In conversation at the Edinburgh International Book Festival, Zadie Smith revealed a real frustration with makeup, and girls who spend too much time on it. The author said she was alarmed and "infuriated" to see how much time her 7-year-old daughter was spending getting ready before leaving the house, so she implemented a rule: 15 minutes in front of the mirror, max.
According to the Times of London, she said makeup was a waste of time — and she called out contouring specifically:
From what I can understand from this contouring business, that’s like an hour and a half and that is too long. It was better than giving her a big lecture on female beauty, she understood it as a practical term and she sees me and how I get dressed and how long it takes.
Some folks online, though, are not here for it.
Zadie Smith is officially cancelled https://t.co/mV2FaCNMsI
Zadie Smith is being annoying again https://t.co/WSv1ktoHZP
The entire internet is looking at her eyebrows like follow your own advice Zadie Smith https://t.co/07cR7NaWYs
And others suggested it might be easy to swear off makeup...if you look like Zadie Smith.
Harumph. Easy to say when you look like Zadie Smith. https://t.co/Fmf7TIv04s
Zadie Smith is literally one of the most beautiful women who has ever graced the earth so idk https://t.co/3l6FiCBHVN