When a woman puts make-up on her face...?

Question

...what is she really trying to look like? The mascara looks like a symbolic castration (eyes gouged out like Oedipus Rex)...

Misogynist is spelt like this. And my question is taken from Angela Carters collected journalism, so I would hardly class it in that category. Do any of you even know what Womens Studies entails?

Answer 1

I don't think that Mascara looks like symbolic castration, certainly having thick dark eyelashes is nothing like having your eyes gouged out!

This is an interesting question. What indeed are we trying to look like? We are trying to have clear skin, bright eyes, red lips and rosy cheeks. Some say we are trying to mold ourselves into the western media's current view of beauty. Others say we are trying to look younger and more fertile (and therefor more attractive to men). Others say women put on makeup for themselves, to look and feel confident.

I think it's a little bit of all of these. I think that looking younger has a lot to do with it, we are definitely trying to look young. Whether that's a learned notion of beauty in out society or a primal mating instinct I have no idea. We are also trying to paint on a little confidence. It's true that when you look better you feel better about yourself. In the end, we are just trying to look beautiful!

There's a lot of demonizing makeup that goes on in feminism today, and I think it's unjustified. Makeup isn't a modern product of modern ills, it's a ritual that's been practiced for thousands of years. I don't know quite why it means so much to women, but it does, and I think it always has.

Answer 2

Well obviously the final look that is achieved is subjectivly viewed. What looks like 'symbolic castration...' to you may to the wearer look like a wide eyed youthfull look.

I think women where make up to attract a mate, be accepted, feel good about themselves.

Personally I think men look HOT in a little make up and men with red lipstick on...meow!

Try reading 'the beauty myth by Naomi Woolf'

Answer 3

Mascara is used to provide definition to eyelashes. The extent of that definition is up to the person applying the mascara.

As for your analogy, it's utterly flawed and wrong. Gouging your own eyes out (or having them gouged out) leaves you blind. Not castrated, symbolically or otherwise, but blind. Oedipus did not castrate himself for having sex with his mother, he blinded himself. How you get castration out of ritually blinding yourself is beyond me.

Answer 4

I wear make up but I've always used it as a means to define the features of my body that I like the most. I've never thought of it as a symbolic thing, but more of an evolution/mating thing.

I believe that people (men and women) beautify themselves to attract a mate and propagate. It sounds primitive, but I also believe that humans have evolved to a higher level of thinking such that we wear make up etc to conform to an image that society has made.

On a symbollic note, make-up may have been made to emulate the images of Gods, and to paint spiritual symbols on bodies, such as warriors used to do to empower themselves.

Answer 5

Putting on make up is to make ourseleves look better becos men are visual creatures. However, how the man feel about make varies differently as beauty lies on the eyes on the beholder.. so if you feel that if a women who wear massacra are scray looking.. u can go look for women that dun put on any make up.

Answer 6

When a mysoginist like you puts their real picture on yahoo answers, what are you expecting?

For a start, your mascara is too clumpy, your eyeliner is smudged and your lipstick has gone all over the place.

I suggest you take it all off, and stop criticising others for the way they slap on the stuff. ha

Answer 7

When women put on make up we are simply trying to look more beatuiful. For example when we put the red stuff on our cheeks we want to look younger and fresher. When we put lipstick on our mouth we look hotter. Ofcourse extra make up may do the opposite but a little is great.

Answer 8

She's trying to look like something she's not. She's trying to look younger with the blush, make her eyes look fuller and sexier, with the eye makeup (there's so much stuff they put over the eyes, can't list all), make her lips look fuller or watever with the lipstick. All in all she's trying to look like much more than she actually is.

If you see a woman who uses makeup everyday without her makeup on, you probably wouldn't recognize her. But the face without makeup is the real stuff.

Answer 9

Ah! The 'woman' in your life needs help in the area of making up. If you can - take her to a cosmetologist for some good make-up tips. She is probably overdoing it.

She is trying to look glamorous for you!

Answer 10

Hey! I love mascara! You're not a girl so you couldn't possibly understand :)

And some of us don't have great eyes like yours so we need a little help ...