素颜：我就是我

丁翔

Would you dare to bare all in public？ Were not talking nudity here—nothing so crass， but the idea of sharing photos of yourself without the benefit of complexion2）-enhancing foundation3）， eye-framing mascara4） and a pop of colour on your lips and cheeks. Your face， in all its naked glory， staring out from your friends Facebook timelines5） and strangers Instagram feeds. Would you？ I confess， I wouldnt do it. There is a part of me that simply doesnt relish the prospect of being publicly “exposed” without a little cosmetic enhancement.

But many， it seems， are more than happy to embrace bare-faced chic. Search the hashtag #nomakeup on Instagram and youll be greeted with more than 12.3 million images of women of all ages， in various states of facial undress. Going without makeup is the latest social status symbol， inspired by an increasing number of high-profile celebrities prepared to discard their cosmetic facade6）.

Just last week， Adele， whose signature feline7） flick of eyeliner and pale porcelain complexion are a key component of her personal brand， shared a video on Instagram to apologise to fans for cancelling a concert. Explaining her voice “was not in working order，” the singer attracted attention because she confidently and nonchalantly8） revealed the real Adele： the face she sees each morning before makeup artist Michael Ashton sets to work creating her public persona.

Shes not alone： Gwyneth Paltrow， Beyoncé， Cameron Diaz， Madonna， Sharon Stone and Lady Gaga are just some of the stars confidently offering their followers a glimpse of their makeup-free faces. The concept of a usually highly polished celebrity—who would have a retinue of stylists on hand to primp and preen—without her gloss is somewhat refreshing in an image-conscious world.

“There is a certain way that women on TV and in entertainment have to look as part of their jobs，” says Guardian beauty columnist Sali Hughes. “I love the idea that they are demonstrating a different facet to their personality and their life， by letting us see how they look without makeup. I think the no-makeup selfie is great， because it demonstrates the level of artifice that goes in to creating celebrities public image， and its reassuring for many women to see the real person， away from the cameras.”

One such celebrity has taken the concept further， by shaking off the shackles of makeup completely. In a bid to simplify her life and find her “true self” amid the multitude of identities she created in the public eye， Alicia Keys9） penned a poignant song， When a Girl Cant Be Herself， that includes the words： “In the morning from the minute that I wake up / What if I dont want to put on all that makeup / Who says I must conceal what Im made of / Maybe all this Maybelline is covering my self-esteem.”

After much soul-searching， the singer has now pledged “to approach things differently （this time）， regarding my image and allow my real self， as is， to come through.”

In a new trailer for the US edition of reality show The Voice， Keys appears with her complexion bereft10） of cosmetics， revealing the kind of bare-faced， raw beauty rarely seen in a world of highly contrived， over-styled personalities. Some might say its a brave stance against female submission to traditional stereotypes； others simply celebrate such a move away from mask-like makeup.

“I think this growing movement for no makeup is fantastic，” says celebrity makeup artist Mary Greenwell， renowned for her portfolio11） of glossy magazine covers and red-carpet makeovers. “In a world where some really influential women are over-contouring， with really heavily made-up eyes morning， noon and night， we have lost perspective on what makeup is for—to make you feel a bit better when you need it. When you wear too much makeup， it adds years to your face， and seeing women without it shows how gorgeous they can look： natural， healthy and 10 years younger.”

“I hate to see young women addicted to makeup as a mask，” continues Greenwell， whose clientele has included the likes of Cate Blanchett， Victoria Beckham and the late Diana， Princess of Wales. “I see 14-year-old girls made up with layers of caked-on foundation， smokey eyes， the works—at three oclock on a Saturday afternoon.

“Its not about enhancing their own looks， but about striving to emulate celebrities whose lifestyles they admire and aspire to. Adopting the same makeup techniques brings them one step closer， but they are projecting someone elses look on to themselves， and hiding from their true identity. So I love the idea of celebrities going makeup-free and inspiring us all to be confident in who we are， pushing the idea of a great skincare regime to get a healthy， glowing complexion.”

