This is honestly one of my worst fears, and why I rarely wear make up. When I do, my (sighted) girlfriend always checks if everything is blended and looks okay. It sucks never knowing exactly how you look. Sending hugs!!

Hi,

I do not have any impairments or any disability, I had a good physic and an ok face, and yet I was ruthlessly bullied when I was younger.Because it's not about who you are and how you look. Bullies will pick something, anything, to make fun of you. If you fix or change that thing, they'll pick something else.

Remember this: it is actually not about you.

You are fine, you're a decent person, you manage through life with challenges that most of us can't even imagine. You have strength, resilience and resources. You're daring, that's pretty kick ass.

You don't have to justify anything to anyone.

Do not build your confidence from others, build it from within.

I would have replied: "and yet, it's better to look like a clown than acting like a cunt. You're in no position to judge others". But this is me, it took me years to appreciate myself. You have to act in a way that is authentic to you. If it's to be silent and rise above, do so. If it's to drop a snarky comeback, feel free.

You could also, if you feel like it, be upfront by walking to them and be brutally honest: "I heard your comments and it is very hurtful, I'm visually impaired, could you indicate me exactly what you think is wrong with my makeup?".Usually, this put people back in their place and have a higher chance to change their attitude as they have to own what they said.

The most important that you have to remember is those people automatically put themselves in the gutter, and you, you're on your own path, you don't have to let them drag you in the mud, they don't have the power to do so, so don't give it to them.

Assholes always end up to reveal themselves, you don't have anything else to do than being your true awesome self.

I’m really sorry friend, I definitely feel for you. All that should matter is that you feel good about yourself. Their comments served no other purpose than antagonism. While I veer to the petty side, maybe “accidentally” hit them a few times in the ankle with my cane on the way out, I can’t say I condone that method haha

I might ask a friend to make up my face in real clown makeup and go to this place. When they ask you what you did, tell them if you are going to call a vision-impaired or blind person a clown, it's clear they don't see very well, either and you wanted to help them discern the difference.

Or bring them each a eye mask and ask them to apply makeup blinded.

Personally, I lean toward the first option.

Just want to say are you sure they were talking about *you*? Sometimes our fears and insecurities make us think things that aren’t reality. Maybe they were talking about a celebrity or a photo on social media. Just trying to have some perspective. Either way, I’m sorry it made you feel bad about yourself.

I think you should be you. Your beautiful self. You should wear the makeup you like and feel good. I no longer do make up, it’s too hard for me to see it properly, I manage a bit of pencil and some mascara. Since covid I don’t bother with lipstick anymore either. No one should stop you from expressing how you feel.
Personally I would say something back but I’m older than you and have a “no fucks given” attitude to most people.
Some people were rude to me at the gym tonight because I couldn’t focus properly and missed picking up the sanitiser spray a couple of times, I was already wondering if someone had seen me and then I heard some girls laugh to each other about what’s wrong with me. I turned in their direction and told them a have visual impairment and asked what their problem was laughing at someone they could see could do with some help?
They shut up pretty quickly.

I say, if you feel up to it. Say something, call them up on it.

I’m very sorry OP :( I’ve certainly been through similar situations, and it always says a whole lot more about the people who’re saying these nasty things, than it does about you. They have no idea how ignorant they are. They don’t know what being visually impaired is, and we all know that they’d shit themselves if they woke up one day and had our sight. Especially in this day and age where so many people thrust the ‘be kind’ bs. Things will get better, just try and ignore their small-minded and nasty comments.

Yikes, yeah I usually ask someone when I'm unsure of my makeup either in person or sending a pic in good lighting...I also find it helps to take a selfie and zoom in to double check. Regardless, they should not have made fun of you. My pick me up usually involves food or drink I really like but don't indulge in often 🙂

I'm so sorry, I know that must have been so hurtful to overhear. People can be so thoughtless and cruel. No one with any amount of class would talk about someone that way, they sound petty and boorish. In short, not the kind of people whose opinion I'd value.

Do you have any friends, online or irl, that can give you honest feedback about your makeup to help you build your confidence back up?

