The Resurgence of the Lip by Abigail Zwirecki

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 of 2020.

Normalcy is what we’ve been missing, whatever our “normal” may be. But, after two long years, mask wearing has become the norm, but morally, it has been the socially conscientious thing to do.

Due to the recent lifted mandates, will being maskless feel out of place? Probably. The question in mind for many makeup artists and beauty enthusiasts alike, is how will makeup aficionados react?

Plenty of people who wear a full-face under their air-tight mask and don’t mind. But, many individuals who have adopted their routines to adhere to the current situation, might choose to settle with only upper-half creations (eyes and eyebrows) or going for an all-around natural look with a heavy focus on skincare.

I interviewed a few makeup-savvy individuals asking how the pandemic has affected their typical pre-pandemic makeup routine and if they would change anything or stick by their adopted routine if FIT were to go maskless next Fall ‘22.

Dunja Bradaric (AMC ‘24) expresses that “during the pandemic, I think selfcare became huge. Makeup also became a creative outlet for people even if they were wearing a mask or staying home. My makeup became cream-based and very natural”.

Bradaric says that she might not change her look too much. However, her “lipgloss has been in hiding and is waiting to be resurfaced”.

Sarah McGill (AMC ‘24) shares that she “first thought the pandemic would affect [her] makeup routine, but to be honest, it never really did”.

“Makeup has always been my medium of art, so if anything, I was using makeup more than I was before the pandemic. I would do my face whether or not I left the house. If in the fall we go maskless, my routine will stay relatively the same, but now people will get to see my lipstick”, McGill attests.

I sent out an anonymous survey around campus, asking FIT students similar questions to get a gist of the overall consensus over their makeup usage post mask mandates. Of the 28 responses, 82.1% of respondents stated they continue to wear makeup, and 71.4% said they don’t wear the same amount of makeup today as they 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.

illustration by Crisella Garcia