Course:CSIS200/2025/Concealing Norms: How Makeup Shapes Gender, Race, and Other Aspects of Identity

Author Biography

Hi! My name is Hanna Turner, and I am a second year student at the University of British Columbia studying English and psychology. My hope is to eventually become a high school teacher, and then go back to school to acquire the qualifications to ultimately become a high school counsellor. I enrolled in CSIS 200 to expand my knowledge regarding how sexuality intersects with all aspects of identity, so I can better support my future students. As a hobby, I consider myself to be a makeup artist! I am fascinated with makeup: not only doing it for my own recreation, but I am also interested in the history behind it. Growing up, navigating the impacts of Western beauty standards as someone who does not conform to them in the stereotypical sense of the word had great detriment to my self esteem. I then became intrigued by how makeup shapes identity. I hope that reading this illustrated essay gives you insight into how makeup, specifically products meant to hide insecurities such as foundation and concealer, both restrict and empower individuals in all intersecting aspects of their identity.

Introduction

Concealer and foundation are among the most commonly used makeup products in the world, often sold as simple tools meant to achieve smooth, flawless skin. What goes unnoticed is how the meanings attached to these items run far deeper than surface level “cover ups”. Beneath each application and behind each use of the product lies a web of Western cultural expectations about gender, race, sexuality, desirability, and identity that have taken over the beauty industry unknowingly. These products do not simply do what they are meant to do, which is enhance appearance. When researching intentionally, it is learned that they also shape how we are perceived, how we perceive others, and how we construct ourselves.

A concealer product, which is often used to cover blemishes or signs of fatigue as a part of a normative and stereotypical beauty routine. It is an example of how cosmetics are used to meet social expectations of femininity.

This essay argues that concealer and foundation are contradictory in the sense that they both reinforce, as well as challenge social norms. These products function as tools of conformity, protection, identity performance, as well as resistance. Is it important to apply an intersectional framework when analyzing these tools, to examine how makeup operates differently across identity contexts. The pressure to correct or hide differences in skin can have major impacts on people of colour, queer people, and other marginalized communities. This essay will explore how these products do not only enforce social norms, but how they oppositely can also be reclaimed by different communities for identity performance purposes.

Concealer and Foundation as Cultural Tools

At their simplest, concealer and foundation were designed with the intent to cover blemishes, smooth the texture of skin, and create an overall uniform complexion. Although at its core, the purpose was to simply create “flawless skin”, the idea of that itself is deeply political. Historically, flawless skin is associated with whiteness, femininity, and youthfulness, which are traits that Western beauty culture deem most ideal.

Gender and sexuality are social constructions that are upheld by cultural norms and expectations. Makeup directly participates in these cultural norms and expectations, especially in feminine presenting individuals, by actively encouraging them to correct themselves and conform to patriarchal norms. Concealer and foundation then become mechanisms through which people will discipline their performance and their bodies to match social ideals of desirability.

Race, Colourism, and Eurocentric Beauty Standards

Eurocentric Norms and Exclusion

For most of the twentieth century, especially prominent in the last few years, beauty brands have produced foundations that are primarily targeted toward white consumers. In fact, the colour of one’s skin has historically had harmful class connotations: those with paler skin being associated with belonging to a higher class, and vice versa. Darker skin tone shades of concealer and foundation are often scarce or non-existent, which sends a message that lighter skin is the default and ideal. The exclusion of dark skin tones in makeup brands reproduces colorism, which is a system in which lighter skin is rewarded socially, economically and culturally. The aisle in which we find foundation and concealer now become a visible representation and symbol for a racial hierarchy.

An example of an average brand's limited foundation shade range, which illustrates how many makeup brands and collections fail to offer options for diverse skin tones. Beauty brands often prioritize lighter tones, which neglects and oppresses people of colour who want to access these products.

Politics of Makeup

To disrupt these practices, brands have begun to offer a wider range of shades to promote inclusivity. That being said, inclusivity and diversity in beauty has long been a struggle. Black women have historically pushed against racist beauty standards that put whiteness on a pedestal. The politics of varying makeup shade's accessibility and inclusivity reflect broader histories of colonialism, racialization, and the social devaluation of dark skin tones. Inclusivity does not erase these histories, although it does mark a shift into acknowledging that beauty norms are culturally constructed.

Gender Norms and Femininity

Makeup as Gendered Labour

Beauty norms can put a significant amount of pressure on feminine-presenting individuals. Concealer and foundation have become tools for presenting what is deemed as an acceptable performance of femininity: one that is youthful and free of imperfections. This is created based on the culture that surrounds women’s bodies, and how expectations demand a constant self-surveillance of identity presentation. In professional settings, women often feel the need to conceal signs of fatigue or acne (which are natural and normal human processes) to be taken seriously. Women’s self-worth and value becomes tied to how well they can present a socially accepted and expected version of femininity.

Girlhood Socialization

My personal experiences illustrate how early in life the pressure can appear for young, female identifying individuals. As a young teenager, I would wake up significantly earlier than required to use concealer to cover the hairs on my upper lip to avoid the mockery of having a “moustache” from my classmates. Concealer then became my shield against this punishment that stemmed from being a woman, and a person of colour. It is a reflection of how young girls learn that their bodies require correction in order to be deemed acceptable. This turns makeup into something that is no longer a personal choice, but instead a gendered requirement that becomes internalized through oppression.

