---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I never thought I was pretty. I couldn't…"
description: "\"I never thought I was pretty. I couldn't even put on eyelashes or makeup.\" — Pam Grier"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26f/pam-grier-7817_eyelashes_i-never-thought-i-was-pretty-i-couldn-t_344497.jpg"
---

#  I never thought I was pretty. I couldn't even put on…

![“I never thought I was pretty. I couldn't even put on eyelashes or makeup.” quote by Pam Grier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26f/pam-grier-7817_eyelashes_i-never-thought-i-was-pretty-i-couldn-t_344497.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26f/pam-grier-7817_eyelashes_i-never-thought-i-was-pretty-i-couldn-t_344497.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26f/pam-grier-7817_eyelashes_i-never-thought-i-was-pretty-i-couldn-t_344497.jpg)

> “I never thought I was pretty. I couldn't even put on eyelashes or makeup.”

[Pam Grier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pam-grier/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

An admission of low self‑esteem regarding appearance and beauty standards.

**In simple terms:** She felt she wasn’t pretty or able to use makeup.

Key Takeaway

Challenge internalized beauty norms.

Themes

self‑esteem beauty standards identity

Mood

reflective vulnerable

Type

personal empowering

When to use this quote

- personal growth
- media representation
- mental health
- beauty industry

Key Concepts

body image self‑acceptance

Questions to Reflect On

- How do societal standards affect your self‑view?
- What steps can you take to love your natural self?

A Different Perspective

May reinforce negative self‑image if not paired with empowerment.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Girl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/girl/) [Makeup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/makeup/)

## Related quotes

> [Honey, I am going to my grave with my eyelashes and my makeup on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammy-faye-bakker/honey-i-am-going-to-my-grave-with-my-eyelashes-and-my-makeup-on/)

[Tammy Faye Bakker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammy-faye-bakker/)

> [I wear false eyelashes at work so I get used to that fuller look all the time, so when I get home, I'm like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frankie-bridge/i-wear-false-eyelashes-at-work-so-i-get-used-to-that-fuller-look-all/)

[Frankie Bridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frankie-bridge/)

> [I feel like it's always important to curl your eyelashes. I always do when I wake up and you know you look tired, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doutzen-kroes/i-feel-like-it-s-always-important-to-curl-your-eyelashes-i-always-do/)

[Doutzen Kroes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doutzen-kroes/)

> [I've always liked ladies all my life. I guess it started with my mom. So every time I saw a pretty lady, I thought,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-b-king/i-ve-always-liked-ladies-all-my-life-i-guess-it-started-with-my-mom/)

[B. B. King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-b-king/)

> [As a twelve-year-old girl, I thought that I was only pretty if the people on social media told me that I was pretty -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-cyrus/as-a-twelve-year-old-girl-i-thought-that-i-was-only-pretty-if-the/)

[Noah Cyrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-cyrus/)

> [I would rather be thought of as pretty rather than sexy. It feels good to be voted by fans and that too in such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katrina-kaif/i-would-rather-be-thought-of-as-pretty-rather-than-sexy-it-feels-good/)

[Katrina Kaif](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katrina-kaif/)

> [I wouldn't want a boy to think I was pretty unless he was the kind of boy who thought I was pretty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/i-wouldn-t-want-a-boy-to-think-i-was-pretty-unless-he-was-the-kind-of/)

[Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/)

> [“When Luce did look in the mirror, she thought she might still be sort of pretty, if you went by what most people thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-frazier/when-luce-did-look-in-the-mirror-she-thought-she-might-still-be-sort/)

[Charles Frazier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-frazier/)

> [“like pretty what would it be like if i thought i was pretty what would it be like if i carried that knowledge around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesca-lia-block/like-pretty-what-would-it-be-like-if-i-thought-i-was-pretty-what/)

[Francesca Lia Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-lia-block/)

> [I always thought I was a pretty terrible actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flea/i-always-thought-i-was-a-pretty-terrible-actor/)

[Flea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flea/)

> [And when she started becoming a “young lady,” and no one was allowed to look at her because she thought she was fat. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/and-when-she-started-becoming-a-young-lady-and-no-one-was-allowed-to/)

[Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/)

> [“She was never thought of as a pretty girl. People might say she looked interesting, mysterious, older than her years and therefore intriguing, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/she-was-never-thought-of-as-a-pretty-girl-people-might-say-she-looked/)

[Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/)