Youre beautiful. Those people are ugly. Sorry you had to deal with that.

They’re blinder than you and don’t even compare to your own awesomeness that you exude every single moment. They can go to hell and you keep doing what makes you feel amazing and don’t let others destroy that.

They’re assholes. Your makeup sounds fine. I think they would’ve made fun of you regardless

Even if it didn't look the best they're still assholes. If they were actually your friends they would make a polite suggestion or critique. Not bully you behind your back.

Yep, this happened to my girlfriend. The emotional IQ of some people is disheartening.

Download the BeMyEyes app. A sighted volunteer will be able to check your make-up to ensure it's fully-blended.

I'm visually-impaired also, and a member of various low vision/blindness membership groups. On one of our video calls once, a woman had forgotten to blend her blush, so she had two pink circles on her cheeks. Honest mistake. I thought about how to let her know about it during the meeting, but since we all have vision loss to some degree, we're understanding of such things and no one mocked her. It happens.

But anyone who is casually cruel has a deficit of empathy. I wonder if someday science will discover these people are not actually human beings after all, but another specie altogether. How else can this behavior be explained? Maybe it's a sickness of sorts. Who gets pleasure out of inflicting emotional pain on others?

Just my opinion, but I hope you'll speak up in times like this. "Were you talking about me?" "Tell me, specifically, what makes me look clownish?" Ask detailed questions. "What about my lipstick bothers you? Is it the color or the application of it?" Make them squirm uncomfortably by forcing them to acknowledge their pettiness and then shame them with it. Take back the self-esteem they robbed you of.

First, don't beat yourself up over this. Lots of the vi community wouldn't even try. You kick ass. Not that I think makeup is really all that important, but the rest of the world seems to. Sounds like one of those times where you go up to those very people next time you see them and say "Hey, I overheard you laughing at my makeup the other day. Why not obstruct most of YOUR vision and give it a try? Or maybe one of you might be willing to show me a few pointers? Either you'll get some useful tips and maybe even an appology, or else make them feel really embarrassed and awkward. Either way, they'll make sure you're not in earshot next time. I'm all for confronting people being knobs. Even if I only think of things after the fact a lot.

That really sucks and I'm sorry that happened to you. I know there are a few blind girls on Youtube, such as Molly Burk, who explain how they apply their makeup. Maybe that could help.

I like alternative style so I fully embrace my evil clown appearance and it gives a-holes like this quite the chagrin. I will take my blood red smoky eye and massively winged eyeliner and fly down to my throne of Hell where I belong thank you very much and yes I know I look “scary” and “dead” I did that on purpose if you don’t like it don’t look at me.


If you’re feeling petty you could also subtly guilt trip them by asking how your makeup is saying you really wanted to look extra pretty today but we’re having an extra bad morning with your eyes lol make ‘em feel bad for being mean.

In the very least I would tell them that you heard them making fun of you. That will probably floor them for the rest of the day.

If you're worried whether or not your makeup genuinely looks bad, then you might want to go to r/MakeUpAddiction where you can post photos and get objective feedback/tips.

But honestly, if people are slagging you off behind your back then the real problem is in their hearts not on your face.

Yes easy. You bring in your makeup kit and a blindfold (or at least no mirror) and you let the other women put on makeup without a visual reference to see how they turn out. I guarantee you, who has experience putting makeup on while visually impaired, will come out looking better than any of those women on their first try. I also guarantee they never badmouth you again after they understand your plight firsthand.

Those women are awful and if they mature at all I’m sure they will understand how what they did was not okay! I’m sorry you went through that. Honestly I like to watch blind beauty YouTubers to perk my spirits up. Or take a bubble bath. Those girls don’t deserve to be friends with someone as cool as you but I know it’s hard

People can be so disgusting. Fuck'em, that's what I say. You don't need that sorta toxicity in your life. I wouldn't associate myself with them if they continue that up.


Good people might take you to the side and let you know in private. Shitty people will make fun of you because they hate themselves.

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Stay awesome.