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What beauty style do you wish was more mainstream?


What beauty style do you wish was more mainstream? Share!

I wish I saw more people rocking non-traditional lip colors (blue, green, gold, etc.) in person (not just online!).

Thanks to reader Jennifer for today’s question idea Do you have a question idea? Submit yours here.

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Jaclyn Avatar

I make it my goal to wear non traditional lip colors every weekend when I go out, and almost every weekend I do! It no longer gets any reaction with my friends either because they are so used to it 🙂

Tessa Avatar

I wish *bold* in general was more acceptable. I agree with nontraditional lip colors, but also nontraditional eye and cheek colors. I wore a pretty vivid cerulean blue eyeshadow look last week that was quite bold –I have quite large eyes, as well– and the way people looked at me made me feel like a psycho. I love to take risks and be interesting with my makeup, but I know I’m being judged quite harshly if I do anything out of the norm. So I’ll usually only do fun things when I don’t have to leave the house 🙁 I also wish glitter was more “mainstream” for adults and not seen as juvenile and tacky. I saw a (male) MAC SA a few years back who had done this incredible Ice Princess type of look, with blue and silver and white eyeshadows and silver glitter on his cheeks with this powdery blue eyeshadow used as a blush and silver lipstick…he looked amazing. I’d love to see looks like that more often without people being judged and mocked.

Becca Avatar

Agreed! I have a darker style and people often look at me like I’m about to bite off their heads! It’s funny when they are so surprised that I am capable of holding a door open for someone, or giving compliments. c:

Ryou Avatar

1. The idea that make-up as an art form is totally acceptable for everyday use, in any setting.

2. The idea that ANYONE can wear make-up if they so please without having to worry about gender identity being compromised.

3. The idea that no person owes being pretty to anyone, and that make-up should not be considered necessary in order to “look presentable”.

Becca Avatar

I wish bold lipstick was a bigger market. I wish more companies would make bright and pastel lippies and follow NYX’s lead! When they came out with the Macaron Lippies I was so happy since they’re pretty much dupes of Lime Crime, without the controversy and drama.

I also wish it wasn’t frowned upon if you don’t look ‘natural’ in your makeup. MY goal with makeup is to look as fierce as I can, and I don’t care if I look like a celestial being or mythical humanoid. If I do, that’s even better! Like yeah, I understand I won’t look like I naturally have drawn on eyebrows and gemstones sprouting from my face, but that doesn’t bother me!

Another thing I wish is that makeup amount didn’t automatically equal self esteem level. Like everyone assumes that if you wear more you’re insecure, and if a girl doesn’t wear any makeup, she doesn’t care ENOUGH about her appearance.

And lastly, I wish makeup could be enjoyed by EVERYONE. Men, women- It’s an art form and it’s a form of expression. Not gender. 🙂

Ryou Avatar

Well said! My main issue with many pastel lipsticks is that it’s really hard to get the formula right, but I feel people steer off of bold looks in general due to the social pressure of looking “naturally beautiful”, at least to a degree. Screw flattering, I’ll wear whatever I want. *throws glitter all over face* 😛

Helene Avatar

Well said, Becca!
Yesterday a saw a man in such a beautiful golden eyemakeup. I was trying to work up some courage to tell him, but then he was gond. He spen quite some time talking to the sales person about lipsticks. I don’t think anyone at the counter looked twice, except to appriciate his looks.
I do know that in anouter setting it wouldn’t have been accepted, and that is so wrong.

Ryou Avatar

I agree! Men needs to stop being fed messages that wearing things like skirts and make-up would emasculate them. My husband proudly wore make-up for our wedding, it was still rather subdued (plummy neutral eyeshadow and eyeliner plus mascara), but I’m proud of him for doing so, knowing that he’d face severe judgment from his side of the family.

In fact, everytime he goes out wearing make-up he gets nothing but compliments. So to everyone out there, including guys: If you like it, wear it! 😀

Ryou Avatar

I feel the need to add:

4. That your age should not dictate how you wear your make-up.

I’m glad many of you agreed with me, it’s certainly very encouraging! So thank you @Karen, @Daniel, @Becca, and Vanessa! *hugs you all* <3

chris Avatar

Exactly the way I feel! I’d loove to see green, blue, black, grey even more purple lips! I’d totally rock them on weekends during the day and on evenings if I saw ANYBODY wear them!

candleashes Avatar

I remember my friend making fun of me for wanting glitter nail polish few years ago (omg just realized it was 10 years >_<). Back then you had to buy a glitter top coat and put it over your polish and the glitter choice was pretty standard. I'd just pile on the topcoat till my whole nail was glitter. She said I was too old for this – I was in high school. Now it's more than acceptable for me to wear all kinds of glitter polishes (available from very prestigious brands). I think the colorful lips are on their way too, even NYX has those lipsticks and I recently saw someone on the train with blue lips (it actually looked very good).
I just wish people were more playful with makeup in general. I recently took a friend to Sephora and she couldn't understand why eyeliner came in colors other than black (and maybe brown). Eyeliner is for darkening the eye, she said, so green/blue/yellow/hot pink were completely useless in her eyes.

courtney Avatar

I agree! It’d be nice to see more unusual lip colors. I’m tired of going out in blue or mint green lips and everyone thinks I’m crazy

Chanel Avatar

I’m not sure if this counts but I would love seeing people step outside their comfort zone and taking creativity plus the love for makeup to another level. I also agree with you Christine.

