The make-up removal app causing controversy

From Harpers Bazaar UK

A new app that claims to “let you add or remove make-up from any face” highlights yet more concerns about gender relations.

MakeApp, designed by men, but aimed at women (well, all the branding depicts females with and without make-up), is causing controversy for many reasons - and none of them good.

On the one hand, users are complaining that its technology simply isn’t accurate. As The Independent points out, “Rather than making women look natural, it just makes them look haggard and sallow.”

But, on top of provoking insecurities, it exacerbates misogyny. The leading customer reviews – by men – are rather disturbing.

Twilliam121 says it “Works like a charm”, and that “This app is going to be amazingly helpful for sifting through the garbage on Tinder... 5/5”. Presumably Twilliam121 hasn’t tested it to ‘remove’ his own make-up.

Founder Ashot Gabrelyanov has been quick to defend his creation, suggesting it’s been misunderstood. He told BuzzFeed "We built MakeApp as an experiment and released it into the wild a few months ago and unfortunately the media coverage solely focused on the make-up removal function of the app and characterised it as a bunch of 'tech bros' trying to hurt women, which is just so far from the truth."

While plenty of people may be having harmless fun trying on their virtual make-up (and let’s remember, there are apps for that already), there’s a reason that everyone’s focused on the make-up removal function. Because – unintentionally or not – it serves to yet again shame women. And we shouldn’t stand for it.

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