Covergirl ad asks ‘What’s wrong with applying your makeup in public?’

How do you feel about women who apply makeup on public transport?

It’s a regular habit for millions of women and it is even backed by studies that say good grooming, including wearing makeup, can boost your pay packet and chances of getting promoted.

But this public preening has pissed off some people, so much so that public transportation bodies in major metropolitan cities have posted signs asking women not to apply makeup on the train or bus.

“Clipping? Primping? Everybody wants to look their best, but it’s a subway car, not a rest room,” says an advertisement from New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority, accompanied by an image of a man clipping his nails and a woman brushing her hair.

Tokyo’s Tokyu Corporation released an ad last year shaming women who apply makeup on public transport.

“Women in the big city are all beautiful. But they can be ugly sometimes,” the ad states.

“Why can’t you do it before you get on the train? Your eyebrows restored and eyelashes multiplied, your transformation is witnessed.”

Now high street beauty brand Covergirl is hitting back at what they call “makeup shaming”, after a study they conducted found more than half of women feel uncomfortable doing their makeup in public.

This week they launched a new campaign called Project PDA, which stands for “public displays of application”.

As part of the PDA campaign, Covergirl put up mirrors all across New York City and invited 500 women to apply their makeup in public.

“We saw the sign [on the New York subway system] and wondered, ‘What’s wrong with applying your makeup in public?’ And is this just an ad on the subway, or a sign of something bigger?” the ad asks.

“There are these messages telling women what to do and what not to do. At Covergirl we believe no one should tell you how, when or where you make up. It’s up to you … Because makeup is nothing to be ashamed of.”

[“Source-ndtv”]