What is the Smoky Eye and Why Do I Want One
Posted: Monday, November 15, 2010
by Dianne Lehmann
Artisan Jewelry from SyZyGy
Many years ago when I was in my middle twenties or so, I went one day for my weekly visit with my mom. When I arrived, she was in her bathroom with a bewildering array of makeup in front of her. She had liquid foundations, pressed powders, eye liners and lipsticks all laid out. She had obviously already been trying many of them.
My mom had worn makeup to one extent or another most of her adult life, so it wasn't unusual to see her applying it. What was unusual was that she was using colors that you would see more on a teenager than a 50 something. Doing a 180 from her normal color palette she had pastels and iridescent colors set out. She had just returned from visiting her brother and sister-in-law and had also seen one of my cousins (actually only a few years younger than me) for a bit. So when I said, "Hey mom, whatcha doin'," I got this explanation. It seems that my cousin had a "dewy" complexion and my mom was determined to get one for herself. Never mind that more than thirty years separated the two of them in age and that I had always had a "dewy" complexion. It seemed like I'd battled the "oilys" all my life.
When I finally asked her why she was so determined to copy my cousin's complexion, she said it was because it was so young and fresh and moist and she wanted to look young again. More likely she wanted to feel young again. Short of a miracle, the looking young again just wasn't going to happen. Luckily, I'd come far enough along in my personal development that I didn't point this out to her. Wonder of wonders.
Mom said she had quizzed my cousin about her makeup and the look and had found out that it was indeed called "dewy." That wasn't just my mom's take on it. So here we had makeup manufacturers putting out all sorts of makeup that would make you look fresh and dewy. Well, they are always touting freshness even today. Nothing changes really.
Today it is the smoky eye. Apparently the I've-just-been-punched-in-the-face look is all the rage right now. I've seen at least one commercial on television with Drew Barrymore (I think it was) saying that if you used this product, you too could have smoky eyes. To me (and I do wear makeup, just not a lot of it and not all the time) it just looked like she had applied about a weeks worth of dark colors to her eyes. It was way over the top. Why advertisers think the average woman wants to look like that I will never know. And thankfully, most of the women I encounter in a day out and about have not fallen into the smoky-eye-I-think-I'll-imitate-a-raccoon trap. Not yet anyway.
I'm not against makeup. As I've said, I do wear makeup. I guess it's more the way they promote it that has me a bit riled. No, more than a bit. They make it seem that if you are not using their makeup and achieving the look that they have decided is most desirable then you have failed somewhere on your how-to-be-a-modern-woman exam.
Once, many years ago (gosh but it seems like all the more interesting things happened to me in my past; that's a sad state of affairs, I should write sometime about meeting Mick Jagger) a woman and her very young (probably not more than ten years old) daughter came into the shop where I was working. The mother wore no makeup, had her hair pulled back in a plain pony tail and was dressed rather boringly. Okay, that last is really a matter of opinion rather than fact. When you consider that I think the character Abby on NCIS dresses very interestingly and not at all boringly you have a little better barometer.
When the pair walked up to me with their purchases, the young girl said to me, "Why do you have pink on your eyes?" I felt I was certain that I knew what this was about even without the annoying, self-satisfied, smirking smile on her mother's face. So I answered the little thing honestly and said, "Because I don't like blue or green" (I've always preferred more naturally occurring colors for my makeup, not that blue and green don't occur naturally if you've been punched in the eye). You should have seen her mother's face then. And the little thing was totally confused. Obviously that was not what they expected. Ooh, and I missed out on the lecture about self-esteem and how I didn't need makeup in order to feel good about myself. Bad me.
Oh goodness! I seem to have forgotten what my point was supposed to be. Getting old, I guess. You know, you start to tell a story that has some self-stipulated value, get all bound up in the story telling and forget entirely why you were telling it.
Oh, I think this is it: One shouldn't worry whether or not one is current with the makeup fashion of the day. One shouldn't worry that people will judge one based on how they look. People will judge one regardless of what one does or how one looks, so don't worry about it. It's a done deal. If one is happy wearing no makeup or so much that it looks like it was put on with a trowel that is one's business and no one else's.
As for the smoky eye, just for the heck of it, I tried achieving it with what I had on hand (I've just always been thrifty that way). I was not pleased with the result. I looked like I was ready for Halloween or someone who had fallen prey to an old practical joke. I'll just stick to my tried and true makeup routine and leave the smoky eyes, dewy complexions and whatever else they come up with to the celebrities who seem to care a whole lot more about what people think of them. In all honesty, though, I should point out that it has only been in the last couple of years that I have become comfortable going anywhere without wearing any makeup. But that's not the point of this article. What was that again? Oh well. No matter. Bye for now.
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Top-level comments on this article: (5 total)Another great article Dianne, with a few chuckles. Loved what you said about Abby's manner of dress. I too almost always wear makeup, tho lately have been comfortable just slapping on some lipstick and eyebrow pencil...mine are nearly invisible. :) My mom never really approved of my make up, but she arrived unannounced one day when I had none on, and she couldn't be convinced that I wasn't sick. :)Hi Joyce.
