Fans of Channel4’s ‘Steph’s Packed Lunch’ were greeted with a slightly different sight last week the journalist’s usual polished look.
The financial journalist and presenter had Vogue Williams, Strictly Come Dancing’s Jacqui Smith and Great British Bake Off 2018 finalist Ruby Bhogal guest starring on the show, along with their usual crew, the lunchmates, hen the conversation took an interesting turn.
‘How would you feel, then,’ Steph began. ‘I’m just throwing this out there: Should we try and do the rest of the show without our makeup on?’
The guest stars instantly looked nervous and viewers were confused at the suggestion, but Steph carried on. ‘What if we take it on during the break and then do the rest of the show without it, just to show what we look like?’
‘I look like a baby mole without makeup on,’ the presenter joked. The guest stars agreed and during the break they have removed all their makeup to show viewers, ‘this is what we look like.’
Steph did before and after photos, showing the guests side by side with their made-up faces and their clean faces.
‘I kind of feel nervous which I didn’t think I would,’ Vogue shared. ‘I’m like, Oh God, everyone’s going to see my eye bags. But I think you look amazing,’ She said to Steph. ‘I think you look better.’
‘See, it’s about how we feel, rather than what everyone else sees, isn’t it?’ Steph replied.
Ruby shared that ‘like Vogue, I feel weirdly nervous…but it feels good. I now don’t have to go home and scrap it all off. I think it’s a lovely message.’
‘It’s been good, and people have said lovely things,’ said Jacqui, who seemed the most nervous to take hers off in the first place. ‘I think it’s an important message and lesson. Do what you want. Wear it, don’t wear it.’
‘I was surprised at how nervous I was,’ Vogue chimed in. ‘Because I don’t wear makeup very often , only at work. When I catch myself on TV I’m like ugghh...but maybe I’ll start wearing a little less makeup now, because it is a nice message to put out there, that you don’t have to go out with a ton of makeup on to look good and to feel good.’
It turned out that Steph had suggested this alteration to the usual show due to a survey that had been conducted on 1500 people about their makeup habits. This survey then found that more than half of women feel self-conscious without makeup on and over a third wouldn’t go to work without it.
Makeup is an easy mas to hide behind, but it can get too easy for that mask to become just a little too comfortable. To prefer that mask to the real thing, which is our own natural faces. The issue clearly struck deeply with the guests, with Vogue later sharing a makeup free selfie.
‘We all went make up free on @packedlunchc4 today…’ Vogue shared in an Instagram caption later that day. ‘I adore make up but usually only wear it for work. I always thought I felt more confident without it but I got so nervous going on tv with none! Stupid really but it’s how I felt, really glad we did it though! Go check out @stephlunch post to see all the stats, pretty interesting. Would you ever go make up free?’
It’s a really important message to get out there and Vogue, Steph, Ruby and Jacqui were all stunning, with or without their makeup. Some of the guest’s initial shyness and inability to look at themselves on the cameras however, is kind of sad. We all preach body positivity, but it’s very difficult to practice it, especially when you’re a celebrity and are always in the limelight. As uncomfortable as the exercise may have been, it’s important to remind ourselves now and again that makeup isn’t the real thing and the real thing is just as beautiful – because it’s us!
