A few days ago, MAC posted a behind-the-scenes close-up photo of a black model’s lip, wearing their “Matte Royal” lipstick on their Instagram, at New York Fashion Week. This triggered an assortment of response, ranging from the ignorant “wtf are these lips” and “i thought it was jay z” to super supportive ones calling people out on their double standards. This, as you’d expect from the internet, triggered a debate of sorts in the comments section, with people voicing out their opinions in different ways, whether it be by “dragging” others or fighting back with positivity. One thing I had noticed, however, is that the good now outweighed the bad. While it may have been flooded with hate at one point, the comments section is currently overwhelmed with kindness, whether it be from a black person or an ally.
When I first started drawing, I stumbled across a tutorial on how to draw profiles, and the photo reminded me of one of the steps (mind you, this was years ago): drawing lips as a sideway heart, or at least using that shape as some sort of guideline. And that’s exactly what I saw when I saw that picture. Quite ironic considering many paintings of historical figures of color featured an “idealized” version of them, making them look more white, which is essentially whitewashing. However, a certain comment, “esos si son labias de n**ra mire”, compares it to labia, accompanied by a strong, negative connotation. This is an example of how many people get away with saying problematic things online by shielding behind a language barrier. While it may not be as relevant to Spanish as it is to other languages, seeing that it is the second most widely spoken language in the world, it still raises the issue.
Many people expressed their frustration with racial biases by comparing the MAC model’s lips to Kylie Jenner’s, who has been praised over and over for not only her lips, but for appropriating cornrows and dreadlocks, too. After posting a photo of her enhanced lips, the internet responded with endless heart eyes emojis, lipstick dupes and makeup tutorials on how to get her lips. Lips that PoC have always had but were shamed for. Jenner built an empire from her full, enhanced lips, launching a line of kits which sold out in minutes in search for that je ne sais quoi. Full lips, thick thighs and cornrows are only a few of the features that the world rejects–that is, until they are worn by a white person.
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