> [“That, Claire thought, was a pretty good definition of love: needing someone even after you got what you thought you wanted.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-caine/that-claire-thought-was-a-pretty-good-definition-of-love-needing/)

[Rachel Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-caine/)

> [Hey,' he said. It came out hard and frustrated. 'I told you to smile because you're pretty when you smile.' She walked to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/hey-he-said-it-came-out-hard-and-frustrated-i-told-you-to-smile/)

[Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/)

> [When I Was Small And I Always Thought I Was Such A Pretty Child. Now I See My Photos And I Think To My…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-soto/when-i-was-small-and-i-always-thought-i-was-such-a-pretty-child-now-i/)

Andrea Soto

## More by Pam Grier

> [And as I reinvent myself and I'm constantly curious about everything, I can't wait to see what's around the corner in newfound art and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pam-grier/and-as-i-reinvent-myself-and-i-m-constantly-curious-about-everything/)

[Pam Grier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pam-grier/)

> [It's always fun to put on bell bottoms and have your butt hanging out and hip huggers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pam-grier/it-s-always-fun-to-put-on-bell-bottoms-and-have-your-butt-hanging-out/)

[Pam Grier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pam-grier/)

> [But I just loved looking at the clothes of the '70s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pam-grier/but-i-just-loved-looking-at-the-clothes-of-the-70s/)

[Pam Grier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pam-grier/)

> [You can get hurt at any time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pam-grier/you-can-get-hurt-at-any-time/)

[Pam Grier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pam-grier/)

> [I felt beauty was a magnet for abuse, and I had suffered greatly for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pam-grier/i-felt-beauty-was-a-magnet-for-abuse-and-i-had-suffered-greatly-for-it/)

[Pam Grier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pam-grier/)

> [Yes, you can have art films about the triumph of the human spirit and all of that, but you'll have it done with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pam-grier/yes-you-can-have-art-films-about-the-triumph-of-the-human-spirit-and/)

[Pam Grier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pam-grier/)

> [You can be on top of everything, and the next minute, you're going to be on the bottom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pam-grier/you-can-be-on-top-of-everything-and-the-next-minute-you-re-going-to/)

[Pam Grier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pam-grier/)

> [I don't believe that I should just do A-movies, I just do the work as an artist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pam-grier/i-don-t-believe-that-i-should-just-do-a-movies-i-just-do-the-work-as/)

[Pam Grier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pam-grier/)

> [I never went in thinking, "You're an African-American woman, so you're never going to win." I was just in career doing beauty pageants for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pam-grier/i-never-went-in-thinking-you-re-an-african-american-woman-so-you-re/)

[Pam Grier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pam-grier/)

> [Women are allowed more freedoms and we're fighting for more freedoms, we're experiencing more freedoms won.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pam-grier/women-are-allowed-more-freedoms-and-we-re-fighting-for-more-freedoms/)

[Pam Grier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pam-grier/)

> [The African-American community is not monolithic. It's liberal and conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pam-grier/the-african-american-community-is-not-monolithic-it-s-liberal-and/)

[Pam Grier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pam-grier/)

> [I really do not care if it is a B-movie or not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pam-grier/i-really-do-not-care-if-it-is-a-b-movie-or-not/)

[Pam Grier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pam-grier/)

> [Driving a cab is not really a nurturing type of relationship. You take people and they tip you, they may not tip you, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pam-grier/driving-a-cab-is-not-really-a-nurturing-type-of-relationship-you-take/)

[Pam Grier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pam-grier/)

> [I'm an Air force Brat and I've lived all over the world and this country and there were people in my community who were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pam-grier/i-m-an-air-force-brat-and-i-ve-lived-all-over-the-world-and-this/)

[Pam Grier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pam-grier/)

> [I tell actresses, "If you're too tall, if you're too fat, you're not going to work. I don't care how talented you are." It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pam-grier/i-tell-actresses-if-you-re-too-tall-if-you-re-too-fat-you-re-not/)

[Pam Grier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pam-grier/)

[Explore all 87 Pam Grier quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pam-grier/)

## More Eyelashes quotes

> [“around my index finger, I look up at him under my long eyelashes. "My phone isn't working and the air in my car is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justine-elvira/around-my-index-finger-i-look-up-at-him-under-my-long-eyelashes-my/)

[Justine Elvira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justine-elvira/)

> [You are only as invincible as your smallest weakness, and those are tiny indeed - the length of a sleeping baby's eyelash, the span…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/you-are-only-as-invincible-as-your-smallest-weakness-and-those-are/)

[Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/)

