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Leave it to the Today Show to copy the bloggers. Tomorrow, May 14th, is Mummy Mayhem's Bloggers without Makeup day, but separate from this online event, Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb broadcast the Today Show make-up free in response to Rosie O'Donnell's flip accusations that Kathie Lee had work done on her face. The two women challenged O'Donnell to a no makeup duel and O'Donnell agreed, joining the broadcast via Skype.
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It's interesting how Gifford and Kotb refer to their makeup as "protection" and putting their "game face on" because that's precisely the wall that Mummy Mayhem proposes that bloggers should tear down with her Bloggers without Makeup movement.
Her idea was born after she realized that while she was presenting her honest self within her writing, her picture didn't reflect how she looked the majority of the time. She asked why we all choose the most flattering pictures and then additionally photoshop them in order to skew our visual representation all the while letting all of our faults flow via our words.
She took an honest picture of herself, sans makeup, and posted it on her blog, encouraging others to change their Twitter profile for the day or post a picture of themselves on their blog.
This Friday, 14 May, I am going to proclaim it "Bloggers Without Makeup Day", but open to bloggers and tweeps. I'm going to use the above photo on my Twitter account ALL DAY on Friday. I'm going to put a trending topic attached to it, #BloggersWithoutMakeup, and I'm going to show all of you the real me and, in turn, perhaps practice a bit of what I preach. If you have a blog, you could also post a pic like mine on your blog (if you dare) and tweet it on Friday. I'm not going to quit the more glam shots all together. I just figured, why should we be afraid to show our true selves?
Mummy Mayhem is collecting others who are jumping on-board with a linky feature so people can peruse all of the "naked" bloggers. Ever wonder what Wanderlust looks like sans makeup? What about Polka Dot Rabbit or Tina Grey? Now you can see a face that unabashedly says, "this is me" to match the writing.
Why are smart, sassy women -- such as Gifford and Kotb and numerous bloggers -- so frightened to show what they look like without makeup? When did we become comfortable telling people about a yeast infection or our marital issues, but draw the line at letting them see us without mascara? And even if you don't put on a full face of makeup every morning, be honest--did you choose a profile picture that accurately reflects how you look on a normal day or did you scroll through all the pictures on your computer, debating which one played up your good points?
Though I've been known to pick out nicer clothes when I'm having someone over whom I don't know well, when my friends are stopping by, they get jeans and a t-shirt. Certainly, people stopping by my blog verbally get jeans and t-shirt Mel who intimately admits to feeling blue or talks about her mammogram. Shouldn't they also visually see jeans and t-shirt Mel when I post a picture?
Do you let honest pictures of yourself go up on your blog or are you guilty of glamming it up while writing about your foibles?
Melissa writes Stirrup Queens and Lost and Found. Her book is Navigating the Land of If.
What makes up the perfect ice cream sundae?
I never wear make up. I have
ShelliPSM May 13, 2010 - 7:38pmI never wear make up. I have a tube of lipstick, and some mascara, which i use when I have an event to go to.
Back in my teen years, I had horrid acne, and my dermatologist told me not to wear it, so I never have.