Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Nail Polish Innuendos and Feminism

I'm so sorry I've been absent for so long. I've had a tough last few weeks, dealing with final papers and a grade that I feel is unjust. :-/ Long story short, I am SO done with school right now - though I have one semester left. This summer will be time for me to go to work in the mornings, hang out at the apartment pool, read, and work on my Master's thesis. I wish I could feel relaxed, but instead I feel extra stressed. I still haven't found a panel for my Master's thesis defense (no one in my department really fits my interests) and I'm struggling with figuring out my future.

But on to nail polish. PoP has received some emails requesting a feminist perspective of cosmetics companies such as Orgasm Cosmetics and Naughty Nailz. I'm sorry to tell you that if you were expecting me to condemn these brands as degrading and offensive to women, you've got the wrong feminist. I am also not against all pornography or all sex work, for example. I happen to think that these issues are more complex than they seem or are portrayed to be. Also, polish names such as Orgasm Cosmetics's "Dripping Wet" may be kind of crass, but it's not necessarily degrading to women. Unless there are any nail polish names that refer to, for example, non consensual sex or women's (or men's) bodies in negative ways, then I don't have a problem with sexual nail polish names. It may be kind of uncomfortable when someone like your boss or mom asks you what nail polish you're wearing, but you can always do what I do and say, "Oh, I'm sorry, I forgot the name!" Most people can't even remember the brand of their nail polish, so you're fine. :)

I also tend to enjoy when sexuality is acknowledged, even in such a simple format as these nail polish and cosmetics names. In my opinion, sex should not be a quiet secret that is unable to be discussed in schools or among families or friends. But that's another story...

I do not actually own any products from either of these websites so I cannot vouch for these particular brands. I realize that not everyone will agree with me and some people may be offended. Even so, I do not mean to degrade anyone who disagrees. Everyone is welcome to their own opinions.

On to the pictures....

This is a franken originally created by janimal425 on MUA. The recipe is as follows:

30% OPI Absolutely Alice
30% ChG Dorothy Who?
40% ChG Emerald Sparkle

This is 3 coats
.


This is 3 coats of OPI Who the Shrek are You? with 1 coat of Color Club Tru Passion gradiated on top using Orly Smudge Fixer.


This is a bad pic and I apologize. I could not capture this one! It's 2 coats of OPI Mon-sooner or Later with 1 coat of OPI Dress to Empress on top.


Thanks for reading!