NOW that the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) has declared the SK-II products sold in Singapore are safe, women can with ease of mind use these products to whiten their complexions and delay the ageing process.
When women are discontented with themselves, there is always a demand for such products and their seductive promises. As long as we refuse to accept the natural process of ageing and fight tooth-and-nail to halt or reverse it, the market will continue to be saturated with ads that promise to turn women into Cinderellas.
So it is reassuring to know that the HSA has taken the effort to test and ensure the safety of the SK-II products.
But what about other beauty products sold here? Should we wait for a cue from other countries that raise the alarm first before we take the necessary steps?
Could we instead set the standard for others to benchmark their products with proactive testing? We could work towards the goal that if it is safe in Singapore, it would be considered safe to use in other regions.
That aside, this recent incident has made me reflect on why some women feel so naked without make-up.
Why do we have to put on a mask daily to hide our true faces? Why are we so afraid to grow old or to proclaim our real age?
After fighting so hard to be emancipated from the clutches of gender stereotypes and male dominance, why are we enslaving ourselves to a particular image that is most often defined by the advertising industry, which is dominated by men?
When I got married in the 1980s, it was typical of most brides to engage professional make-up artists. Often when the latter was done with the bride, the bridegroom would have a shock as the make-up artist would have transformed her into a stranger.
My husband not only insisted that I did not engage a make-up artist but also that I did not put on make-up after we got married. He said that cosmetics would only produce a temporary illusion and, in the long run, hasten the ageing process.
Eighteen years and six children later, many people still cannot believe that I am "over the hill" at 43, with a 17-year-old son at my side. But even without make-up, my face has remained firm and smooth with hardly a visible crow's foot line.
I am neither a scientist nor a beautician and I cannot provide any definitive reason or evidence for why I have managed to keep my skin in such good condition.
And yes, when I reached the big 40, I was plagued with insecurities and doubts about whether I was still attractive as a woman — as I am constantly confronted with images of beautiful, youthful women through the mass media.
Yet, I can continue to have engaging and fun conversations with men. They still enjoy my company despite my less-than-flawless skin and far-from-ideal weight (did I mention I have six kids?).
Perhaps it is time we give men more credit. There are those who enjoy being in the company of authentic, confident women, rather than pandering to the whims and fancies of women whose beauty is adulterated with layers of cream and face paint.
This article first appeared in TODAY on 27th September 2006
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1 comment:
What can I say? I usually like girls without make up as they look natural. I love photography and of course, taking photos of others and myself. Putting on make up does make someone look perfect in the photo but there are somethings to note too. Let's move into the digital photography world.
However, (ok...let me talk from a photographer's point of view) we forget the idea of photography. It's supposed to bring out the natural side of someone. You can pose, you can make silly faces but you can never hide your true self. Put more makeup lah, then when you sneeze, got avalanche.
I do not take photos for/with people who put makeup. Unless I do not know that you put makeup cuz you're always doing so. I actually try my best to make them look good by using Adobe Photoshop. I think this is better. Though it's another kind of makeup.
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