Jessica Lowndes’s New Music Video Addresses Misogyny, Makeup, and Self-Love

Makeup carries meaning. For some, wearing makeup demonstrates glamorous freedom of expression. For others, it symbolizes imprisonment by a culture that pressures women to look perfect. Singer, songwriter, and actress Jessica Lowndes is addressing the latter in a compelling new music video she debuted Thursday on YouTube.

In “Underneath the Mask,” the 27-year-old looks vulnerably into the camera while singing about sexism and “hiding” beneath a “mask” of makeup. As the video unfolds, Lowndes gradually removes her lipstick, foundation, false lashes, and eye makeup to reveal her natural beauty underneath.

“Underneath the Mask” is more than just a song and music video, though — it’s the anthem for a social movement Lowndes has launched and dubbed the #takeoffyourmakeupchallenge. Lowndes explains the significance of the cause in a video posted to Twitter that same day: “I’m starting something called the ‘Take Your Makeup Off Challenge,’ she proclaims. “I’m doing this as a battle cry in our fight against misogyny.”

Lowndes told Yahoo Beauty, “I see powerful men saying things in public and degrading women every day … I wanted to make women feel powerful, inspired and confident in their own skin and in my opinion there’s not enough of that these days. Taking off our makeup is way of sending the message to the world that we will be seen and heard. It’s a message that together as women we will not succumb to bullying from men of any kind.”

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The singer then challenges her followers to perpetuate the movement — even calling out a few personal friends, including model Petra Nemcová, Nina Dobrev, Katy Perry, and Ellen Degeneres. “You have 24 hours to wash your makeup off and nominate the fiercest women in your life,” she announces with a proud smile and uses a makeup wipe to clean her face. In a later tweet, she describes how simple it is to participate in the challenge: “Nominate gfs, remove makeup (video or pic) then they have 24 hrs to do it before nominating their gfs.”

But Lowndes isn’t advocating going makeup-free completely. So that you don’t misconstrue her meaning, the performer clarifies to Yahoo Beauty, “It’s not about cutting makeup out of your life. Its about living with the mindset that [makeup] is an addition to your beauty. Something that isn’t necessary to complete it or something you need. I love getting dolled up and rocking the latest makeup trends. It’s an incredible form of self expression and art (which is awesome) but feeling comfortable in your own skin and showing off your natural beauty is empowering. It helps your self esteem. Makeup shouldn’t make us feel more confident than we already do because we are beautiful and unique with or without it.”

In a second video, posted to Twitter, we see just Lowndes’s face as a series of derogatory words that have been used against women flash across the screen. They include “nasty,” “dumb,” “emotional,” “worthless,” “whore,” and “fat pig.” Considering the timing and the fact that some of sexist phrases Lowndes references — including “fat pig” and “nasty” — have been attributed to Donald Trump, the movement also seems to be making a political statement. Though she doesn’t take an outright stance regarding the presidential campaign, Lowndes confirms to Yahoo Beauty, “I’m Canadian and I can’t vote so this was a way for me to use my platform to try and build women up especially at a time like this.”

People seem to be catching on to that wrinkle. When Lowndes tweeted, “It makes me sad to live in a world where powerful men are permitted to publicly degrade women,” one Twitter user was quick to deflect with “look no further than Bill Clinton then.” But the overwhelming political response from the public includes comments like, “That’s why I’m with her! Trump and all this hatred needs to be stopped!”.

On YouTube, fans have been supportive of Lowndes’s movement, writing, “Beautiful with a powerful message,” “So meaningful and inspiring,” and “You look astonishing without makeup and your voice is incredible!!” Lowndes retweeted some of her favorite replies — specifically from men — including one from performer James Maslow, who wrote, “Honestly, I dig chicks who don’t wear makeup. Cool vid @jessicalowndes.”

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Lowndes admits that being in the entertainment industry has opened her eyes even further to the constant burden put on women to look beautiful and flawless at all times. “I definitely feel pressure in the field of work I have chosen. We are constantly bombarded with society’s unrealistic beauty standards,” Lowndes tells Yahoo Beauty. “It’s a growing concern for women. In the world of Facetune, filters, and plastic surgery, it makes it that much harder for girls to embrace natural beauty and body goals. The [Take Off Your Makeup] challenge is a reminder that it’s okay to be ourselves. That’s a picture with no makeup and no filter can get just as many likes.”

To get the “Take Off Your Makeup” challenge to go viral, Lowndes even upped the ante on Sunday by announcing, “Win a SKYPE DATE! Post a video/makeup free pic and nominate others with hashtag #takeyourmakeupoffchallenge before Nov 8 for a chance to win.” Some Twitter users aren’t buying the challenge, though. One user wrote, “That’s not a challenge @jessicalowndes that’s called ‘an evening routine’.” Another tweeted, “It’s not that deep.”

There will always be naysayers on the internet, but Lowndes is focused on the heartfelt message of her song. “This song is about knowing that no matter what you’re going through in life, you can get through it and come out stronger on the other side. I want to make people feel inspired, empowered and confident when they hear it. I want to spread the message that regardless of what you may be going through you can always get through it if you are true to who you are,” she tells Yahoo Beauty.

She adds, “This type of misogyny that is all around us and shown on tv, is a throwback to a different era when men thought they could act like they were better than us. The 1950s references in my song Underneath The Mask (“Cookie cutter wifey” “pressing your shirt in the morning”) all symbolize this ridiculous outdated notion that women should be ‘seen not heard.'”

As for the challenge itself, Lowndes tweeted, “It’s my hope that every girl who watches this makes their own video and challenges their friends to do the same.”

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