Beauty

Okay. I have a HUGE issue here. I saw this article on Facebook today. I am absolutely horrified at the media's reaction to Faith Hill having the audacity to show up in public without having done her hair or makeup. Sure, the media is used to seeing her look like this, but that is no excuse for the horrible message the writer is sending to women everywhere. To quote from the article:

The usually impeccably polished Mrs. McGraw, 44, was sporting a black sweater, comfy pants, and a makeup-free face. We’re totally in support of the au natural look, but poor Faith is simply unrecognizable in her airport ensemble.

We could get past the makeup-less face (everyone has bad days, right?) but we really wish Faith had gotten her hands on a hairbrush before leaving the house. That's what ponytails are for!

Even though this startled us, we have faith that Faith will get it together next time.

First of all, when Ms. Leffler says "we're totally in support of the au natural look", I don't believe her. It's like saying "I don't mean to be rude, but... I don't like your -insert something here-." Yes, you did mean to be rude; you just wanted to get away with it.

To be honest, taking the low-quality photograph into account, raw Faith Hill looks pretty good. I think the camera flash is making her face a little washed out, but if I sat next to someone with her face on an airport, I'd think she was a pretty good-looking lady, especially if I knew she was already 44 years old. I might even compliment her.

So the message Ms. Leffler just sent to all women who read those four measly paragraphs? This is not good enough. You should be ashamed to walk out in public if you don't look like this.

If you don't think that's all that much of an issue--that really, girls know better than that--why did I have so many roommates in college who apologized profusely every time they come down for breakfast "without their face on"? Why is it that I'm more worried what the women around me think of a new haircut than what my husband thinks? (He simply doesn't care, because it doesn't significantly change what I look like to him--always beautiful. In his words, "You can look more hot... or slightly less hot... but you're still hot.")

I wish Ms. Leffler had chosen to present this message instead: "Guess what, women of the world? If you look like this without makeup, you too can look absolutely stunning with a little makeup, hair styling, and perhaps a Photoshop airbrush!" That's always nice to hear. So, since Ms. Leffler didn't send that message, let me:

Ladies, never forget that even celebrities look average "without their faces on". Don't compare your makeupless face or your unstyled hair or your unairbrushed skin to their heavily makeupped face, professionally styled hair, and airbrushed skin. Believe it or not: you are just as beautiful as the celebrities are.