Naive makeup

Instead of trying to make your makeup look perfect, why not make it look imperfect -- even naive?

Women are still stuck trying to look like celebrities, with their makeup as well as their clothes.  This is not only boring (and vulgar), but impossible!  It takes lots of skill, time, know-how, and expensive products to replicate the look professional makeup artists achieve -- and, even then, it rarely looks right or even good.

Instead, I'd like to see women applying makeup in a way that's honest about their skill level.  Lots of young women don't wear any makeup at all because they're afraid they'll get it wrong.  I say, stop worrying about getting it wrong, and just do it (wrong)!  I think adult women should go back to applying makeup like they did when they were little girls playing with their mothers' lipstick.  That was fun!

Instead of putting on all the correct layers in their correct order, why not just smear on one coat of bright lipstick -- without moisturizer, primer, lipliner, gloss, or powder -- and otherwise have a completely bare face?  Or, why not wear several coats of mascara and nothing else?  Or foundation without any other makeup?

Over-applied blush was trendy within recent memory (popularized by Anna on The O.C. -- remember??) and looks hideous BUT is also kind of cool.  Poorly-done or flaking-off manicures have been cool for teenagers recently and are reminiscent of that Tinkerbell plastic peel-off nail polish I remember using as a 6-year-old in the '80s.

It's interesting to note that naive makeup not only is a technique and look in itself, but also makes possible lots of additional new looks.  Lipstick-only creates a Lolita look; mascara-only makes a gamine look; and foundation-only makes an androgynous look.  Overdone blush results in a prostitute look and peeling-off polish in a grunge look.

I think it's funny that hipsters who take risks with their clothes are so safe with their makeup.  Why were girls wearing Goodwill outfits with full-on M.A.C. makeup at Misshapes?  I guess it's because they, like their idols, were getting photographed a lot and cared more about looking good than completing their fashion statement.  And that's kind of...lame, actually.

Although the application style of naive makeup is "naive," the total effect and meaning are not -- at least not in the more negative sense of the word.  Naive makeup is naive in the "natural and unaffected" sense.  It's very honest, empowered, and knowing, and projects a strong and sophisticated image.

It is possible to take this idea to too far an extreme: I saw a girl on the J train a couple of weeks ago who had drawn war stripes on her cheeks with hot pink lipstick.  She may have been insane.  So, I guess, don't go too far, or people on the subway will think you're crazy.

I don't think this will be a trend.  Although it could actually get lots more women wearing makeup, the loss in revenue from the women who already wore full-on makeup and started wearing less would make it unprofitable.  Also, since this look is best achieved using the very cheapest drugstore brands (Wet 'n' Wild, N.Y.C), high-end and medium-level brands would not benefit.