All Made Up
By Rae Nudson
The Power and Pitfalls of Beauty Culture, from Cleopatra to Kim Kardashian. Beacon Press, 2021.
Summary of All Made Up book by Rae Nudson
Follow the fascinating and surprising history of makeup’s impact on global cultures and female empowerment, and explore its role in shaping and challenging racial and gender stereotypes.
Chapters in All Made Up book summary
What do you get from this book? An insightful review of makeup’s influence on social, economic, and cultural struggles
Beauty standards are established by white patriarchal society, and people are expected to conform without question
Workplace makeup is controversial and tricky to navigate, especially if you’re a person of color
Red Lipstick has been a dominant attribute of femininity in both Japan and the US, even as beauty standards evolved
Although men have traditionally defined feminine beauty, women have begun taking charge of their own sexuality
Over time, makeup has become gendered, but that wasn’t always the case
Wearing the right cosmetics can save your life—literally—especially if you’re trans or from a marginalized background
Starting with slavery, Black women were denied makeup and proper hair care, and forced to imitate white society
Skin bleaching is extremely dangerous, yet that hasn’t stopped cosmetics companies from marketing it to women of color
Minstrel shows and Hollywood films satirized Black women, reinforcing the racial divide
Women in power are frequently stigmatized; they need makeup to help them succeed in a man’s world
Makeup has created forms of community that allow women to share and socialize
The patriarchy uses makeup to identify nonconformists, but those same dissenters then use it as a resistance tool
Summary of the key insights
Selected critiques in brief
Final word
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All Made Up — Book Summary Snapshot
Who should read All Made Up book
- History students
- sociologists
- makeup artists and stylists
- anyone interested in how different cultures define beauty
About the author of All Made Up
Rae Nudson
Rae Nudson is an author, blogger, and essayist reporting on women’s fashion, beauty, and pop culture. She holds bachelor’s degrees in history and journalism from the University of Missouri. Her work had been featured in such places as Paste Magazine, Topic, and Esquire.
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