This post is a little different. I wanted to address something that’s been on my mind lately and get your thoughts on it. I was in the grocery store the other day and I saw a magazine with a celebrity on it. The shocking thing was how crazy her makeup was photoshopped. Like photoshopped to the point where it clearly looked fake. Like almost cartoonish type fake.

I know there’s nothing new about photoshop. It’s been around for a while and probably isn’t going anywhere. In any case, I feel like as a society we are more and more dependent on photoshop. Especially in the blogging world. I feel like if you can’t edit your photos to perfection using photoshop then you don’t get as much attention.

But why is that?

Nothing is perfect in real life. No one looks like that in real life – not even the people in the photos. BUT I do think we have a role to play in that. You see someone’s real makeup with the imperfections and start to critique the person’s beauty or the person’s makeup artist. You see someone’s cellulite or flabs and think ew I can’t believe she has cellulite – she’s a celebrity, what’s wrong with her. Someone doesn’t have the perfect instagram theme with the same colors used throughout or the same background and you are less likely to follow them.

How do we change that?

We need to change ourselves and start to accept that people all have flaws and no one looks like the magazine. I just don’t understand how so many people have the same flaws that celebrities do but then expect celebrities to not have them – are they not people too?

Do I hate Photoshop?

No, it’s an incredibly useful tool. I get using photoshop to make certain details pop and enhance makeup and smooth out the face but there’s a point where it’s just too much. I think it’s useful in makeup to sharpen details because cameras cannot capture colors and details accurately. Also, it can also take makeup to next level by making it look artistic (check out littledustmua on insta!). However, you gotta know when you’re crossing the line.  Like if I can clearly tell that the picture is overly photoshopped, it’s too much. At least make it look a little realistic. Not only do I not like the fake look, I just don’t like the expectation that people have to look unrealistically perfect.

But you like makeup…

I know people are gonna say “oh but you like makeup and makeup is fake.” FIRST OF ALL, makeup is art ok! &  that’s why I like it. Also, it just enhances your natural beauty and I don’t see anything wrong with that. I also think it’s amazing how makeup can just take your look to the next level depending on what you do (i.e contour, fake lashes).

So in summary…

I get wanting to look nice and glam in pictures – who doesn’t want to? I just feel like more and more people rely on photoshop and editing apps to look perfect and it’s to the point where it’s expected. I wish that it wasn’t so expected or the trend would kind of slow down. I don’t disagree that it’s useful, and I agree that sometimes pictures need to be enhanced because cameras cannot capture details or colors accurately, but there’s a point where it needs to stop. I’m not saying that you should never edit pictures or use photoshop – that’s not the point. I just think that while it’s ok to do these things, we should still keep some realness, you know what I mean? Overediting is not cute and that is my point. I just hate when it’s overdone.

Also,

Sorry that my thoughts are kind of all over the place. But that’s the beautiful thing about having my own blog. It’s my own space to write about whatever I want and however I want and that is what I love about blogging! What are your thoughts? Let me know. Also, follow me on insta and let’s be friends! @sayeedah_