What is makeup? Makeup is a product and a right of passage for girls. At an early age, children learn what makeup is, usually by watching their mothers apply it every morning. Some children may grow up learning the phrase “I can't leave the house without putting my face on” from their mothers. What a strange comment to say to your children. According to Jean Kilbourne, author of the Killing Us Softly series, “Young people learn from an early age that appearance is of the utmost importance and that it is not acceptable to leave the house without looking your best.” As children grow, this appearance stigma begins to become ingrained in the child's way of thinking and even acting because awareness of advertising is introduced and becomes mainstream as we get older. Advertising affects everyone, from the smallest to the largest. Is advertising simply trying to get us to buy a certain product or is there "something" more to the ads we see every day and everywhere? Kilbourne argues that “Advertising not only sells products but also youthful appearance. And they tell us who we are; who we should be and provide women with the idea of ​​what ideal women should be like.” However, if you peel back the layers of advertising and look at them under a microscope, you can learn that there is much more to ads than just “face” value. However, today advertising is aimed at a variety of consumers; Makeup ads target women and teenage girls. And these ads send the message that society values ​​appearance, has a deep-seated fear of aging, and values ​​women who appear 10 years younger than their actual age. By analyzing three cosmetic advertisements: Avon, Covergirl and Maybelline, i. ..... middle of paper ...... and every corner we turn? The message is simple: America has a deep-rooted fear of growing old and showing its age. Society says it is acceptable for women to take pride in their appearance and promote a youthful, adolescent appearance. However, the message advertisers send is that to achieve this she must “hide” behind the makeup she wears which helps her achieve her youthful appearance, which in turn tells our youth that it is acceptable to wear a “mask” and that aging is not an acceptable form of being a woman in society. Works Cited: Kilbourne, Jeanne. Killing Us Softly 4: the image of women in advertising. DVD. Media Education Foundation, 2010.A ​​new platinum. Announcement. Avon, Countryside 16:80. PrintCovergirl. Announcement. Marie Claire, August 2011: 8. PrintMaybelline. . Announcement. Marie Claire, August 2011: 74. Print