Each week our no-holds-barred contributor Grace Gold picks apart a hot beauty topic. It’s our version of an op-ed—with lipstick, laser treatments and eyeliner.
We all know what a difference a couple coats of mascara or a slick of lip gloss can make, but the above photo really drives the point home.
The shot, which juxtaposes half a bare and half a made-up face, was posted by "Munner83" on Reddit.com several months ago. It has since gone viral, and netizens continue to share the picture digitally.
The image is a product of ulzzang. Ulzzang, which translates to "best face" in Korean, describes an online fad in which Asian women are posting before-and-after photos that show a dramatic and often doll-like transformation through cosmetics. In addition to makeup, some women use contact lenses to enlarge their pupils and glue to create creases on their eyelids.
Reactions to the ulzzang trend run the gamut. Some find the transformations artistically creative and beautiful, while others are turned off by what they see as a plastic, inhuman and unattainable glossiness. There is also concern that these types of photos show Eastern women perpetuating Western beauty standards rather than embracing their own culturally distinct features.
While I can understand the concern for celebrating ethnic identity, I've always taken issue with the assertion that women look fake when they wear makeup. To me, makeup allows women to be creative in expressing and exploring aspects of their personalities, and why not take joy in being able to accentuate your features with some shadow and blush?
Yet in doing so, it's important to remind ourselves that the results aren't necessarily "better." The right side of the face in the photo shows a woman with great bone structure, glowing skin and kind eyes. She's lovely without the makeup, and is probably smiling because it only took her five minutes to get ready.
With that said, let's talk about that left side. Can you say Sophia Loren? Check out the lift of the arched brow, the sweep of the smoky cat eye, the radiant warmth of her blush and those divinely glossed lips. It's a look that could turn heads on the red carpet.
Some days, we want to be that get-up-and-go girl with fresh skin and an easygoing mien. On other days, we want to be that all-out glamazon, stepping into a room with the grandeur of a silver-screen star.
The two sides of this face seem to symbolize that duality of women. We are always goddesses, beautiful by nature or by artifice. So why limit yourself to just one face?
What do you think of Munner83's photo?
Photo: Reddit.com
Rebecka
April 27, 2013
WOW!!!! Truly amazing.
super_sonic
April 25, 2013
I think the most important thing about makeup is that it can help you change your look. For most of us, we want to make our eyes look bigger or lashes longer; but for some it is a necessity to cover flaws from birth (birth marks, sunken cheekbones, etc). So rather tha looking at the negative and fake side of it all, I think we should embrace it for whatever reason we use it! It is a personal choice and a choice we all have!
Yeona
April 25, 2013
I just want to comment on some of the comments being posted. Asian women don’t want to look Caucasian or more Western. In fact in Korea being a Korean who lives in the West, or one who wasn’t born in Korea, or even a mixed Korean will have you being counted as not Korean at all. I really don’t see why we would want to seem Western. Since being Western is almost shunned in Korea (as a Korea, they’re just fine with most foreigners), I really don’t know why we would want to look Western. I just don’t think that it’s a fair assessment to say something like that. By saying that you’re generalizing a whole entire ethnic group based off of your own un-educated views. You never hear someone in Korea or even Asia for that matter saying something like “Oh look at that foreigner! I really want to look like them!”. Now, that’s not to say that they think foreigners are ugly. However what I am trying to convey is that Asians still want to look Asian. It’s just that Asia’s beauty standards are different and they are based off of what was historically considered beautiful. NOT based off of the Western region of the world.
Christina
April 23, 2013
as a makeup artist once told me.”makeup is meant to enhance beauty not to create it.If you have nothing to start with you cannot make it beautiful” What is really sad is that instead of embracing her ethnicity Asian women try to make themselves look more western and I think that is not a good concept to project. Asian women are thin and beautiful in a different way from the Caucasian American woman. These differences should be celebrated. But I also dye my hair blonde so I guess I should eat my own words. OH WELL!!! SHE IS A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN
IndyGiGi
April 23, 2013
She looks beautiful either way. It is amazing what makeup can do.