However， even in our enlightened age of female empowerment and supposed equality， the very thought of capturing ourselves on camera， free of face-flattering cosmetics， is enough to send the most confident of women over the edge12）.

My own reticence largely stems from my pre-teen and teenage years， when a trio of spiteful female classmates taunted me relentlessly about my acne-ridden13） skin. A 79p stick of Rimmel14） concealer15） was clumsily applied in a bid to cover the onslaught of hormonal blemishes， but almost certainly drew more unwanted attention to my pubescent16）， spotty skin.

Yet I felt reassured by the presence of makeup， and gradually sought further solace in its confidence-boosting powers. As I slowly learned the tricks of the cosmetics trade， my self-consciousness seeped away and my self-esteem grew. I associated the contents of my makeup bag with the ability to walk tall in public， to head off to fashion college brimming with confidence. As for so many women， cosmetics were as essential a part of my morning routine as cleaning my teeth and brushing my hair.

Later， I went on to work in television， where Id have studio makeup applied by professional artists wielding an array of brushes， skilfully blending a mask of perfection on to my pitted， scarred skin， creating the illusion of a creamy， porcelain-smooth complexion. Theyd shade my lids with smokey hues， creating sultry eyes， and artfully add radiance to my cheeks with rosy-pink blush.

It was empowering17） and addictive but， today， as a home-based freelance journalist and mum of one， I spend the majority of my days bare-faced， and largely liberated from the makeup mask I clung to in my youth. Ill open the door au naturel to couriers but Im not about to pollute social media with my naked face—more a common courtesy to the wider public than vanity on my part. I still love being able to morph into a more glamorous being with considered application of corrector18） and concealer， a dewy foundation and a sweep of eyeliner and mascara.

For years， Ive witnessed firsthand the incredible effort that goes into making models and celebrities look the way they do， and am better versed19） than most in the “magic” of the makeover. Its encouraging to see many models and actresses sharing the “before” shots in their social media output， so other women can see the reality behind the artistry. Surely， that can only restore our own self-esteem， shattered by a proliferation of “perfection” portrayed by amateur Photoshoppers and over-enthusiastic photographic filter users.

Journalist and TV presenter Ginny Buckley says that social media has been very liberating， allowing her to have the ultimate say in the way she is portrayed in public. “The only time I felt my image was controlled was when Ive been photographed for the press or been on television but， on Instagram， I show who I truly am， in all areas of my life. Of course， there are images Im not comfortable sharing but， ultimately， Im not so obsessed with my image that I wont show the reality of life. If Im filming and have some makeup on， thats what I post， but if Im camping in a field with my seven-year-old son， Im equally confident to share that side of me. I love the positive message Adele sent out with her makeup-free selfie： It can only be a good thing for young women to see the effort that goes into creating so-called ‘perfection and that being true to yourself is just as beautiful.”

在这样一个看脸的时代，整形已司空见惯，化妆更是家常便饭。有些场合，化妆是对别人的尊重；有些时候，化妆能让自己赏心悦目；但有些情况下，过盛的妆容反而会令人迷失自己。听听歌手艾丽西亚·凯斯有关素颜的歌，看看阿黛尔在镜头前的真实面容，也许是时候认真思考一下：是否该卸下妆容，把自然、健康的真我呈现在众人面前？

你敢在公共场所暴露无遗么？我们可不是在这儿讨论裸体——没那么粗俗，而是这么个想法：在不用粉底提亮肤色，不用睫毛膏勾勒眼睛，不涂唇彩也不抹腮红的情况下，分享你的照片。你素面朝天，却容光焕发，出现在朋友Facebook的时间线和陌生人的Instagram订阅里。你会这么做吗？我承认，我不会这么做。我就是不太希望自己不施粉黛地“暴露”于众。

然而，似乎很多人十分乐意加入素颜时尚。在Instagram上搜索#素颜#这个标签，你会看到1230多万张年龄各异的女性形态各异的素颜照。随着越来越多备受关注的名人打算放弃面具般的妆容，素颜成了社会地位的最新象征。

