English Version | As old as the hills

07 Feb 2023
By Mariana Silva

This popular expression refers to something ancient. Because makeup is just that: it is as old as the hills. Centuries have passed since the first paints were applied to the face, and since then several generations have shaped beauty habits to their measure. Times change, makeup changes.

This popular expression refers to something ancient. Because makeup is just that: it is as old as the hills. Centuries have passed since the first paints were applied to the face, and since then several generations have shaped beauty habits to their measure. Times change, makeup changes.

Since its creation, two major battles have been fought on the Internet. The first started because of a dress, more precisely because of its color. Blue and black or gold and white? Opinions were divided, insults were left in comment boxes, and years later, academic essays were written years later that put an end to doubts about the phenomenon (by the way, the experts concluded that the dress was blue and black). The second major battle is, above all, generational, and there seems to be no end in sight. People born between 1981 and 1996, better known as Millennials, and those born after 1997, members of Generation Z, seem to disagree on any and all issues that arise in the digital world. From the name given to stretchy pants (leggings or yoga pants?) to the actual holder of the Y2K title, there are several discussions that separate the modus operandi of these two generations. And one of the topics that tends to generate more controversy is makeup. Apply foundation with a sponge or a brush? Lipstick matte or gloss? Defining the eyebrows or embracing the au naturel look? Three questions among so many that characterize the makeup habits of each generation.

Patrícia Lima, makeup artist and regular contributor to Vogue Portugal, recognizes these differences not only in her atelier, but in the heart of her own home. "I have an 18-year-old daughter who is very creative, and her friends, and she, are the biggest source of inspiration for me," says the specialist. "For example, now the 90s trend is starting to appear again. We already see Kate Moss in a campaign with thin eyebrows, as she used to wear in the 90s, and we are still very prejudiced, because we have very marked references of what the 90s were for us. But my daughter's friends have gone from bleached eyebrows to thin eyebrows." If it is up to those who lived through the 90s to alert today's young people to the dangers of extreme eyebrow waxing, that is a story for another day. What is important to take from this example is that, according to Patrícia Lima, the creativity and experimentalism that characterizes Generation Z is leading to the creation of real trendsetters. "There are young people way ahead, and way ahead of a good part of us, mature creatives working in this area (...). A few years ago it was unthinkable. Young women didn't wear make-up. Even adult women worn very little make-up. Not today. Today young girls grow up already experimenting with make-up", comments the make-up artist.

What could be behind this adoption, perhaps early adoption, of makeup? Social media tends to be pointed out as the cause of any distinctive behavior of the generations that grew up with the digital world. However, in this case, Patrícia Lima considers that the online presence only came to amplify a need that already existed in the past. "I think that now there is a greater concern with inserting oneself in a group. Some authenticity has been lost, but there is also a greater freedom to be different. There are these two sides, which I think have to do with education, with people's personalities (...)." The diffusion of different social groups on the Internet has on the one hand, increased the number of possibilities when it comes to the person one can be. But on the other hand, it also means that as human beings we continue to use our image to fit into a certain community. Whether we are a Wednesday or an Enid, a coastal grandmother or a baddie, there will always be canons that define the belonging to each group, and many of them impact our tastes and preferences in the makeup world.

Using makeup as a factor of social integration is not something that is only carried out among the younger generation. Patrícia Lima believes that, in fact, this is the reason that explains many of the trends adopted by different generations. Take for example contouring, a make-up technique to perfect facial features. Popular belief dictates that it was the Millennials who spread the use of contouring, but the makeup artist notes that its popularity emerged at the same time as a reality show that, though we may not want to admit it, has shaped society in many ways: Keeping Up with the Kardashians. Beyond makeup techniques - of which contouring is one of the most prominent - this family has popularized a lifestyle, and so more than age, it is the demand for that same lifestyle that can dictate the adoption (or not) of this and other makeup techniques. There is another factor to consider when we approach the beauty habits of millennials. As Patrícia Lima says, "women who are now in their 20s and early 30s have entered during a phase of change (...) in makeup consumption.” On the one hand, they feel the social freedom to go further when it comes to their beauty choices, but, on the other hand, being already in a professional stage, their creative side can become more inhibited. That's why, for the make-up artist, what reigns in this generation is the expression of "personality", namely "if they like a more perfect skin, more opaque, if they like a very natural skin, if they are sexier, if they like a smoky eye", which may explain the diversity of styles existing today.