Pat
April 18, 2013
Whoa she looks busted!
maine
March 29, 2013
I think it is cool. I think it is interesting, reading the comments below, that some think that anything “cool” must be because “class” westerners are being copied. Fortunately for the majority of us who READ, we know that beauty standards and methods do not originate with one particular culture.
SassyMcGrassy
March 22, 2013
Exactly. The concept of enhancing one’s appearance did not originate in Western society, and is not unique to Western society. So…I don’t know why anyone would argue that women of other cultures who try to enhance their appearances are trying to be too “Western.” Yes, American soldiers inspired the Harajuku movement, but I doubt those male soldiers were giving eye makeup tutorials and handing out the latest push-up bras. Many different cultures value large breasts, nice hair, large eyes, thick eyelashes, etc….it’s not that big of a deal.
SassyMcGrassy
March 22, 2013
I have to agree with some of the comments below. I don’t think the woman in the photo is trying to look “less Asian” or trying to perpetuate “Western beauty standards.” In fact, that line from the article is kinda…sorta…really culturally ignorant on the part of whoever was so ‘concerned’ as to say such things in the first place. Believe it or not – those hundreds of millions of women who live in China and Japan aren’t walking around in silk kimonos, picking at bowls of white rice with their chopsticks between trips to the powder room to touch up that white geisha makeup…they have their own beauty and fashion standards that, although sometimes similar to Western standards (or – is it the other way around?), have no basis in Western beauty ideals. In similar fashion, I don’t think Asian women are trying to act “Western” when they check Facebook on their iPhones, order hipster jewelry on Etsy, or pin questionable casserole recipes to Pinterest (remember – we rely on China to make those iPhones, and at the very least, Japan is still technologically ahead of us). In double similar fashion, I don’t think pop artists like Psy are trying to be like American artists, either.So – not only is it ethnocentric to claim that the woman wanted to look more “Western,” but it is also blatantly hypocritical to claim that any woman should embrace her culturally distinct features…on a blog called makeup.com…where Western women openly enhance THEIR distinct features, rather than embrace their naked imperfections.
Jay
March 10, 2013
I disagree with you about the fact that you think that Asian women are perpetuating western beauty fashions. That woman doesn’t look any less Asian with or without make up, and I doubt that she is trying to look “white”. It’s short sighted comments like these that make it so awkward for any woman to feel comfortable in their own skin, and how is it any different from beauty fads in the west? Hair extensions? Fake nails? Push up bras?
Anonymous
February 27, 2013
U people try to show that asians get prettier only by make up? Jeez i’m really getting sick of u people! get a life !
Yo
February 11, 2013
what guilt?
Anonymous
February 3, 2013
Why be insulting? Are you projecting the dissatisfaction in your own life? Try being nice- it’ll make you feel better!
Tara
January 30, 2013
I am ALL FOR looking and feeling your best! This woman is beautiful with or without the makeup process, but if this process makes her feel good about herself, then more power to ya!
anna
January 29, 2013
Westerners need to realize already that Asian girls are mostly not trying to “look Western” with their makeup… For instance, pale skin has always always always been desirable in the Far East, as a symbol of wealth (=not laboring in the sun). Nowadays I do not think much of the class consciousness has stuck around with this particular trait, nor do I think pale skin is desirable as “Western-ness”. Large eyes are desired because they are “cute”, like babies and bunnies. Of course it’s natural that exposure to beautiful Hollywood stars who are mostly Caucasian will influence girls’ aesthetic, but I really think it is a lot less of a factor than people think it is. Get over the white guilt, white people…
jany
January 29, 2013
cover up the madeup side with your hand see how beautiful she really is
lulu
January 28, 2013
what?
Teri
January 28, 2013
What a transformation – wow! Her makeup is gorgeous.