阿黛尔个人形象的关键因素就是她那标志性的猫咪眼线和白瓷肤色。上周（原文发于2016年8月27日），她在Instagram上分享了一个视频，为取消演唱会向粉丝们致歉。在解释说自己的声音“不在工作状态”时，这位歌星引来了不少关注，因为她自信而淡定地展现了真实的自我：就是每天早晨在化妆师迈克尔·阿仕顿开始替她打造公众形象前她自己看到的那张脸。

阿黛尔并非个例：格温妮丝·帕特洛、碧昂斯、卡梅隆·迪亚兹、麦当娜、莎朗·斯通和嘎嘎小姐等一众明星也自信地让粉丝们一睹自己不施粉黛的面容。名人向来都妆容精致——有一群造型师伴随左右替她精心打扮。在这个看脸的世界，想到这样的名人卸下妆容，人们感到有些耳目一新。

《卫报》的美容专栏作家萨利·休斯说：“有一种要求，那就是在电视上和娱乐节目中出现的女性，她们的形象必须同其工作相协调。而我非常乐于看到的是，通过让我们看到她们素颜的样子，她们向我们展示出自己个性和生活的另一面。我觉得素颜自拍照棒极了，因为这些照片说明了名人的公众形象中有多少非天然的成分，也让众多女性因看到了镜头之外的真人而倍感安慰。”

其中一位名人走得更远，彻底摆脱了化妆的桎梏。为了简化生活，并从自己在公众心目中创造的众多身份中找寻“真我”，艾丽西亚·凯斯写了一首辛辣的歌曲——《当一个女孩不能做自己时》，其中有这样一段歌词：“清晨醒来那一刻/即使不想化妆又何妨/谁说我非要遮掩本来的样貌/或许美宝莲掩盖了我的自信心。”

经过一番深省，这位歌手如今发誓“（此次）在自我形象上要做不同的尝试，展示出本来真实的自我”。

在美国版真人秀《美国好声音》的最新预告片中，凯斯素颜出镜。在这个众明星争相矫揉造作、浮夸虚伪的世界里，她展示了难得一见的那种不加修饰、未经润色的美。有人会说这是一种反对女性向传统刻板形象屈服的勇敢态度；有人则真诚地为这种与面具一般的妆容划清界限的行为叫好。

“我觉得这股风头渐盛的素颜潮非常好。”服务于名人的化妆师玛丽·格林韦尔说道。她曾为多个上过杂志封面和走红毯的名人化妆，因而赫赫有名。“这个世界上，一些富有影响力的女性妆容过盛，眼部整天都化着浓妆。我们已迷失了化妆的本意——需要时化点妆让你感觉更好一些。化妆过度会令人显老。看到不化妆的女人，你才知道她们看上去可以有多美：自然、健康，年轻十岁。”

“我讨厌看到年轻女孩沉迷于化浓妆，像戴面具似的。”格林威尔接着说道。她的客户包括凯特·布兰切特、维多利亚·贝克汉姆和已故威尔士王妃戴安娜这样的人。“我看到14岁的女孩们涂着一层层结块的粉底，画着烟熏妆之类的——出现在周六下午3点。

“她们不是为了让自己更好看，而是在努力去模仿那些名人，因为她们羡慕和渴望那样的生活。采用同样的化妆技巧让她们距离明星的形象更近，但她们只是把别人的形象放在自己身上，而隐藏了自己的真实身份。因此，我十分欣赏名人们不化妆，她们鼓励我们每个人对自己本来的样貌要有自信，推广了更好的护肤方法，让人们拥有健康而靓丽的肤色。”

然而，即便在这个女性权力增加和看似男女平等的开明时代，素颜出镜的想法也足以让最自信的女人抓狂。

我沉默寡言的性格很大程度上源自青少年时期，那时三个讨厌的女同学总爱奚落我满是粉刺的皮肤。我会笨拙地用芮谜79p遮瑕棒掩饰激素斑点的猛攻，却反而让我那青春期长满粉刺的皮肤更加惹人注意。

