“You look so much better without all that makeup caked on.”
“I feel like you are lying to me.”
Although I have never had the honor of being told such wonderful things, many people have. It’s a commonplace thought in younger society that women who revel in the art of makeup are cheating people out of what they really look like.
Whether or not you personally like someone’s look, you shouldn’t use backhanded compliments to convey your opinion.
At home, products are strewn across my dresser. I have a few body sprays, wipes, some lotions, a box of nail polish, four or five shiny lipsticks, a matte lipstick, and finally, the fountain of youth, i.e. my makeup bag. Behold, the wondrous land of my two Naked palettes, kohl eyeliners, foundations, BB cremes, and more!
Some days I like to look natural, and others, like today, I decide on a winged cat-eye. I’m not excessive, at least I don’t believe that I am, but even if I was it would be nobody’s concern.
With makeup, I feel confident and lovely. With a swipe of my go-to mascara, I feel as though my eyes start to sparkle more, and I have the ability to pull others in. With my favorite lipstick, I smile even wider than normal.
This isn’t to say that on the days I choose not to wear makeup that I feel homely. It is just a more subtle me.
I’ve heard friends be told to wear less, and that infuriates me. Somehow, they are supposed to believe that they are more worthy of attractiveness or beauty by not wearing their beloved products?
Listen, I am all for feeling the skin that you are in and celebrating your natural radiance, but whether she chooses to enhance her features or not shouldn’t have any bearing on how you feel about her. She’s exactly the same. If she feels more beautiful without makeup, then great! All the more power to her! If not, then let’s celebrate that, as well.
As a teenager, I wore barely anything. To this day, my usual routine is still mascara and lip balm, but if I’m going out or just want to feel even more special, I’ll go to my fountain of youth makeup arsenal and have at it.
I will continue to pass by Sephora like it’s the best candy shop in the world and drool over everything I can’t afford, and I will continue to leap for joy when I find something that I can make work.
Bottom line, feel beautiful no matter what. Just because I like to celebrate myself doesn’t mean I’m Too Faced. See what I did there?