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What I Learn from Stars without Makeup
By Leslie Wilson
I threaded my way through the crowded aisle to pick up Blue Bell Moo-lineum Crunch right before I checked out at Wal-mart. In the ongoing Texas heat, I don't like to leave such fabulous ice cream sitting (and, potentially, melting) in my grocery cart -- or my car -- for too long! I joined the throng of folks waiting at the checkout and pulled up the email on my phone. Not much had come in during the hour I'd bought our weekly groceries. I turned my gaze to the magazine rack before me.
I saw Lindsay Lohan squinting in bright sunlight and thought, Wow, for someone so young, she sure has a lot of wrinkles. Hard living, perhaps? Then I noticed the bold headline of that particular gossip magazine: "Stars Without Makeup."
Knowing I had at least 10 more minutes before I would even reach the conveyor belt, I grabbed the issue and turned to the section of makeup-less starlets. As I flipped through page after page of the unmade-up faces (taken right before or after workouts or, maybe, on a dreaded walk of shame after a hard night of partying), I came to realize several things:
Seeing picture after picture of them caught off guard as they attempted to dash incognito to the farmer's market, I actually felt sorry for them. Not that they need makeup to help them achieve their definition of beauty, but thankful for my anonymity. I wouldn't like it if my blemishes, laugh lines and wrinkles made headlines. I'd want to hide if my unmade-up face became fodder for other women's laughter and/or pity. However, not being famous, that's not likely to happen in the foreseeable future. Reason No. 3,972 I'm glad to not be famous. (Some days I think how much fun it would be, but most of the time I realize what a nightmare life it would bring.)
I noticed how much work they've had done. Some of the photos had side-by-side pics of these glamorous women before and after makeup. A quick trip to walk the dog on a brisk New York morning becomes tomorrow's headline -- with them as the butt of the beauty (or lack thereof) jokes. Equally as disturbing are the after photos, which make me wonder just how much foundation and powder they must have caked on their faces. Freckles and pimples disappear completely. Eyes that seem small and beady appear huge and boast long, luscious eyelashes. All I can say it that make-up artists really earn their living in Hollywood and New York City.
These pictures make me realize our external features are merely a shell. It's what's on the inside that counts. I don't care if someone won an Oscar, Emmy or Grammy. I care if they stay married or work hard at being a good mom. And for those things, having a pretty face and a cute figure actually matters very little.
Finally, the Stars Without Makeup issue makes me realize that physically beauty is short-lived. Twenty years ago, a different set of women graced these magazines. The current It Girls weren't even born. In another 10 years, many of these ladies will have faded from view, even perhaps from our memories. True inner beauty -- in all shapes and forms -- lasts a lifetime, and women get even more beautiful as they age, gaining wisdom, perspective, peace and joy.
As I finally reached the checkout, I put the magazine back in the rack. But I said a little prayer thanking God that I'm not famous.
Author/Speaker Leslie Wilson blogs at www.lesliewilson.com. Follow her on Twitter @LesliePWilson or like her Facebook fan page: Leslie Wilson.
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