Above: Erica Liddy worsens her skin's irritated condition by applying beauty products.

Woman applies makeup to cover blemishes caused by wearing makeup

"Even though the [makeup] bottle is marked 'water-based,' and says it 'allow(s) the skin to breathe,' I still get zits from wearing it," said Liddy, upending a bottle of liquid cover-up into her palm and smearing it across her acne-ridden forehead. "But, obviously, I can't go out in public like this - I'm supposed to sell ideas! Nobody wants to buy ideas from someone with pimples."

Favoring the propagation of her skin's irritated condition to enduring the cruel public scorn of the facially marred, Liddy, 36, began blanketing her facial skin with an even, contiguous layer of base cover-up, smoothing out unsightly color variations while consequentially filling and clogging her pores, and trapping her natural skin oils underneath the layer of thick liquid.

Liddy then used a small, flesh-toned stick of additional cover-up makeup to further conceal blemishes previously caused by and now not completely disguised by the first layer: rosatia on her cheeks and nose, pimples, and the dark circles around her eyes. Finally, Liddy applied a film of beige powder, cementing the first two layers and removing shininess, leaving a matte finish. This 'base' was then used to support Liddy's remaining touchups: blush, eye shadow, eyeliner, mascara, lipstick, and lip liner.

Liddy's marred complexion, before the application of makeup.

Makeup conceals Liddy's skin blemishes while clogging pores and trapping skin oils.

"All I need is a few days during which I don't have to leave the house, and I can give my skin a rest. Then all of these things will go away," Liddy said, indicating one of the large, scabbed-over bumps near the bottom of her chin that has begun to look infected, now nearly obscured by the flesh-colored, cosmetic camouflage. "Maybe over the long Thanksgiving weekend."

Husband Kirkland Liddy says he supports his wife's decision to mask her blemishes with the same material that caused them in the first place.

"It sort of reminds me of a home improvement project. You spackle the walls that you plastered in the first place, to hide all the cracks and nail holes and stuff. Hey, I'm all for self-improvement," Kirkland said, shrugging.

Victoria Cantaska, on the other hand, feels nothing but shame about Liddy's 'catch 22' situation. As Liddy's mother, Cantaska feels responsible for pushing Liddy into wearing make up at age 14.

"It was just the thing to do back then," said Cantaska. "All the girls wore make up, just so, lots of blue eye shadow and eye liner on both upper and lower lids. I just wanted her to feel pretty, and not look washed out next to the other girls."

Cantaska said she bought Liddy a complete makeup kit for her 14th birthday. shortly after which Liddy's peaches and cream complexion began to exhibit cosmetic-induced skin eruptions.

"I felt horrible for introducing her to makeup, but it was too late. There was no turning back," Cantaska said. "I just didn't know," she mumbled, a tear leaving a track of mascara on her cheek as it made its way to her chin.

Both Liddy and Cantaska hope that Liddy's 13-year-old daughter, Mallory, won't have to live with the same constricting social values to which they have both been slaves.

"It looks like the 'natural' look is in these days," said Liddy, with excitement. "I see all kinds of young girl interns at work, straight out of high school, who don't wear a stitch of makeup, and don't do anything with their hair either," she said, fluffing her own faux-curly locks. "If that look lasts, maybe Mallory won't even have to start [wearing makeup]."

Mallory, out on a 'friend-date' at press time at the mall with Hunter, a boy from her eighth-grade class, was unavailable for comment.

November 2001