Angeladolledup
January 27, 2013
I love rocking smokey eye with a bright pink or red lips!!!!! U go girl
JR
January 27, 2013
Her left eye is better. Sorry, but the whole fixation on Western eyes on northeast Asian women is unfortunate. Her right is good for a party but its the left you gotta be happy with.
Tena2sweet
January 27, 2013
I never cease to be amazed at what you can do with makeup.
McChalium
December 21, 2012
I’m a man, just so you know. My reaction is that the made up face is a good “night on the town” face, and the bare face is what you’ll see the morning after. A guy should be sure he likes both versions, but a gal has to like the morning face too, otherwise she is stuck painting her face just to go to market. I did think the eye treatment was a little too western, looks too occidental. A more oriental accent would be more pleasing. IMHO.
Anonymous
December 13, 2012
She is talking about skin tones and hair textures. Asian women are closer to women of European decent in both categories; she is talking about moving the awareness all the way to the other side of the board. i think its a good idea
Anonymous
December 7, 2012
Diversity? The woman in the picture is Asian! Thre is nothing blonde or brunette in the picture. Open your eyes!
Anonymous
December 5, 2012
Nothing like false eyelashes on Asian women–makes a world of difference. I have done makeup on many Asian women. After applying eyelashes they are so happy and usually cannot stop looking at themselves. I use basic strip lashes often trimming the ends, lots of shadow, etc.
Prajin
December 27, 2012
Try using a small desk. If you end up not using it for a vanity you will still have a piece of futrirune that you can use.If you buy a cheaper vanity or desk that you put together yourself, spray it good with a polycoat to make the top keep from absorbing any spills and to make it last longer.Also use a wood or plain Elmer’s glue on all the edges along with the screws that are in the kit to make the futrirune sturdier.You can also put a sheet of glass over wood or wicker if you prefer it or it matches your decor.Metal will have the paint eventually peel off but you can repaint it.If you get a small desk it can be used in almost every room of your home as an accent table, sofa table, small dinette, or desk. It would be the best buy if you could get a good one with a basic style that you could use for years. Best wishes.
rachael
December 4, 2012
Great work! This is one of the good jobs of a makeup artist
Darlene
October 30, 2012
Wow, what a huge difference!
Bareface
October 28, 2012
LOL, when I first glimpsed the small thumbnail, I thought she had a birth deformity.
Sandeep
December 27, 2012
honestly the best advice is to buy a calobdoe or something or get a good make up mirror people buy vanities and it is a total waste of money because no one ever uses them!!!!!!!! Good luck in your search though!
Lassie
October 27, 2012
I had a friend who did this, made up half her face. Her husband never noticed! Didn’t say a word. He either did not look closely at her, kept silent for his own reason, or truly is oblivious.When men complain about women wearing makeup, I always say, ‘you haven’t seen ME first thing in the morning, bub. It ain’t pretty.”
April Woods
October 25, 2012
Make up is great!!!!!!!!
Trina
October 25, 2012
It also annoys me when people say makeup makes you look unnatural and fake. If that’s the case, let’s go totally natural. Let’s not shave, not use deodorant or other body products that change our “natural state”. Let those armpit hairs fly. Shaved legs be damned. Wait! Don’t brush those teeth. Embrace your natural halitosis. Singling out makeup as “fake” is ridiculous when we spend billions of dollars on many other ways to enhance our overall physical presentation to the world.
G Porter
October 24, 2012
A little paint on the barn doesn’t hurt anybody.
Jill ed
October 24, 2012
An amazing transformation!
DivahD
October 23, 2012
Where is the diversity of women on this site? Women come in all shades and hues…Provide some tips across the board for Brown (Indian, Middle Eastern, African) ladies and girls. Hair trends vary around the world, colors on women of color are certainly different than of your mainstream story and pictures…lets get out of the Blonde and Brunette box and think of beauty as an inclusive treasure.
Melody
October 21, 2012
Wow! Gives me hope! lol
mnm
October 20, 2012
Stupid people… why is this so shocking?
Gemmao
July 19, 2012
That is unreal!!!
Rebecca
October 15, 2012
Oh. My. God!