Oscar Wilde once wrote, “A kiss may ruin a human life.” His words echoed poignantly at his tomb in Paris’s Père Lachaise cemetery, where the kisses of admirers, imprinted in lipstick, had defaced and eroded the stone memorial. What was meant as a gesture of adoration became a serious problem. The grease from the lipstick sank into the stone, each cleaning rendering the stone more porous and necessitating further drastic measures.
This paradox of makeup is fascinating. On a human face, makeup is a fleeting embellishment, a daily ritual that enhances beauty, only to be washed away by nightfall. Yet, when applied to stone, it leaves an indelible mark, causing damage that is almost impossible to repair. Wilde’s tomb had suffered such a fate. Despite appeals to the public and the threat of hefty fines, kissing the tomb has become a cult pastime, damaging the stone irreparably with each cleaning.
The Irish government stepped in, funding a radical cleaning and “de-greasing” of the tomb, along with erecting a glass barrier to protect it from further harm. Wilde’s tomb, restored and protected, was unveiled, free from the kisses of devotees that sought to immortalize their love but instead left a legacy of erosion.
In our pursuit of beauty, let us remember to honor the transient nature of makeup, appreciating its fleeting touch on our skin while being mindful of its potential lasting impact elsewhere. Real beauty lies not just in our appearance but in our actions and their lasting effects on the world around us.