So am I good at it, or I am bad at it?

Yesterday, three of my besties and I took in the delights of the annual "High Tea Party" in Sydney. There, whilst taking in the smells and delights of the various - but sadly few - stalls, stands and experiences, we undertook another favourite pasttime: people watching.

In between the lassies tottering about in 6 inch heels two sizes too big for them (honestly, why don't women buy shoes that fit??), and the divas who turned up in all their cocktail finery - including one ghastly number that made the wearer look like a toilet doll - two things became apparent to me:

1) I could have tried a bit harder with my outfit, and

2) Women wear an awful lot of make-up to look 'natural'

Ok so maybe sparkly blue eye-shadow and fake lashes aren't 'natural' and the users of said items are clearly trying to make a statement, but there are a fair few of us who spend considerable time applying make-up only so the we look 'natural' or to appear that we aren't trying to hard.

Is it just me or is that a bit screwed up? How natural is caking our faces with primer, concealer moisturiser, foundation, powder, blush / bronzer, eye shadow and mascara? Who's definition of 'natural' is this?

I can understand the self confidence point of view as I totally agree there's nothing worse than having a break out and thinking the whole world is staring at you, but I still think the above is a fair question to ask. 

I especially asked it after I re-visited a photo I had taken last year at the high tea party. I should point out that the two photos in question were taken by the same company, with the same people (albeit in slightly different poses), there was more natural lighting and last year, I was wearing make-up.

Now admittedly I didn't have the latest snap with me to make an accurate comparison as it is currently in my mate's car driving back down the Hume, but to my recollection I couldn't see much difference in my face between the two. If anything, I think I looked healthier yesterday.

So this now poses a problem: does that mean when I use make-up I've essentially mastered the 'au naturale' look, or does it mean I suck at it???