然而，化妆品的存在还是让我感到安心，我也渐渐沉迷其中，在它那增强自信的力量中寻找更多慰藉。随着我逐渐掌握了化妆窍门，我的难为情心理消失，自信增强。包里的化妆品越多，我越能在公共场合昂首阔步，走向时尚学院时也显得自信满满。我也像众多女性一样，将化妆视作如刷牙和梳头一般重要的早间日常。

后来，我进入了电视行业，有专业的化妆师在工作室为我化妆，他们挥舞着一把把刷子，灵巧地在我那坑坑洼洼、满是痘印的皮肤上混合出一张完美的面具，创造出看似白皙嫩滑的肌肤。他们将我的眼睑画上烟色眼影，使我的双眼性感迷人，还巧妙地在我的双颊涂上玫瑰粉色的脂粉，让我容光焕发。

化妆曾令我自信，让我上瘾，但如今，作为一名在家工作的自由记者和一个孩子的妈妈，平日里的大多数时候我都是素颜，基本上从年轻时崇尚的面具妆容中解放出来。开门见快递员时，我会不加修饰，但决不会用我赤裸裸的脸庞去污染社交媒体——这与其说是自身的虚荣，不如说是对公众的基本礼节。我依旧喜欢适当涂点遮瑕霜，擦点保湿粉底，画上眼线，涂上睫毛膏，变得更具魅力。

多年来，我目睹了为了打造模特和名人光鲜亮丽的外表，人们花费了多少功夫，也比大多数人更懂得化妆的“魔力”。许多模特和女演员在社交媒体贴出化妆前的照片，看后人们备受鼓舞，这让其他女性了解了化妆这门技艺背后的真相。可以肯定，这反而能让我们恢复自信。要知道，我们的自信已经被到处传播“完美”照片的业余P图者和劲头十足的照片滤镜使用者打击得粉碎。

记者兼电视节目主持人金尼·巴克利说，社交媒体一直都令人感到自由，让她对自己的公共形象拥有最后的话语权。“只有在为报刊拍照或上电视时，我才感到自身的形象是受人控制的，但在Instagram上，我会从生活的各个方面展现真实的自己。当然，有些照片我不愿意分享，但说到底，我不会因纠结于自己的形象而不愿展示生活的真实一面。如果带妆拍摄，我就发那样的照片；如果和七岁的儿子一起野外露营，我会同样自信地分享自己的那一面。我很欣赏阿黛尔素颜自拍所传递的积极信号：让年轻女性知道创造所谓的‘完美形象需要下多大功夫有益而无害，而做真实的你也同样美丽。”

1. au naturel [??? ?n?tj??rel] adj. 自然的，天然的，裸体的

2. complexion [k?m?plek?（?）n] n. 肤色；面色

3. foundation [fa?n?de??（?）n] n. （化妆打底用的）粉底霜

4. mascara [m??skɑ?r?] n. 睫毛膏

5. Facebook timeline：Facebook的时间线功能。该功能可以按照时间顺序组织个人和品牌所有的信息流。用户可以通过它共享信息。

6. facade [f??sɑ?d] n. 假象，虚假的外表

7. feline [?fi?la?n] adj. 似猫的

8. nonchalantly [&apos；n?n??l?ntli] adv. 平静地，若无其事地

9. Alicia Keys：艾丽西亚·凯斯（1981～），美国R&B新生代女歌手、唱片制作人、演员、作家等

10. bereft [b??reft] adj. 丧失……的；缺乏……的

11. portfolio [p??（r）t?f??li??] n. （尤指艺术家的）代表作选辑

12. over the edge：疯狂，精神错乱

13. acne-ridden：长满粉刺的

14. Rimmel：芮谜，为全球历史最悠久的化妆品牌之一，1834年创建于英国。

15. concealer [k?n&apos；si?l?] n. 遮瑕膏，遮瑕霜

16. pubescent [pju??bes（?）nt] adj. 青春期的

17. empowering [?m?pa???r??] adj. 使感到有自立能力的；增强自信的

18. corrector [k?&apos；rekt?] n. 遮瑕膏

19. versed [v??（r）st] adj. 精通的；熟练的