They say appearances don’t matter, but for Simon Cowell, they can be everything. First impressions can have a long-lasting impact on you, and they can even taint your opinion of someone who is completely incorrect. For many years, makeup was used to provide a ‘fixer-upper,’ if you will. Many actors have used it to help them better portray their characters.
How you carry yourself in public is an important part of making a good first impression. You could be the most talented person in the room, but if you’re too nervous, people will think you’re insecure because you’re not good enough. Not that makeup or a new haircut will change who you are, but studies have shown that people who feel better about their appearance perform better when it counts.
Samantha Lavery, 17, tried to create a persona that she thought was that of a pop star when she auditioned for “The X Factor UK.” She attempted to impress the judges with heavy eye make-up, a leather jumpsuit, and curled hair, but to no avail. She was not chosen and was sent home in tears as the disappointment of not being able to compete hit home. She was perplexed as to what had gone wrong. Was it her choice of makeup? Were her clothes not appropriate? She had no choice but to abandon her dream for the day and return home to reconsider her options and the path her life would take.
After a few weeks, she received a phone call from Simon informing her that she had been given a “Wild Card” to audition once more. Samantha couldn’t believe her good fortune and was soon on her way to Simon’s Malibu mansion for a second chance at fame.
When she arrived for the audition and stepped onto the stage, it appeared that she had not learned her lesson. She wore heavy eye make-up, teased him, and wore high heels once more. Simon was once again unimpressed and told to remove the mask. “I feel as if I haven’t met the real you yet,” he scathingly stated. You could see the emotion well up in young Samantha’s eyes, but this time even Mel B, one of the other judges, agreed, and Samantha left the stage to re-rehearse for the audition.
When she returned to the stage, the judges were taken aback by her natural beauty. “You removed the mask and revealed the real you,” a delighted Simon exclaimed. Samantha then proceeded to give the performance of her life, leaving the judges in awe of her immense talent.