Of course, the debate about what is "right" in makeup is not exclusive to the generations mentioned above. Boomers (people born between 1946 and 1964) and Generation X (from 1965 to 1980) were responsible for revolutionizing various aspects of beauty that we now consider trivial, such as the demand for cosmetic surgery and, in particular, the application of botox. Right now, these generations are the biggest consumers of anti-aging products in the cosmetic market, and this is no exception when it comes to makeup. "Normally, older people, more mature people, also in terms of personality, are more attached to a certain image. (...) Their biggest fear is that they look older or that their wrinkles become more highlighted", explains Patrícia Lima, based on her professional experience. To answer these requests, the makeup artist uses various techniques that help minimize the appearance of wrinkles on more mature skin and shared some of the most important with Vogue Portugal. Let's start with foundation: "[it is important] To use a foundation and dark circles concealers that do not crease too much and bring some freshness to the skin. Usually these are more moisturizing foundations, often with light-reflecting pigments (...). The more matte the foundation is, the more the skin looks thick and heavy in terms of 'age'." Patrícia Lima continues her list of suggestions, explaining that "everything that is iridescent, that is, that has shimmer particles, accumulates in the fine lines, in the wrinkles, and ends up creasing more." Therefore, "shadows with glitter, highlighters, blushes [with iridescent pigments] end up marking the skin texture much more." If we want to offer some luminosity to the skin without falling into these traps, the makeup artist advises using "cream products," paying attention to "the amount, because cream also accumulates." Another point that should also be considered is the definition of the lips. "With age, we lose some definition of the contour of the lips and wrinkles end up making lipstick smear more easily," clarifies Patrícia Lima. In this sense, the makeup artist advises to "use an eyeliner pencil, which helps both to give shape and to protect the lipstick" from smudging. The last suggestion has to do with the colors of the makeup look: "Cold and dark tones always end up weighing you down a bit. So, it is important that, in the choice of shades, we try, at least in some points, to use the ones that are fresher, warmer, like pinks or peaches, to bring some freshness to the makeup." Some of these techniques can also be applied on younger faces, but, in those cases, Patrícia Lima says it will be a matter of the "shape of the face," not being so important in terms of age-appropriate makeup.

If there is a lesson to be learned, let it be that, although there are makeup techniques to enhance the natural beauty of various generations, this does not prevent each person from putting their individuality first. More than age, Patrícia Lima believes that preferences and tastes in makeup choice are impacted by "how [people] see themselves, as individuals, in society." That is why, in a few years, some Millennials may adopt the thin eyebrow trend, just as some people from Generation Z, and other generations, will. Age is just one factor, among many, that defines a person's predisposition to prefer a certain look over another. Now, if are there prejudices? Of course, prejudices are also as old as the hills. During my research for this article, I found myself in the middle of a generational battleground. A video, posted on YouTube, explained the differences in the way the two digital generations - Millennials and Generation Z – did their makeup, without being able to hide their bias towards one of the generations. In the comments, each person, defending their birth year, uttered words like "right," "wrong," "good," and "bad," and I couldn't help but wonder how those terms don't fit with the way I view makeup. What I love most about this world is being able to explore it without believing that there are right and wrong techniques, right or wrong steps. There are people who use brushes to bring out the best in them. If we want to talk about "right" and "wrong", let's talk about that. Wrong is not a 70-year-old person wearing red lipstick to buy bread. Wrong are the people who see a problem in that. And those can go hang out in the hills.

Originally translated from Vogue Portugal's The Innocence Issue, published February 2023.Full story and credits on the print issue.

Mariana Silva By Mariana Silva

Relacionados


Moda  

NYFW Backstage | BEVZA outono/inverno 2025

11 Feb 2025

Palavra da Vogue  

O que lhe reservam os astros para a semana de 11 a 17 de fevereiro

11 Feb 2025

Moda   Coleções  

NYFW Backstage | Christian Cowan outono/inverno 2025

10 Feb 2025

Tendências   Guestlist  

Beautification, a nova Era da beleza

10 Feb 2025