I have a friend who loves wearing makeup. That’s fine, totally alright. Except, she feels like she has to wear makeup. That’s not fine, totally not alright. Before we go anywhere together, whether it’s the mall or a quick trip to a fast food place or even to the beach, she has to put on makeup: foundation, bronzer, eye shadow, eyeliner, blush, and even colored-in eyebrows.
You might know someone like that, someone that feels as though they have to wear makeup all the time (or, maybe you’re that person). I, personally, think it’s great if you want to wear makeup, and it’s equally great if you don’t. You have the right to choose whether you wear makeup or not. And that’s the point I’d like to make: you have a choice.
Many young women feel like they have to wear makeup to look beautiful or to be feminine. The problem could stem from the marketed purpose of makeup: to cover up flaws. All your bumps, zits, and freckles can virtually disappear with the right application of products. Of course, promises like that are more than appealing and can entice us to spend a lot of money just for a chance to see if a foundation really can cover up red patches while moisturizing skin “guaranteed.” While a gigantic zit on your forehead might not be really appealing, is it really a flaw? Why are your red cheeks or big mole (or, in my case, my weird eye wart) considered something that should be covered up? While it’s true that some people are naturally born with great skin and a nice complexion, the majority of people slap on a few layers of foundation and bronzer every day to hide their imperfections.
So if we all do it, if the majority of people are trying so hard to fix their natural features with makeup, why do we do it at all? You can also tell when someone is wearing makeup, so you automatically know that their seemingly flawless face is a result of contouring and the right shade of blush. It’s not like we’re fooling anyone, so why do we use makeup to feel beautiful? My use of makeup was fostered by the matriarchs in my family: my mother and grandmother. They encouraged me to apply makeup and assured me that I looked beautiful when I wear it. And I think that’s fine, but my mom and grandma would also tell me I was beautiful without it as well. I think that’s something a lot of young women don’t hear often enough, so let me spell it out for you. You are beautiful without makeup. Yes, you. You don’t need to wear makeup to be pretty. Sure, wearing makeup can make you feel pretty, like wearing a new dress can make you feel pretty. But it doesn’t make you that way.
So before you apply makeup today, ask yourself this question: do you really want to?