Hey everyone! Here's my full rough draft of my paper. I still have a lot more work to do and am going to put a lot more time into it this weekend. Anyways, have a good weekend and see you all next week!!

Ashley Nelson

Dr. Kyburz

College Writing II

9 April 2015

Hidden Message?

            Whereas many people seem to think that makeup is harmless and just something women commonly wear, makeup industries may actually be sending out a deeper message along with their products; one that consumers are oblivious to. Product names on beauty products are something that most of us just look over. We’re more so concerned about finding the right shade or product that suits us well. More recently, the beauty industry has been releasing makeup products with scandalous names that cause their customers to blush just thinking about them. Alexandra Kozinski in “What Turns Cult Beauty Products Like NARS Orgasm Blush into Massively Coveted Products?” touches base on a famous makeup industry that consistently places scandalous names upon its products; that company being NARS, most commonly known for their blush that was recently released in the shade of “orgasm.” This product was so popular that the company ended up making a whole collection based off this blush (Kozinski). But why are people so quick to buy these products with outrageous names?

            As a woman who wears makeup on a day-to-day basis, I’m curious as to why companies allow for such names to be displayed on their products and why they’re okay with it. Recently, I purchased the Urban Decay Naked palette. Not thinking anything about the name, I was more so concerned about the shades and how well the eye shadow would work for me. But why refer to it as “Naked” if it’s actually covering up one’s eyelids? I didn’t come across the product because I liked the name, I came across it because I heard many people talking about how wonderful it was so I figured I’d give it a try. These fads are called “cult” following. When someone famous like a celebrity or a makeup artist reveals how great a product is and where to get it, people who hear about it or follow them will immediately try to find that product as well, commonly referred to as cult beauty products (Kozinski). Kozinski explains her first encounter with a cult following:

One of the first two beauty products I recall to have gained a cult following in recent years was MAC’s Angel lipstick and NARS Turkish Delight gloss. This lip combo was made famous after Kim Kardashian revealed these were the products she used to achieve her signature pinky-nude pucker. More recently, there was the explosion of the Urban Decay NAKED palette (followed by NAKED 2 and 3), which have quickly become staples in the beauty arsenals of makeup artists, bloggers, and beauty enthusiasts everywhere. (Kozinski)

The online community has a lot to do with how cult beauty products gain their followers. YouTube has thousands of channels dedicated strictly to beauty product reviews and tutorials. Wanting to know more about a product before buying it, often times women will watch a tutorial or review to gain an opinion about that product. If enough people share the same opinion then this is how the product gains a cult following (Kozinski).

            So who is the famous creator behind this NARS company with the scandalous orgasm blush? Klaudia Tirico analyzes where the NARS products get their names from in “The Man Who Named ‘Orgasm’ Blush: Francois Nars Dishes on the Brand’s Scandalous Product Names and More.” Francois Nars is the famous man behind these products as well as their names. A line that now has a massive collection of over 600 products originally started out with only twelve coveted lipsticks. Tirico explains, “Nars is known for his outstanding makeup innovations and provocative shade names like Orgasm and Deep Throat, but have you ever wondered how he comes up with all these genius offerings?” (Tirico). The details for this question are revealed in a recent interview. When asking how he came up with this creative approach to new product innovations, Nars said:

I’m very spontaneous; I try not to think too much. I follow my instincts and use everything I’ve learned over the years. I create products based on what I’m attracted to in that moment….I am always reinventing products, never settling for the same thing. We are constantly moving and looking forward, we try not to create the same thing twice. It’s important to be open minded and fresh, never boring. (Tirico)

Regarding the brand’s outrageous product names, Nars said that it was very simple in his mind. He gave the products those names as a way to bring them to life and make them seem more special. He wanted to give them a personality. Nars explained:

I wanted it to really click for women; I wanted them to remember the given product. It’s no longer just a tube of lipstick—it’s a movie or a character that you can identify with, a destination you travel to through products and colors. The names make the product ‘larger-than-life.’ (Tirico)

            Maybe what he’s saying has a point, that these product names are a form of inspiration he had at the moment. But a blush called deep throat? Really? When being asked what shade of blush you’re wearing I’m sure many women will literally blush when they say the words “deep throat.” Is this some kind of strange way for Nars to be bold and attract attention to his company products? Or is there some deeper meaning behind these names. For example, Nars also has a lipstick called “manhunt.” Is this name indicating that women who wear this bright red lipstick are on the prowl for men and that’s the only reason why they’re wearing it? Research shows that there are times where women actually do wear bold and dark makeup as a means to attract men and to feel more confident. Nicolas Gueguen in “Makeup and Menstrual Cycle: Near Ovulation, Women Use More Cosmetics” reports on two separate studies that were done regarding women and makeup. One study was done in a laboratory and the other study was performed in a real context. Once the participants for study one were picked out, they arrived to the laboratory where each participant was welcomed by a female experimenter. She informed them that they were going to be partaking in a survey on cosmetics choices. Gueguen explains the study in more detail:

The participant was first instructed to evaluate the time spent, in minutes, putting on makeup that morning before arriving at the laboratory. After that, the experiment added that she wanted to take a photograph of the participant’s face. Then the participant was administered an LH salivary test in order to determine her fertility….Based on the results of the LH test, each participant was allocated into one of the two conditions: fertile or nonfertile. Among the 64 participants, 14 were in their fertile phase whereas 50 were in their nonfertile phase (Gueguen).

