Make-up: A Sign of Insecurity? Hmm...

Hey Kingdom!

For all you G.O.G.'s out there who wear make-up, do you think it promotes not accepting yourself au naturale? What is your relationship with make-up?

Let's discuss this more with the uber talented make-up artiste and entrepenuer extraordinaire of Inner Reflections: Jiomarys Alers.

Jiomarys has been doing make-up for 11 years and currently runs her own successful beauty and skin care business. When asked by G.I.F.T. why she decided to become a make-up artist she says:

" I like to help free people and give them the courage to be proud of who they are and own it withOUT feeling guilty. I grew up in a domestic violence home (it was very confusing, demoralizing, fearful) shattering my self-image, self-esteem feeling very guilty and “wrong” for having the personality I have.  I held myself in bondage at a very young age. Any hint of joy, comfort, freedom I can give anyone makes it worth it for me and makes me feel accomplished."

Then we got down to the nitty gritty.  We asked, from her experience as a Christian woman in the make-up and beauty industry, how she views the relationship between make-up and beauty. She responded:

"Beauty is defined in the dictionary as the quality present in a thing or person that gives intense pleasure or deep satisfaction to the mind, whether arising from sensory manifestations, a meaningful design or pattern, or something else. I say beauty is defined by each individual. Make-up is like clothing or a hairstyle, I wear things that express who i am as a person or how i may be feeling on any given day. Makeup is a form of art; it's an expression, playful, descriptive and its used to make a statement, just like when using accessories, shoes or a new do. "

Jiomarys Alers of Inner Reflections

We then addressed the contention that women of faith who wear make-up exhibit a lack of self-acceptance by asking the artiste: What about the people who believe make-up is actually hiding one's face, or that make-up promotes not accepting yourself the way you are without make-up? She responded by saying:

"I don't promote hiding one's self, but if someone doesn't accept one's self already, I am there to prove there is beauty, and all I've done is enhance what has always been there and gone unnoticed, in the hopes that once that person wipes off all the makeup, they are enlightened and truly see their beauty unmasked and love it-love themselves. Sometimes people need to be "encouraged" a bit before they see for themselves how truly beautiful they are underneath it all. I believe it takes a certain kind of confidence to use makeup and make a statement and also go a day withOUT it and be completely comfortable and happy with both."

She adds:

"”….trust me, a set of eye-lashes and a bit of color can drastically change a woman’s self-esteem, but I like to help them realize that the beauty has ALWAYS been there, I just enhanced it. So it’s not the makeup, it’s the person underneath it all!  I also help women rejuvenate their skin and look youthful within 20 minutes, so my work doesnt always involve makeup."

When asked what she loves most about her passion and purpose, she said: "My mission/purpose is to enhance the beauty that every woman has but doesn't see, boosting their self-image. I love empowering women (everyone) mentally, physically, emotionally, etc… if a touch of color can do that, I’m happy! I love a face full of freckles or gapped teeth, why not embrace it? I just want to share INNER PEACE - it's an amazing, lovely, liberating, joyous feeling. That’s a big deal to me."

So...G.O.G.'s,  do you feel confident when not wearing make-up, or do you even wear it at all? We want to hear your thoughts in the comment section!

Check out some of her work:

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Jiomarys is based in the NYC and CT area. She is currently working on her first fashion line based in New York. To contact her at Inner Reflections: 413-221-1327 And to cop some of the products used by Jiomarys go to: www.amway.com/InnerReflections.


Peace and Love!


xoxo,
G.I.F.T.