Sunday, June 28, 2015

The Photoshop Influence


When I was growing up it was most television and magazines that put pressure on the younger generation to look/think/act a certain way. Nowadays, there is so much more pressure coming at you from twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube! I'm kind of glad I grew up in the decade I grew up in. But I still find myself influenced by popular culture. Until I decided I needed to take a step back.

I've always been aware of "clown makeup". I was in the sixth grade when I read a book called Girl Talk. And it had a phrase that made a lot of sense to me. I can't remember what it was off the top of my head but the gist of it was when you put on makeup you want people to see an enhanced you. Basically you want to hear "Look at how pretty her eyes are". Not "Look at that BLUE eyeshadow".  For the most part I want my makeup to enhance my face....although every now and then I like statement makeup. And some colors stand out naturally. 

Even though I know all that...I've been watching the wrong you tubers. Theres a big difference between what tutorials on youtube teach versus makeup you will find in the magazines, on tv, on fashion runways! I know that. But I find myself getting carried away anyway. Until I looked in the mirror one day and noticed my blush was sticking out. And not in a good way. I had on way too much. I've been watching a bunch of tutorials of  (popular) people that CAN'T do makeup then doing what they were doing on myself. But I know better!

Even so, sometimes I get disappointed when my makeup doesn't come out looking like the tutorial  on a video or photo I find. I try to remind myself that just like most ads you see are heavily photoshopped, it's becoming increasingly more popular in Instagram photos and other social media. Almost everything has a filter or is heavily edited! And even so, I don't wear full coverage makeup, heavily sculpted brows, a whole pan of contour, and on and on. I keep trying to remind myself I'm OK with that. (Although I have photoshopped a blemish before- very rarely but I'm not going to anymore!)

It's more worrisome because I think it's easier to connect with someone you see that's become social media famous. They seem just like the average makeup lover.  But with all these photoshopped, special lighting photo's it just seems to be portraying beauty in a very unreal way. And that's a little disappointing.


Anyway, that's just my perspective on it.


What do you think?



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