KaseyCannuck Avatar

Memorize the following…”It’s my mouth and I’ll decorate it anyway I want!” Now keep rocking the fun colours wherever you want now that you have a response ready!
Although, if it was me, my response to someone like that would probably be short and not so sweet, like 95% profanity. A total stranger telling me how I should look…no, not going to end well.

Veronica Avatar

I don’t get people like that. Like, are you really so insecure with yourself that you have to demean others in order to feel like you’re safely ensconced in society’s idea of normality. GTFO of here with that nonsense. Like the female beauty culture isn’t purposefully designed to make women feel unhappy with themselves no matter what – so why should I waste my time to uphold the standard? I do what I want.

(Reminds me of the time some guy pulled me away from my friends to dance at a bar, only to tell me that I should change my hair style to make myself look better. I just gave him the biggest WTH look ever and walked back to my friends, laughing with them about it.)

Helene Avatar

In NYC! Being from a country far from THe US I thought most everything was OK in NYC, LOL. I’d given her the eyebrow. You wear the blue lipstick, it’s gorgeous, and I’m sure you were stunning!

Shana Avatar

Two things;

One being bolder blush. There’s just such beautiful colors it’s a shame to try and make it look natural lol.
Two, the same as yours! I wish nontraditional colors were far more popular…I’d eeven get weird looks if I tried to wear a purple around here!

Jesikah Avatar

Bold, non-traditional colors in general! Whether it be on the lips, eyes, cheeks, or in hair! I’m sporting a full head of bright turquoise right now & it looks great!

Really, it’d just we were all able to present ourselves how ever we want to, without ridicule!

Kaitlin Avatar

I wish tattoos were more mainstream as a component of beauty. I know this is becoming more so but I wish I could get sleeves without fearing that it will negate my MBA when I go in for a job interview.

I also think I would be into colored brows (like with eyeshadow.) It looks so cool when I see people do it online!

xamyx Avatar

I just wish people would wear what they want/like. I find it disheartening when people are too apprehensive to experiment, and equally so when some where shades for the sole reason they are “on-trend” even if they aren’t fond of them.

However, I still believe in “appropriate” makeup for the situation; bikinis are “mainstream”, but let’s face it-we will never walk into a bank or hospital and see staff wearing them, nor would we expect a member of the clergy to wear a pair of Speedos during the service…

Judy H. Avatar

I would like to see the a very natural version of the nude look become more viable as a look for women over 40. I love the “nude look”, not the extreme cream colored eye shadow, thick black eyeliner, tan contoured cheeks and light beige lips, but a very wearable nude look that looks great for everyday and can be jazzed up a little for evening. I have seen pictures of such a look accomplished, but none have ever told what products and in which shades were used. The “beige” look I described earlier can be worn (when done correctly) by much younger women, but once one reaches 40, one looks near death in those colors. Do you know where I can find some pics or tutorials of the nude look done right? I would love it!

Judy H. Avatar

Oh! I forgot to add. I would love to see more makeup looks for women with pixie hairstyles. I am 5’2″ and 105 lbs. I wear a pixie cut, but feel like some kind of pariah when it comes to fashion magazines!

Vanessa Avatar

Hmmmm… maybe my frizzz
So I wouldn’t have to worry about my hair in its un-manipulated state looking unkept or unprofessional.

But make-up wise… I donno.
Make-up is about self-expression, so I don’t think anything *should* or *should not* be mainstream.

zFashionizta Avatar

I consider myself eclectic, I wear whatever I want to wear without caring what other people think. I love & wear fashions and makeup looks from the 1940s to present…I don’t do and never have done the hoochie look, that has just never been me. Pretty much my only limitations on the way I look are set by me; for example hair color (I am too old to wear blue and purple hair anymore and loud makeup) and at this age I don’t do mini-skirts.

What I wish I was more mainstream would be rockabilly, I love that look.

Helene Avatar

I’m not good at expressing myself today, if ever, but I wish the: -But you don’t need makeup, or you look good as you are, would stop and try to understand the makeup, at least for me isn’t only about enhancing and covering up good or bad parts.
I also wish there were no age limit (for older women) about what is concidered appropriate to wear. So often I read in, mostly domestic, magazines that women over a certain age, often 40 should stop wearing shimmery or glittery eyeshadows and only use matte,and lot of of other “rules”.
If I want to wear shimmer, metallic, glitter I do, if I wan’t to wear bold lips I do. I think of make up as an artform and a way of expressing myself. And most of all, I think makeup should be fun, for us wearing it. I totally understand the workplace ethics, but on the free time, lets rock whatever we want!
Oh, and yes, lipsticks in all colours!

Ami S. Avatar

I wish it were the norm to see runway makeup trends worn on the daily. I’m talking graphic eyes, glitter, sequins, spiky eyebrows, spidery lashes, bold colors, etc. How much fun would that be?

In general, I wish society would be less judgmental about what others choose to decorate their faces/ bodies with. I may not like the bright eyeshadow, false lashes, bold lips look on myself but I absolutely love seeing other women rocking it. Same with tattoos.

The superficial things should be about fun and self-expression. The things that really matter are how someone’s actions and how they treat others.

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