Makeupland = Not Always a Happy Place

There's various levels of drama going on within Makeupland on any given day. It's a topic many women are very passionate about, so those strong feelings can easily boil over.

It can start out as a very lighthearted comment being taken the wrong way. It can be someone openly attacking another. We've all seen it time and time again, and the last year or so it's really no surprise to read about new scandals just about weekly.

I'm not trying to point the finger at any one incident, group, individual, or company. I know I've been on both sides of it, whether I wanted to be or not. If you belong to makeup forums or any of the numerous Facebook Group pages, you're automatically assigned to one side or the other, whether you realize it or not.

It doesn't matter if you voice an opinion, or even try to remain out of it. It's very easy for others to drag you in and make certain Assumptions. These Assumptions quickly turn into Fact, with every other person reading them taking them for Truth. Once someone posts Truth about you in a public or private forum, or any of the supposedly secret Facebook groups, the hatred spreads like wildfire. And don't kid yourself, because once you've been assigned as Enemy, you'll always be Enemy. Ever discover someone who's labeled you as Enemy suddenly join a Facebook group you're in? Awkward!

No one believes that they are part of the mysterious glitter mob. But that word pops up almost daily, and everyone's quick to point the finger at the opposing side, insisting they're the ones with the mob mentality. Weird, huh? What strikes me as odd is that ladies that could once be considered friendly suddenly turn on you and say things that are not only cruel, but downright vicious. I guess I've never been good at reading people - women in particular - so maybe I'm surprised more often by it.

It's worse when companies get involved. What, there's not enough drama without? Why any business owner would choose to involve themselves in it is beyond me. Is it really worth it to potentially destroy your reputation, your business? But we've seen it, time and time again. Sometimes it's hard to sit back and watch companies you love self destruct. People feel like they need to defend themselves, which can never really be done. Sometimes it's just easier to let people think what they want and move on than try and change their minds.

It's harder to see companies get sucked into it unwillingly. How many owners sit around weeks or months later, wondering how they became collateral damage? It makes it stranger when good people lose out, while others that openly participate in shady practices continue.

There seem to be fewer and fewer that allow themselves to be drawn into it. It always makes me wonder how long they can keep going without allowing it to interfere. It's hard enough for a small indie company to make any headway; they really have to rely on word of mouth to get noticed. We've seen so many implode under the many pressures a new business brings.

There are so many wonderful indie companies offering products superior to the big brands, but it's sort of like watching the clock to see how long before something goes wrong. It's sad, because the only thing it's done for me is create an aversion to trying out new companies. Many get fantastic reviews, only to be gone before they make it to a year. How much do you want to invest, financially and/or emotionally, into finding your holy grail product, all while wondering when it will end and you'll be back to square one?

All that being said, I'd like to give a nod to the guys at Fyrinnae. They consistently manage to avoid it all, and how they do it is a mystery to me. Makes you wonder how crazy they think women really are, doesn't it?

Again, I'm not referring to any one incident, group, individual, company. I'm thinking of all the things I've read about and sort of lumping them into one. I realize there's a million other Facebook comments and blog posts about this very topic, so mine is just a small drop in the bucket.

So why post anything at all? I just feel like it's something I need to type out to get it off my chest and move on. I hope that anyone who feels similarly can do the same. Thanks for reading.