Makeup

I just read an article in TIME magazine about the trend among males to use makeup. Joel Stein reports that since 1997 guys have increased spending for skin-care products from $40 million to $217 million. By skin-care products he means not only aftershave but also eye gels and wrinkle erasers.

A company called Menaji sells concealer and foundation for men which come in Chap Stick-style containers. None of it is called 'makeup.' They call it skin care. They come in packaging that looks like old cigar boxes. Tim McGraw uses Menaji products. Lisa Ashley is a makeup artist who sells eye cream to men like Charlie Sheen, Howie Long and Terry Bradshaw to use at home.

I don't believe in using makeup. But I might change my mind. We all need help with our looks. Just the other day our granddaughter Norah was playing with my wife's powder brush, putting powder on her own face. (Pat had let her use it.) She tried to put some on my face, but I told her that men do not use makeup. As usual she said, "Why?" (That's her omnipresent question these days.) I started to answer her, but I couldn't think on the spot what the correct answer should be. So, I said, "It's not a custom for men to wear makeup."

I've had an ongoing debate with myself about the cosmetic industry. It's a billion dollar industry. All the women I know buy lots of makeup. So, here's the question: Why do women wear makeup? It seems that women all over the world from various cultures wear makeup of some kind. Or at least they decorate themselves.

Is that what makeup is all about? Is it just decoration? If so, I guess that is consistent with Christian theology. The human body is to be treated with reverence. And decorating the body seems like a good thing as long as you don't go to extremes.

But I still wonder if female makeup has more to do with sexuality. Women want to look younger and sexier. Isn't that the rationale for makeup? You wipe away wrinkles and dark spots and blemishes. You add good smelling fragrances to lure men in your direction. You put earrings on to—well, I don't know why you put earrings on. You make your lips redder. That certainly seems like a sexual come-on: blood-red arousal of one of the two pairs of lips that women own.

I think it's all about sex. Of course one could argue that women have just been enculturated, that makeup is simply an unquestioned custom. But I don't think so. I think it's all about sex.

It's ironic that the makeup industry pushes its products as instruments of looking 'natural.' If you really want to look 'natural,' let your hair become gray, leave your wrinkles alone, allow your lips to be pale, tolerate the loss of eye lashes. Which leads one to also consider the idol of Youth and the denial of death.

I don't know what to think about all of this. I guess it's natural to deny death, to want to be sexy, and to look in the mirror frequently. Personally, I like looking old. I am old. But I don't like looking overweight. And makeup can't help me with that problem.

Just some thoughts. No makeup exam.