Makeup competition shows are a thrilling mess—part artistry, part chaos, and entirely unfair. Every face is a different canvas, which is a beautiful reflection of reality but an impossible way to judge talent on an equal playing field. One contestant gets a model with sculpted cheekbones and deep-set eyes, while another is working with a face that requires completely different techniques. The final looks are paraded before the judges, and whether we realize it or not, we’re not just assessing the artistry—we’re assessing the natural features beneath it. It’s apples to oranges, yet the artists are still expected to be graded as if they had the same starting point.
This is why Glow Up’s Face Off elimination round is a rare moment of actual fairness. By giving two competitors identical twin models, it allows for a true side-by-side comparison. No natural bone structure advantage, no eye shape favoritism—just pure technique and execution.
Makeup is deeply personal, shaped by the unique face beneath it, but when competition shows act as though all canvases are the same, they betray their own purpose. We’re not seeing who’s the most skilled—we’re seeing who got lucky with a face that made their work look better. Until all rounds adopt the Face Off model, makeup competitions will remain more about circumstance than true artistic mastery.