Why Alicia Keys Decided To Start The #NoMakeUp Campaign

Posted: June 8, 2016

Alicia Keys, the popular singer, has launched a #Nomakeup campaign. She aims to break the norm – that women in the public eye need to look perfect all the time.

Alicia Keys believes that women who are in the public eye are constantly judged for their appearance, be it for their size or looks. It becomes suffocating at a point and to break this insecurity she stopped wearing make up altogether during photo shoots and performances.

She recalls, “Every time I left the house I would be worried if I didn’t use make up. What if someone wanted a picture?”

The popular singer was tired of the constant judgement of women in the entertainment industry. She highlighted that there is a constant pressure of being perfect in the industry. She felt a need to change her appearance in order to be accepted by others. In order to be accepted, she began to loose her own identity. This led to damaging her self image and self identity. She went to the extent of highlighting the issue in one of her songs, “When a girl cannot be herself.”

Unattainable standards of beauty affecting young women

Studies have shown that cosmetic companies and celebrities create unattainable beauty standards. Many companies with a few exceptions, are projecting an image, that a woman has to look a certain way. When women, especially teenagers and young girls fail to attain these beauty standards, it hurts their self image.

If they do not fall in this bracket of beauty standards, their self worth is damaged. Of course we do not want this to happen. It’s not healthy. It’s evident from Alicia’s case, that make up is not the only key to feeling good and confident. The pressure to look perfect destroyed her internally.

There is no single definition of beauty

By clicking raw photos without make up to promote her campaign she portrays beauty in a different light. This is what I liked the most about the campaign. There’s no single definition of beauty. It can take various forms. That’s what more and more women need to learn. We need to accept and love ourselves the way we are which includes our flaws as well.

Of course, some of us may take the view that Alicia Keys’ campaign doesn’t hold value because she’s beautiful. Not everyone is blessed with striking looks and they have to depend on make up to enhance their features. I personally feel that it’s an individual’s choice to wear make up or not. But one shouldn’t feel pressurized to wear it all the time. And you don’t become less beautiful, if you choose not to wear it. There are other numerous aspects of our personality that make us beautiful.

The #nomakeup movment has caused a chain reaction and a number of celebrity icons like Lady Gaga and Cindy Crawford have clicked no make up selfies and shared it on social media. The campaign is sending out a powerful message to every woman out there and looks like it’s here to stay.

Image Source – BBC.CO.UK