I don’t wear makeup often simply because it takes too much time.
When I do, I try not to wear too much. Maybe a little mascara and blush. The reason why I mention this is because I actually took my time to do my face before a holiday party this weekend and I realized how horrible I was at everything. Despite being pretty comfortable with painting, the thought of applying eyeliner and eyeshadow stresses me out. It also takes me 300 times as long and I do everything out of order. (What’s primer?) But I did it anyways. And I was really happy about it. You get this weird rush from make up, but I don’t know if that’s just me. I really had fun doing all the brushing and trying to make it look alright.
It reminded me of a conversation I had with my friend a while back. We were arguing about societal pressures on women to wear make up and go through all these processes to fit standards prescribed by men. I said that women should be okay without make up and understand the historical, misogynistic culture behind the idea of make up. We agreed that you should wear make up for you, and not anybody else. You shouldn’t be painting your face for men, nor for women. Just yourself.
Maybe it is difficult to live without looking your best everyday. Especially when many guys, biologically, see women for what they look like externally on first impression. You would need to contour your face to be as beautiful as the next girl. But natural beauty and accentuating your own beautiful features is much better than fabricating them in my opinion. I think natural make up that stems from self-love and understanding is the kind that wins out in the end. Plus, you probably don’t want partners that can’t tell the difference between fake and real.
Make up is really amazing and can completely change how somebody looks. It’s a fun hobby for many and an art for some. I’m okay with girls loving make up, but if and only if they love themselves first. Make up wont be addictive or a facet of insecurity if you understand why society craves it, and why you yourself are using it. If you love yourself, that core confidence will be more beautiful than all the products the industry can come up with.