Masculinity and the Policing of Men's Appearance

An example of a men's makeup advertisement, which often relies on stereotypically "masculine" colours (such as black). This reinforces traditional toxic masculinity by avoiding association with femininity, revealing how beauty brands reinforce harmful gender norms.

While women are facing the pressure to appear polished, men face the pressure to have it seem as they are not trying. Masculinity is policed through norms that frame self-care and beauty processes as feminine, rather than a gender neutral concept that everyone can adhere to. Even when men use a product that is seemingly mundane, such as concealer, societal norms require them to maintain the effortless masculinity ideal that the Western norms have created. It reinforces gender binaries by separating “beauty” from “grooming”, which leads men to believe they can only participate in a practice if it is not socially deemed as feminine.

This is a video advertisement for "War Paint" which is a makeup brand targeted for men. Many of the video advertisements that this company produces are videos of stereotypically masculine men, doing stereotypically masculine things that are often not related to the actual product whatsoever. It reflects how makeup for men must distance itself from femininity, and in order for men to be accepted in using makeup it must be worn in a ‘manly’ way. The name “War Paint” itself reinforces the idea that makeup is inherently feminine, so men need a militarized label to feel socially permitted to use it. Instead of simply normalizing men using makeup, the way "War Paint" is advertised preserves gender binaries by implying that masculinity must be protected even in cosmetic products. Men are now participating in a field that is normally targeted towards women, but shifting it to a perspective where men can only wear makeup if they do it in a masculine way.

Makeup, Queerness, and Transgender Identities

Makeup as Gender Affirmation and Safety

In the Love Intersections video Race, Trans, Love (2016) , trans and racialized individuals participating in the video interview discuss how makeup helps them to navigate the world safely. Concealer can soften a beard shadow that may cause gender dysphoria or lead to hate comments; foundation can shape a face that better aligns with an individual’s identity. For many trans women, makeup is associated with safety and recognition, as well as dignity. Rather than being oppressive, it becomes a tool of survival and empowerment.

Drag makeup, including foundation and concealer, is used as a tool of gender affirmation, which challenges traditional binaries while simultaneously expanding understandings of gender presentation.

Drag, Performativity, and Queer Aesthetics

Makeup that is used for drag often involves foundation and concealer to reveal the performative construction of gender. Queer and gender theory show that gender is not something that is innate, but something that is performed through a series of repeated acts. Drag artists highlight the artificiality of gender performance by using makeup boldly. Drag does not use makeup to hide flaws, but rather to create new intentional personas. It turns makeup into a celebration of visibility, rather than an attempt to disappear. 

Intersectionality: How Identity Shapes Makeup Use

Crenshaw’s concept of intersectionality highlights how makeup cannot, and should not be understood in relation to only one aspect of identity. Race, gender, sexuality, class, and skin tone all intersect to shape the experiences that individuals have with products such as foundation and concealer.

Identity Aspect	Effect on Identities
Race	People of colour with darker-skin tones often face shade exclusion, as well as colourist biases.
Gender	Women are often pressured to correct themselves and their appearance to conform to Eurocentric beauty standards, whereas men are pressured to hide there effort and avoid signs of stereotypical femininity
Transgender Identities	Makeup can be affirming, or even protective.
Class	High-quality makeup is very expensive, making access to it uneven.

You can then imagine how these identities would intersect in unique individuals to create relationships with makeup that differ from person to person. Makeup is not a universal experience, but is instead shaped by power structures and systems of identity that overlap.

Capitalism and the Beauty Industry

The beauty industry makes profit off of creating insecurity, by marketing foundation and concealer as solutions to problems that it hypocritically helps to invent. The patriarchy and capitalist societies are systems that work in tandem to discipline bodies, and how an individual chooses to perform their identity.

Makeup advertisements often frame insecurity as empowerment, and something that can only be overcome through the use of makeup. It encourages consumers to buy products, under the disguise of self-care and self-improvement rather than buying on their own accord. Neoliberal beauty culture is always pressuring individuals to constantly try and improve themselves. Representation and inclusivity have been twisted into marketing tools, which demonstrates how empowerment becomes commodified.

Rejecting the Flawless Ideal

A beauty advertisement featuring a white model with flawless skin, illustrating Eurocentric and purity culture beauty norms. This highlights the limited representation and unrealistic expectations within the beauty industry.

Despite the ties that makeup has to oppressive systems, they can also be reclaimed as tools used for self expression. Many artists and beauty influencers reject the expectation of “natural beauty” by embracing bold and vibrant makeup looks. It resists patriarchal norms that require feminine purity and subtlety. Makeup becomes a way to celebrate identity and challenge long-standing social and cultural norms. Visibility through makeup can become a form of pride.

Movements that embrace real skin, such as acne, freckles, and realistic textures can counter the demand for perfection that the industry has been pushing. Choosing to not conceal can become a political act. Concealer and foundation are far more than beauty products, they are cultural artifacts embedded in systems of gender, race, sexuality, and capitalism. They reinforce norms and beauty hierarchies while also offering tools for affirmation and creativity. Their meaning depends on context based on who is using them, why, and under what social pressures.

Examining these products through an intersectional lens reveals complexity: they discipline and protect, conceal and reveal, oppress and liberate. Ultimately, makeup exposes how identity is always negotiated. Identity can be performed, challenged, and reimagined.