A few months ago, hit musician Alicia Keys vowed to keep her face bare. No awards show, music video, or interview would she put an ounce of concealer under her eyes or mascara to make her eyes pop. She announced the emboldening transition in a Lenny Letter. “I don’t want to cover up anymore. Not my face, not my mind, not my soul, not my thoughts, not my dreams, not my struggles, not my emotional growth. Nothing.”
The “Girl On Fire” singer made it very clear she wasn’t bashing cosmetic companies or people who chose to wear makeup, but it was a personal decision that ultimately bettered her mental health and self-esteem. It seemed the world agreed it was a positive and inspiring movement, but when social media trolls saw that she kept her promise at the 2016 VMAs, they came out and tried to tell her she needed a little bit of mascara, some lip gloss, eyebrow tint, and concealer. Some people even went as far to say “she looks like a mess anyway makeup or not,” and accused her feminist-driven choice of being fake because “Alicia Keys is wearing makeup. JUST SAYING.”
Alicia’s natural glow and prominent freckles seem to upset so many people when she decided to take her appearance (and happiness) into her own hands. She’s not pushing anything on you, all she wanted to was be honest with how insecure she felt when she thought she had to wear makeup all the time in case someone took a candid photo of her, or because of internet bullies like the ones as shown. It’s always nerve racking to stop being a follower and becoming a leader, and Keys knew that. It inspired newly famous artist Alessia Cara to put her eye shadow palette and foundation brush away for the night. The twenty-year-old has shown her support for female empowerment with her song “Scars to Your Beautiful,” and wants her young and impressionable fans to know that they shouldn’t feel like they have to hide behind a mask.
Makeup or no makeup, what you choose to do with your face is your choice, and that was what Alicia was trying to say. Even if no one is forcing liquid eyeliner into your hand, it’s easy to feel like you have to do certain things to be considered worthy. What Alicia, you, or I decide to do with our exteriors shouldn’t matter to you. If it does, you have way too much time on your hands.
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