Hmm.. I’ll be the first to admit that I have spent a while Googling to find out what a ‘basic bitch’ actually is. Wiki is my friend here (and yes, I do donate to Wiki – I’d be lost without it!) and I quote,
“Airhead, also known as ghetto prep, popular, Trixie (in Chicago),[1] basic bitch, or simply basic, is a slang term in American popular culture used to pejoratively describe women (usually white) who are perceived to predominantly like mainstream products, trends, or music[2] while at the same time fearing and disliking diversity.[3] Airhead dates back to the late 1980s as a derogatory term for a stupid or unaware person, usually female but sometimes male.[4] Basic bitch originated in hip-hop culture and rose in popularity through rap music, songs, blogs, and videos from 2011 to 2014.[5][6] Interpretations of the term vary and its use has been criticized for being an overly vague and a misogynistic insult.[7]“
Similar to this
My view is that it’s a pretty crappy name for a make up range but it’s indicative of a certain group of women who take no responsibility for the bigger picture stuff. I watched a programme the other day (didn’t see it through to the end) about Instagram ‘celebs’ who literally live for their selfies – endless rounds of salon treatments and non-surgicals purely for the end goal of ‘inspiring’ young girls. Nothing wrong with non-surgicals and nothing wrong with salon treatments but when they’re your reason to exist, time to take a check on yourself.
Basic Bitch Cosmetics is founded by reality TV star Lucy Watson. On the plus, it is cruelty free, but while Lucy is apparently vegan, the first items in the range (3 lipsticks) aren’t. So, is it just me or does that mean she can’t use her own lipstick? I have to hold my hand up and say I’ve never heard of Lucy, never seen her in anything or have any reference points for her so this is in no way personal, but I find it literally scary that ‘basic bitch’ as a name was ever considered to be a good idea. Even if it’s ironic.
Back to the programme I watched – honestly, the woman that thought the way to inspire young girls (she admitted her following was mainly young girls) was to be as perfect as possible on Instagram – I had my head in my hands. I feel like I don’t even need to explain why to BBB readers. I’m rarely judgemental on looks – if you’re doing what makes you happy then good for you. But when there is so much wrong with the world for young women – education, sanitation, FGM, inequality to name a few before we even get to bullying, stereotyping, mental health and any number of insecurities-leading-to-low-self-esteem-and-beyond – it’s kind of inconceivable that anyone could think of themselves as a role model for having a nice bum.
Basic Bitch is so many wrongs rolled into a lipstick and I’m wrapping the brand and the programme together as examples of being utterly oblivious to the wider concept of ‘inspiring’. The idea that being a ‘basic bitch’ or ‘airhead’ is okay, the lack of perception, the missed opportunities to truly inspire and motivate, the missing notion of responsiblilty to young fans…. Being a basic bitch really is nothing to aspire to: being a 25 year old woman with your own business and financial independence is. There’s an empty space somewhere just waiting for some pennies to drop into it.
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