The results from this study indicated that the participants estimated that near ovulation, they spent more time putting on makeup. Evaluation performed by professionals showed that near ovulation, the use of cosmetics was higher. Gueguen expands on these results, stating:

Thus, these results confirm that women near ovulation spent more time applying makeup and used more cosmetic products than women in the nonfertile phase of their cycle. This result confirms that women near ovulation displayed behavior that would increase their physical attractiveness probably to appear more attractive to men. (Gueguen)

Maybe this study has something to do with why women are attracted to buying beauty products with scandalous and outrageous names. Maybe it is because they truly believe in what the name stands for and they want themselves to be more appealing.

            Study two took place in an actual real life setting where participants were interviewed for a short survey. During the interview, the interviewee was to take note of how much and what type(s) of cosmetics each woman was wearing. Based off of this, the participant would be scored, three being the highest score and zero the lowest. The participants who took part in the interviews were asked to take an LH salivary test which would determine their fertility. Out of all the participants, 789 were in their nonfertile phase whereas 114 were in their fertile phase. In conclusion, Gueguen stated:

Study 2 showed that, in a field setting, women were likely to wear more cosmetics when they went to a nightclub or a bar on a Saturday night, two places in France typical for initiating romantic relationships. Thus, in teal life it appears that high fertility is associated with women changing their physical appearance in order to be more attractive to men. (Gueguen)

After both of these studies, the only question that remains is why women wear more makeup around ovulation. Other studies have shown that women know wearing makeup increases their physical attractiveness. Gueguen states that this explains why the women in study one spent more time putting on makeup and why the women in study two used more cosmetic products when they were near ovulation and in their fertile phase of their cycle (Gueguen).

            It doesn’t really take common sense to figure out that a lot of women wear makeup as a way to bring out their natural beauty and to make them feel prettier. It takes effort to put it on so there has to be an underlying reason for why she takes the time to apply it. Being near ovulation apparently plays a key role in why a women may wear more makeup than she usually does. This may also be a reason for why women are so willing to buy scandalously named products and become “cult” followers of them. But do companies like NARS have these product names geared toward a certain age group of women? Mothers with teenage girls that are experimenting with makeup certainly won’t want their daughters wearing a blush called deep throat or orgasm. Is this where companies are drawing the line with these appalling names? Susan Spicer in “12-14 Years: Ready for Makeup?” discusses the complications that arise when your young teenage daughter begins to wear makeup. It’s pretty normal for them to want to experiment with new looks and this can sort of help them identify with who they really are in a way. Spicer explains that rather than getting upset about the situation, it’s better to help her out and give her tips as her mother (Spicer). It is better to be a positive influence rather than to bring her down. But where do these teenage girls get the impact that they need to wear makeup; peers, magazines, TV, their own mother? Pamela Davis in “Makeup” tells the story of a little girl who watches how her mother applies her makeup. She alludes:

Here is her lipstick—Cherries in the Snow—worn flat to the rim. I swab enough to redden her mouth. She rolls her lips together spreading the color. I say we are done and hold a mirror in front of her face. She turns her head this way and that, pretending to see herself beautiful. (Davis)

This is how the journal ends and the last sentence is so powerful, hinting that the mother tries as hard as she can to feel pretty, using multiple different cosmetics, but without the outcome that she’d like. As a little girl witnessing this reaction, she may be impacted by this as she grows up through her teenage years. She may look back and think upon how upset her mother was after she’d apply her makeup. She may also feel as if she’ll never be pretty enough either. Makeup shouldn’t be used as a way to hide oneself behind, but it should be used as a way to make one feel bold and beautiful.

            Names given to products should be expressed in a way that make consumers want to buy them in a good and positive way. They shouldn’t be embarrassed to buy the product just because of the name and they shouldn’t buy it as a means to hide themselves. Makeup is a beautiful tool and it shouldn’t be manipulated.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Work Cited

Davis, Pamela. “Makeup.” Prairie Schooner, Vol. 85, No. 3 (2011): 60. Web.

Gueguen, Nicolas. “Makeup and Menstrual Cycle: Near Ovulation, Women Use More

            Cosmetics.” The Psychological Record, Vol. 62, No. 3 (2012): 541. Web.

Kozinski, Alexandra. “What Turns Cult Beauty Products like NARS Orgasm Blush into

            Massively Coveted Items?” Bustle. 23 June 2014. Web. 8 April 2015.

Spicer, Susan. “12-14 years: Ready For Makeup?” ProQuest Research Library, Vol. 26, Issue 9

            (2009): 140, 142. Web.

Tirico, Klaudia. “The Man Who Named ‘Orgasm’ Blush: Francois Nars Dishes on the Brand’s

            Scandalous Product Names and More.” BeautyBlitz. 5 Sept. 2014. Web. 8 April 2015.