With all their skin in the game

The microscope trained on female aesthetics is changing slides. The Miss Universe pageant has altered its rules to include married women and moms. From 2023 onwards, the marital status of the contestants will not matter anymore, equalising the playing field somewhat. Even if the intentions are for the sake of woke or for optics, it is still a giant step for womankind. From now on, they can go about saying yes or no to marriage proposals and plan the number of family members without worrying that they cannot participate in beauty contests, phew.

While this rule would seem to be from the outside, it reflects what women have gone through and are subjected to in the areas of ageism and other types of misogyny, major and minor. In another subtle yet powerful move in the same arena where looks and lighting are everything, a contestant chose to go without makeup. Melisa Raouf recently walked the Miss England ramp all natural-faced, making headlines around the world for this bold historic move -- this is the first time someone has done this.

If feminists were to tear this trend apart, the question of essence would be: is makeup done with men in mind or for the woman herself? But here in the microcosm and intense pressure-cooker world of aggressive scrutiny, to dare to go bare-faced is rebellion at its most raw -- at skin level. Pitting girl against girl is never a comfortable or sorority situation, and in that battlefield, everyone is inclined to succumb to insecurities. Makeup becomes not just an aid or enhancement, but also a crucial life-saving mask between a judging world and one's own coverup of fears, both internal and external. To give up that armament and go into battle, knowing fully well that you can be seen exactly as you are, builds an armour out of vulnerabilities.

Bit by bit perhaps the beauty world is understanding its inherent redundancy and, to safeguard its commercial prospects, is allowing the candidates themselves to shape the architecture of its future. There was one who refused to wear swimsuits, one who wore a burkini, and now the one who says 
no makeup, please.

The natural look has traditionally been a clever sleight of hand, when all cosmetic products are used in a way to disguise that anything has been used at all. But to actually eschew lipstick, mascara, eye shadow, concealer and foundation is a brave, brave act. In an era when celebrities are slathering their toddlers with makeup for an Instagram post, when even everyday routine stepping out involves some amount of sunscreen and lip balms, to say no to 'glow' and 'shine' and a 'radiant you' takes courage.

If Melisa wins, at least her blush won't advertise any brand of rouge.

Shinie Antony is an author. She can be reached at shinieantony@gmail.com.