Worji Martul: Do You Really Need That Much Lip Liner?

I love seeing women beautify themselves. Getting ready is an entrancing process and is sometimes actually more exciting than the actual reason/place/person we are getting ready for (I enjoy getting ready for weddings, I hate weddings themselves. Shout out if you are in the same category).

The getting ready process: body scrubs, warms showers, beautifully scented and lush body creams, the sensuality of rubbing all that into smooth chocolatey skin, the warmth, the smoothness, the delicious scents. All a daily ritual which is an intensely sensual experience.

Then moving on to the vanity table to continue the primping, the change from basic normal to pepperdemgang fabulous. It is really amazing; the flattering colours, choosing what features to highlight and which to conceal depending on our mood, and how we feel and what God has blessed us with, looks wise. Sometimes, or most times depending on our choice, make up can speak volumes and send out messages that don’t need to be vocalised. Bright red: fearless go get them woman. You understand what I mean.

Now, there are some make up trends I have been trying to understand without any success. I will need your help to understand them as it is possible that I am just old or feeling left behind.

What is the interest in wearing make up that changes our soft feminine and beautiful features and makes us look like hard faced trannies? Could someone tell me the appeal in highlighting and contouring to the point of looking grey faced and nothing like yourself? I don’t understand the appeal, but I won’t dwell on this as “every Mallam has his own kettle”.

My bone of contention today (please don’t crucify me) is women of African descent and Africans, who over line their lips. I will be really grateful, if someone can take the time to explain the point to me.

Over lining lips is a technique thin-lipped women use to achieve the look of fullness that we are already over abundantly blessed with to give them an illusion of plumpness, so why are we, who are blessed with full and plump well defined mouths. over lining? Sometimes the crime of rounding out the cupids bow (sorry I don’t know how else to describe it) just makes the person look like a caricature of themselves.

It makes zero sense to just copy a trend without understanding the HOWs and the WHYs, and paste it on a sister’s face making her look clownish, rather than glamorous/gorgeous.

The next time you think about over lining your lips, please ask yourself, what point exactly you are trying to make? It unfortunately makes you look, in the most diplomatic terms, less than smart.

I beg do not crucify me, I needed to share and probably understand some things that are  probably over my head.
I promise the next thing I write will be positive and motivating. I am not a hater, just a sister who cares.

Photo Credit: DiversityStudio1 | Dreamstime.com