Thanks so much and I was hoping that someone might find it at least a little bit amusing.
You know, even though my mom wore foundation and all the rest, she never really approved of the way I put mine on or the colors I chose. I was a teenager when white lipstick was popular. What the heck was up with that?
But you know, that she thought you were sick when she saw you without it is priceless.
Thanks for reading and commenting.
Hugs,
Dianne
I was a Mary Kay consultant back about 16 years ago and still have a lot of the cosmetics in the closet. I love wearing just lipstick (in this dry climate you have to or have cracked lips bigger than the Royal Gorge!) When I dress up I might use mascara, a hint of eye shadow and touch of blush. Haven't worn foundation since my MK days and that is the only time I ever did. I hear you!Hi Marijo.
It used to take me forever to get out of the house. All the stuff I'd put on my face really slowed down getting ready. Now, if I just want to go to the supermarket or Home Depot or the like, I don't even bother with it. Bernd can't believe it. When we first met is when it took me the longest time to get ready. And I wouldn't dare be seen without it. Meant I had to get up really early if we had house guests. Now I just don't give a dang. :) Getting old, I guess. :) :)
Thanks for stopping by.
Hugs,
DianneMaybe it is that we are getting much more comfortable with who we really are? YES!!!I like that much better!
I've always lusted after having red hair, fair skin and lots of freckles. I got the Scottish temper but nothing else, it's not fair. Maybe next lifetime - oh, and goody, then I can have a dewy complexion!I've tried the smokey eye look and succeeded only in looking severely bashed about - then I couldn't get the damn stuff off! I think as women get older they look better with more subtle makeup. My worst is women who wear foundation that's way too thick and too dark, so they can look like they have a tan.Hi Jennifer.
I love your sense of humor! But what's this about having a Scottish temper? Really? I've seen no evidence of that in your writing. Maybe you should let it out sometime. That could be really fun. Really.
Since you've tried it for yourself, you know just what I am talking about. For sure, I think you are right about subtle makeup being better as you age. And I've seen those women you are talking about with tons of foundation. Yuck!
Thanks for stopping by!
Hugs,
Dianne
My wife has always been current in the makeup fashion of the day (at least her day). She wears no makeup, never has. When I met her in 1970, she wore no makeup and I loved the look, her look. Shortly after we were married, we were going out to a special event and she emerged from the bathroom wearing makeup. I asked her 'why?', and she said she wanted to look good. I told her she always looks good and doesn't need something out of a bottle to prove it. She's never worn makeup since.Hi David.
What a gentleman! I say that even knowing that you were being honest with her. And what a woman to be so secure with herself that she can forgo the simple fix for insecurity. Wish I had that fortitude. There are still occasions wherein I would not consider not putting on my makeup ... little as it is.
Thanks for reading and for adding your thoughts!
Hugs,
Dianne
We should talk Dianne. I've just been thrown into the beauty business. I happen to love the smokey eye, however, I understand your reaction to it and the advertising. I think women should dress and apply makeup that looks good on them, not what looks good on Drew Barrymore. I feel sad for women who are so taken in by what they read. Young women think they should look like their favourite celebrity idols and older women think makeup should make them look twenty years younger. It's crazy and I actually just wrote an article on it. My computer is down currently and I’m on my husbands catching up on my reading. Hopefully I’ll have it back within a week or so and can post it. I enjoyed this article. The title caught my 'smokey eye'. :)Hi Brianna.
I have to admit that I have seen the smoky eye done well and it looks great and mysterious on the fashion models. And as I've said, I've got nothing against make up or wearing it. Mostly my beef if with the advertisers. Well really you said it all in your comment and you said it very well. I'm just trying (and not really succeeding) to respond as nicely in return. :)
I am eagerly awaiting your article. Get that computer working! :)
Hugs,
DianneP.S. I certainly hope that wasn't you that Marijo was talking about ... but I have to wonder ...Dianne, this piece is a hoot! And so very true. When I saw the Drew Barrymore ad you write about, I thought it was some kind of joke, like a Monty Python or Saturday Night Live fake-ad sketch. Who in their right mind would stay indoors looking like that, let alone go out in public. Scary! Anyway, I find that the women who are most beautiful are those who are beautiful inside. Then it simply doesn't matter what makeup or how much they wear. Ironically, such women don't often need to add much to what their interior beauty and God have given them, they naturally are beautiful. Thanks for writing this.Hi George.
A lot of today's commercials on TV impress me that way. But for me it's more along the lines of the "commercials" in the RoboCop movies.
It all comes back to being happy with what you've got. If you are constantly wanting to be something you are not or look like someone else, you can never be happy. There are so many ways this message is sent to us that it is truly frightening.
By the way, I applaud your use of the word hoot. I thought I was one of the few people who still used and appreciated it. :)
Thanks for reading and adding your thoughts. I appreciate it.
Hugs,
Dianne
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