The latest celebrity to stir the internet is Kylie Jenner No Makeup, who has taken to Instagram to flaunt a minimalist makeup look. Created by Ariel Tejada, the Kardashians’ regular makeup artist, the youngest of the K clan and founder of Kylie Cosmetics, appears with dewy skin, perfectly shaped eyebrows, and a light burgundy lip color. She claims she “doesn’t need too much makeup” because she has “natural beauty.” This post sparked anger among social media users, highlighting the irony of the Kylie Jenner No Makeup look, who popularized lip injections as a teenager, now wielding the word “natural.”
The Beauty Myth and Prescribed Behaviors
In her 1990s book The Beauty Myth, Naomi Wolf wrote that “the ‘beauty myth’ is always actually prescribing behavior and not appearance.” She referred to the notion that the ultimate goal of beauty justified the means to achieve it, from strict diets to compulsive cosmetic purchases and plastic surgery. These behaviors became ingrained in many women’s routines, absorbing their time and energy while compelling them to consume products promising youth, thinness, or attractiveness.
Wolf further argued that as women became legally and financially independent, they faced more pressure to adhere to unrealistic, often unattainable, beauty standards generated by the media. The Beauty Myth was published long before the effects of overexposure to new beauty standards, such as those created by the Kardashian family, or the insecurities generated by Instagram filters could be observed.
The Evolution of Beauty Standards
In the post-Me Too era, as women’s everyday issues became part of the public conversation, the pressure around physical appearance came to the fore. Concepts like self-care and body positivity have become part of popular vocabulary. Women’s relationship with their physical appearance and the tools they use to alter it has permeated media discourse.
Some women have reclaimed makeup as self-expression, countering the idea that wearing too much makeup signifies insecurity or a desire for male attention. Meanwhile, the natural or no-makeup makeup trend uses discreet cosmetics to avoid heavy coverage. However, journalist Chloe Arnold noted in her Vox article “The Paradox of Kylie Jenner No Makeup” that this trend still involves beauty rituals and consumption. Additionally, women who can afford this look still conform to traditional beauty standards.
The Irony of Natural Beauty
“Natural beauty is definitely not something that should be in this family’s vocabulary,” wrote a commenter on Kylie’s post. “Y’all all paid for your faces/bodies to change; nothing natural about it.” In a 2015 Care Up With The Kardashians episode, at just 18 years old, Kylie Jenner admitted to having received lip fillers. The rest of her physical changes, whether from cosmetic surgery or not, remain a secret. However, media and fans speculate about Jenner’s apparent rhinoplasty, possible breast augmentation, buttock augmentation, and liposuction.
Jenner attributes her body changes post-pregnancy to her two children and her subsequent weight loss and sculpted figure to an addiction to “walking and Pilates.” Within the excessive artifice of the Kardashian circus, Kylie seeks to highlight her naturalness at all times.
The Reality Behind the Image of Kylie Jenner No Makeup
Whether or not her aesthetic enhancements are true, the reality is that Kylie Jenner, as part of one of the most profitable families in the United States and owner of a million-dollar cosmetics business, has an easier time than most women achieving a flawless look. As Naomi Wolf pointed out, what Kylie Jenner is prescribing is an entire behavior: the inexhaustible, albeit brief, work around the myth of beauty, even though it’s now labeled as natural. Perhaps the greatest irony of Kylie Jenner’s performance is that, to show how little makeup she needs, she requires her trusted makeup artist.
Conclusion
Kylie Jenner No Makeup appearance offers a glimpse into the complexities of authenticity and self-presentation in the digital age. While Jenner may tout her natural beauty, her journey is intertwined with a legacy of cosmetic enhancements and a multi-million dollar empire built upon the very products and procedures she now seems to eschew.
As society grapples with the dichotomy between embracing one’s natural features and succumbing to societal pressures, it’s essential to acknowledge the privilege inherent in Jenner’s narrative. For many, achieving the same level of flawlessness requires resources far beyond reach.