Wearing makeup is not about trying to escape reality or avoid ‘the real you’, it’s about bringing the inner you out, so that when you look in the mirror you see your essence in all its glory. The inner goddess can have many facets and show up in many forms, makeup is a way to celebrate this. Each day a different face! Have fun with makeup, feel good wearing it and never let anyone tell you otherwise. Fantasy is a tool for empowerment!
The more empowered people there are walking around in the world, the more positive our world will be. Do what you need to do to feel empowered. If you feel empowered without makeup – perfect! If you feel empowered wearing makeup – perfect! Neither is more valid than the other. Cutting down others because they choose or choose not to wear makeup is not only pointless, but it disempowers you, because essentially you are focusing your attention on other people rather than focusing on your brilliance and actions in this life.
Societal norms around makeup are not only harmful, but they are rooted in the belief that women need to be in a constant state of conflicted ideals.
Beautiful, but not too beautiful.
Smart, but not too smart.
Smart and beautiful….Woah!.
Attractive, but not in our own way and on our own terms.
Well presented (wear makeup), but not too much, because then of course it is assumed that they are trashy, promiscuous and even dangerous.
Have you ever heard someone utter the words “A like a woman to wear no makeup and look natural!” Unbeknownst to them looking ‘natural’ takes hours of work, yet a skilled vintage gal can be out the door donning her winged liner and perfectly set coiffed hair in less time than a girl who prefers that sun-kissed cheeks and beach hair look.
Or what about this one:
“Are you sick, you look so tired?”
“No, I’m just not wearing makeup.”
Oh boy!
Want to wear heavy dramatic makeup everyday? Prefer to go bare faced all the time, during the day? Like to mix it up depending on how you feel? It’s all OK, but remember this you are beautiful no matter what and your self worth is so much deeper and extensive and important than whether you wear makeup or not.
It seems that we can’t win. It’s thankful a time to ignore those ingrained and ridiculous outdated beliefs. As women it is particularly important that we embrace each other and the various ways we choose to present ourselves. United in diversity is how we move forward!