illustration by Crisella Garcia
W27 – SPRING 2022
By Abigail Zwirecki (AMC, ‘24)
Lipstick has played a pivotal role in my life since the ripe age of 12. For me, applying lipstick was normal, and normalcy is what was taken away from us in March care became huge. Makeup also became of 2020. a creative outlet for people even if they Normalcy is what we’ve been missing, were wearing a mask or staying home. My whatever our “normal” may be. But, after makeup became cream-based and very two long years, mask wearing has become natural”. the norm, but morally, it has been the soBradaric says that she might not change cially conscientious thing to do. her look too much. However, her “lipgloss Due to the recent lifted mandates, will has been in hiding and is waiting to be being maskless feel out of place? Proba- resurfaced”. bly. The question in mind for many makeup artists and beauty enthusiasts alike, is Sarah McGill (AMC ‘24) shares that she “first thought the pandemic would affect how will makeup aficionados react? [her] makeup routine, but to be honest, it Plenty of people who wear a full-face un- never really did”. der their air-tight mask and don’t mind. But, many individuals who have adopted “Makeup has always been my medium of their routines to adhere to the current art, so if anything, I was using makeup situation, might choose to settle with more than I was before the pandemic. I only upper-half creations (eyes and eye- would do my face whether or not I left brows) or going for an all-around natural the house. If in the fall we go maskless, my routine will stay relatively the same, but look with a heavy focus on skincare. now people will get to see my lipstick”, I interviewed a few makeup-savvy indi- McGill attests. viduals asking how the pandemic has affected their typical pre-pandemic make- I sent out an anonymous survey around up routine and if they would change campus, asking FIT students similar anything or stick by their adopted rou- questions to get a gist of the overall contine if FIT were to go maskless next Fall sensus over their makeup usage post mask mandates. Of the 28 responses, 82.1% of ‘22. respondents stated they continue to wear Dunja Bradaric (AMC ‘24) expresses makeup, and 71.4% said they don’t wear that “during the pandemic, I think self- the same amount of makeup today as they
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typically did before the pandemic. Out of 27 respondents, 33.3% said they would still wear their masks if mandates were lifted at FIT next fall, compared to 44.4% who said maybe, and 22.2% who said they wouldn’t. I also asked respondents what they have adjusted within their face care routines. Many of them said their routines have become more skincare based, focusing on products that are light enough to wear under a mask and centering towards eye makeup. Several students mentioned that if they were to go maskless, they would add a lip product or extra face products like blush or highlighter. But, several admit that they have given in to the influences of the pandemic, stating that their new routine, with less product, has changed their skin for the better. If COVID cases continue to subside and the mask mandate is officially lifted, I’m quite curious to see what’s in store for the many makeup looks returning to campus in the coming fall. Whether it’s a new lip look or highlighter trend, I’m thrilled to see smiling faces gleaming in classrooms and hallways.
