Barely There

In today’s world, it is often frowned upon for women to be seen not wearing some form of makeup. This makeup ranges from light coverage to full faces depending on the individual’s lifestyle and personal preferences. Makeup and the beauty industry have come a long way since the ancient Egyptians used Kohl for eye makeup (which causes cancer) It’s now considered the “norm” for women to wear makeup.

I have grown up my whole life playing with the idea of wearing makeup. I remember the first time I wore more than just lipgloss. I was about to leave for a middle school dance, so I let my best friend do my makeup. The whole night, I felt uncomfortable and out of my own skin. For the longest time, I full-heartedly rejected the idea of wearing makeup because I did not want people to base my looks on what I considered a false pretense. I no longer consider makeup a false pretense, but my middle school self sure did. It made me feel uncomfortable to even wear mascara or a little bit of concealer. I would judge other girls for wearing what I considered too much makeup.

Since my middle school days, I have come a long way in my thought process. I think makeup is acceptable, but not needed or necessary in all situations. From time to time, I have been known to wear a little makeup. I still prefer a bare face that way I don’t have to worry about touch ups throughout the day and my face feels clean without makeup piled on my pores. The problem? Even though I personally believe that wearing no makeup is acceptable in all situations, there are many that do not agree with me.

There are often clickbait articles online that say something along the lines of “Top Ten Shocking Photos of Celebrities Without Makeup”.

These kinds of articles continue to promote the stigma that people are not good enough when they are not wearing makeup. Makeup is seen as a symbol of sophistication and class. Women are often expected to wear makeup to interviews because it is considered the professional thing to do. This shows how much our society has changed as a whole having makeup a few decades ago be scandalous.

Makeup can accent someone’s features, making them appear more awake, or completely change the look of their face. Even though makeup has all of these effects, I personally prefer a clean face. A clean face to me makes me feel fresher and more relaxed. I feel like I do not have to worry about smudged mascara, lipstick on my teeth, or unblended eyeshadow. This personally provides me a lot of relief not having to worry about these things. Some do not wear it because they’re“too lazy” to put any on, but many prefer a natural look of nothing.

The amount of makeup a girl wears has nothing to do with her work ethic or qualifications to get a task done. If you are debating how much makeup you should or should not wear just ask yourself, “What makes me feel comfortable or confident?” Whatever amount you decide on should be your decision that makes you feel happy.