> [In college, I had a crush on one of my professors. I used to bat my eyelashes and coo at him. He didn't respond…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/navi-rawat/in-college-i-had-a-crush-on-one-of-my-professors-i-used-to-bat-my/)

[Navi Rawat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/navi-rawat/)

> [The circus tent was flowing pale in the rain like a fleshy flower lit from within. It seemed to bloom in the downpour. Drops…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesca-lia-block/the-circus-tent-was-flowing-pale-in-the-rain-like-a-fleshy-flower-lit/)

[Francesca Lia Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-lia-block/)

> [When I'm manic, I'm so awake and alert, that my eyelashes fluttering on the pillow sound like thunder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-behrman/when-i-m-manic-i-m-so-awake-and-alert-that-my-eyelashes-fluttering-on/)

[Andy Behrman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-behrman/)

> [As regards the quietude of the sage, he is not quiet because quietness is said to be good. He is quiet because the multitude…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/as-regards-the-quietude-of-the-sage-he-is-not-quiet-because-quietness/)

[Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/)

> [And what can we expect if we haven't any dinner, But to lose our teeth and eyelashes and keep on growing thinner?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-lear/and-what-can-we-expect-if-we-haven-t-any-dinner-but-to-lose-our-teeth/)

[Edward Lear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-lear/)

> [I wear false eyelashes at work so I get used to that fuller look all the time, so when I get home, I'm like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frankie-bridge/i-wear-false-eyelashes-at-work-so-i-get-used-to-that-fuller-look-all/)

[Frankie Bridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frankie-bridge/)

> [The afrit batted his eyelashes with a ostentatious lack of concern. "Indeed? Have you a name?" "A name?" I cried. "I have MANY names!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-stroud/the-afrit-batted-his-eyelashes-with-a-ostentatious-lack-of-concern/)

[Jonathan Stroud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-stroud/)

> [Most of today's film actresses are typical of a mass-production age: living dolls who look as if they came off an assembly line and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-lawrenson/most-of-today-s-film-actresses-are-typical-of-a-mass-production-age/)

[Helen Lawrenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-lawrenson/)

> [I've got a perfect body, 'cause my eyelashes catch my sweat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/regina-spektor/i-ve-got-a-perfect-body-cause-my-eyelashes-catch-my-sweat/)

[Regina Spektor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/regina-spektor/)

> [“Watoto hupenda vitu vinavyong’aa ambavyo havijatulia na vilivyopangiliwa vizuri. Hivyo ndivyo macho ya binadamu yalivyo: yana unyevu na yanaakisi mwanga, hayajatulia, na yana rangi…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enock-maregesi/watoto-hupenda-vitu-vinavyong-aa-ambavyo-havijatulia-na/)

[Enock Maregesi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enock-maregesi/)

> [Sometimes I think the difference between what we want and what we're afraid of is about the width of an eyelash.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mcinerney/sometimes-i-think-the-difference-between-what-we-want-and-what-we-re/)

[Jay McInerney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mcinerney/)

> [“She batted her eyelashes at me to show she was kidding. I love it when she does that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-applegate/she-batted-her-eyelashes-at-me-to-show-she-was-kidding-i-love-it-when/)

[Katherine Applegate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-applegate/)

> [There are those who'd rob a blind man of his eyelashes if they could.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avi/there-are-those-who-d-rob-a-blind-man-of-his-eyelashes-if-they-could/)

[Avi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avi/)

Browse all 195 Eyelashes quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I never thought I was pretty. I couldn't even put on eyelashes or makeup.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Pam Grier"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pam-grier/i-never-thought-i-was-pretty-i-couldn-t-even-put-on-eyelashes-or/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Eyelashes"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pam-grier/i-never-thought-i-was-pretty-i-couldn-t-even-put-on-eyelashes-or/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26f/pam-grier-7817_eyelashes_i-never-thought-i-was-pretty-i-couldn-t_344497.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26f/pam-grier-7817_eyelashes_i-never-thought-i-was-pretty-i-couldn-t_344497.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26f/pam-grier-7817_eyelashes_i-never-thought-i-was-pretty-i-couldn-t_344497.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I never thought I was pretty. I couldn't even put on eyelashes or makeup.” — Pam Grier",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Pam Grier",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pam-grier/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I never thought I was pretty....",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pam-grier/i-never-thought-i-was-pretty-i-couldn-t-even-put-on-eyelashes-or/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pam-grier/i-never-thought-i-was-pretty-i-couldn-t-even-put-on-eyelashes-or/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
