s always that simple.

For example, consider the current “makeup-less” trend. Some say this is a rebellious move against the overly polished, Instagram-influenced beauty standards and toward a radical acceptance of one’s natural features and authenticity. While that sounds great, I don’t think it’s accurate – especially given the fanatical obsession with anti-aging skincare that has accompanied it.

Rather than a radical rebellion against beauty standards, it seems more like an addition. An upsetting footnote to this anti-aging obsession is the extension of this culture to girls as young as 12 years old. You only have to visit your local Ulta to see the changes in skin care product displays to target the middle-school demographic, which seems to be the majority of the shoppers there these days.

When asked what I think about the makeup-less trend, I remember seeing the photo of Pamela Anderson without makeup during Paris Fashion Week in 2023. I could not stop looking at it. I was fascinated with her decision, as an iconic actress, to go out into the world without makeup.

Was I envious? Yes, but not because of her decision to go without makeup. I was jealous of her dewy, luminous and glowing skin.

I’ve always said the secret to great skin is money. When celebrities and models post photos of themselves without makeup with claims of “no filter,” it’s evident that they’ve spent much more time than the average American woman (including myself) can afford in the esthetician’s chair. They may not have on mascara or foundation in those posts, but you can bet it took consistent application of expensive serums and skin care treatments to create the luminous, fresh-faced, just-woke-up-like-this look.

When I asked my 25-year-old daughter—who is very skilled with makeup and always looks flawless in full-coverage foundation—what she thought of the makeup-less trend, she echoed my feelings about skin care. She said that when people her age make it a point to say, “Oh, it’s my no-makeup day,” they obviously took time and effort to create their no-makeup look with extensive skin care and subtle “natural” makeup techniques.

So, is the move to an obsession with anti-aging skin care away from wearing visible makeup the giant leap towards more self-love, authenticity, and rejection of societal expectations that some proclaim?

I don’t think so.

Who decided that wearing makeup means you don’t love yourself? I enjoy the artistry and diversity of makeup on women of all ages today. I credit the prolific YouTube tutorials for giving everyone more ideas than we could dream of in the 1970s and 1980s.

When I was in middle school in the late 1970s, we were told that too much makeup was bad, and we were advised to apply lightly lest we look, dare I say, slutty. This thinking meant that some of my friends were not allowed to wear any makeup. (They did anyway, of course, arriving early to apply it in the girls’ bathroom and taking it off before they got on the bus to go home, but that’s another blog.)

I loved makeup because it made me feel better about myself. We were all trying on new identities to figure out who we were and aspired to be. Along with our choices of extracurriculars and friends, makeup and clothing were a big part of that.

In high school, my look was preppy. In college, I was punk. In my 20s, I was artsy. I felt I “was” all these things through my clothing, makeup choices, and how I chose to spend my free time. Now that I am in my 60s, I choose to be classic in my wardrobe and makeup. Wearing foundation, concealer, blush, mascara, eyebrow pencil and lip color still makes me feel better about myself, and if I have the choice, I don’t leave home without it.

Never at any age since I started wearing makeup have I chosen to leave the house 100% bare-faced. Interestingly, most of my similarly aged peers forego foundation and other makeup altogether, so I am definitely in the minority.

Does my choice mean I love myself less or that I’m being less authentic? I don’t think so. Quite the opposite, I believe it means I feel confident to be exactly who I am, no matter what my friends or the latest trend says I should do. Isn’t that authenticity? Being who you want to be, regardless of what your peer group is doing? One of the best things about being older and wiser is being yourself, regardless of trends or what others think.

Women choose to wear makeup or go without it throughout their lifetimes. Like most good things in life, the best thing about makeup is that it is still a choice. In a world where women’s choices are actively minimized, let’s celebrate each other’s choices and protect the places where we are still in control of how we present ourselves and move throughout the world.

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