A Lipstick is Worth a Hundred Words
By Jessica M
Women love to watch other women applying lipstick. For some reason, they can’t help themselves. I watch them watching: on the subway, in restaurants after meals, in public bathrooms. Why are they – that is, we -- so fascinated? Sometimes, we’re looking to see what brand the other woman is using, or to judge the final effect when she’s done. Sometimes, I think, we’re recognizing each other as members of the same tribe. Putting on our lipstick is a shared ritual, a common denominator. There may also be an element of healthy competition. (What are you wearing? How do you look?)
Photograph of women watching a cosmetics demonstration, 1947, by Nina Leen for LIFE magazine.
Labels: 40 Days and 40 Nights of Lip Service, Jessica's Reviews
posted by Annieytown @ 7:33 AM
9 Inspired Comments
9 Inspired Comments:
Thanks, Jessica! This is so cute! She looks a bit like a young Bette Davis!
OH MY GOSH! I never thought about it, but I love watching other women put on lipstick. There's just something so sensual about it. You also want to see if the lipstick is a good match for their skin tone and lips. =)
As a luxury fragrance and skin care company founder, and an ex-fashion photographer of 20 years, I have observed many women in the acts of adornment.
It is indeed fascinating, primarily as it is a sharing, not the narcissism often assumed. Women adorn for others and obtain pleasure from the response. Some may further expand this to "self-confidence", but I believe it lies in reciprocity.
I might disagree with your implied assumption that all women watch; it is rather a very American characteristic. It is both our culture's intrinsic lack of personal style and our openly pragmatic attitude on life; how is this task best done. An American woman wants what works, what she sees on a media celebrity, the tried and true. A European woman wants what no one else yet has. A French woman has her individual style built-in from DNA & childhood -- her scarf arrangement is hers -- and her mother taught her lipstick perfection long ago, so it is only a question of color coordination and quality, not of learning the mechanics. Each culture has its merits. We explore, they perfect.
Douglas Hopkins
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Thanks J! I love this photo!!!!
There's almost no cliché I like better than that of the shoddily dressed American juxtaposed against the genetically predisposed nattily turned out French woman. Makes me laugh every time. Nevermind.
I work in high schools and middle schools throughout Southern California. Should I ever chance to try and subtly slick on some gloss mid class, I always look up to find several curious female eyes upon me, watching my little habit. When I mentioned this once to my husband, he said it's about those soon to be young women trying to figure out who they will be by watching someone they admire doing something archetypically feminine. I find this analysis to be beautiful & poetic. And my lippie of the day is Chanel Glossimer in Imaginaire, my HG MLBB.
FoodST, that's a wonderful analysis. I've noticed this habit/impulse crossing all ages, but you're right: it's especially poignant in girls and very young women.
This is a great post and photo! It's true that it is fascinating to watch women applying it. It's definitely a quick way to brighten up your face.
hm, well i've always thought watching people put on makeup is very soothing. for most people, they probably watch their mothers when they're young, but my mom never really wore much makeup, definitely not lipstick. i did ballet for many years though, and for performances (when i was too young to do it myself) i loved having the makeup artists apply eyeshadow, powder, and lipstick. it just was such a nice soft sensation. watching someone put on makeup brings up those same feelings for me. plus there's the novelty of the "before and after" that's always fun to see.
p.s. annie, do you watch mad men? (if you don't, YOU NEED TO!!) lipstick plays a big role in several episodes.
I used to love to watch my Mom put on her makeup and perfume. Those were mother-daughter moments that she shared with me happily. When I am out shopping with my girlfriends, testing cosmetics and trying perfumes at the counters or trying on hats or shoes, it's nothing more than just sharing very womanly things. No imitation, certainly no lack of personal style, and no defective genetic inabilities to tie a scarf stylishly.
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