In the 1989 movie Batman, Jack Nicholson plays the Joker. As part of some nefarious plot, he laced all hygiene and beauty products with 'Smilex' which in certain combinations was lethal and left the victim with an ear to ear grin.

This had an interesting effect on the population who then were too scared to use any such products at all.

When I first saw this movie it made an impression on me just how quickly everybody started looking pretty awful. No one used soap, deodorant, hair products, shaving products, make up or moisturiser to name a few. Within days everybody looked unkempt, smelly, crinkly and sickly.

It's been a while since I saw that movie, but anytime someone rolls out the "make up is a lie" argument, I think of that movie.

It made me think of all the things we take for granted about how we groom ourselves. The flattering hair cuts we get, the shower gels, deodorants, beard grooming kits, hair dyes, nail polishes and scents we use to make ourselves look and smell how we choose to.

Not to mention all the piercings, tattoos, and body modifications. The clothes we wear to look fashionable, thinner or fitter. The shoes we wear to look taller, tougher or sexier.

The tailored suits, the expensive shoes, the right bag or wallet. The latest phone, laptop or tech gadget. The latest game. The best car, the best house, the nicest neighbourhood.

All these things we use to craft and mould ourselves into the people we want to be. Into the people we want other people to think we are. We all do it.

And when somebody puts Smilex in your hair gel, in your body spray or your make up - well, then you really are left in the lurch without all the tools needed to be who you want to be and who you want others to see.

With all these myriad tools, why point at make up and say "you lie to me", "this is why I have trust issues".

It's such an arbitrary line.

Did you see the gif on Reddit the other day of the bird preening itself with shredded bits of paper? It sure looked cute. I don't think the other birds would have told it to stop because now they have "trust issues".