Makeup and makeup application have gone through this sort of renaissance in the past few years. The days of shiny, thick lipgloss and neon eyeshadow are, thankfully, long behind us. This revolution has gifted us with more beauty in all its glory than ever before. First came the smokey eye which was the perfect blend (no pun intended, aye) of a black eye and sleeping in your makeup, then the eyebrow which is the true embodiment of fleek, then the winged eyeliner so sharp it could kill a man, then a contour so tight it made skinny jeans feel like sweats, then the big, bold lip that had us buying lip kits left and right, and finally, a highlight so radiant it looked like heaven was shining down upon us. With all of this magic came women that have upheld the standards these beauty trends have established, and I must say, we look dang fine.

So why is it that with every Naked eyeshadow palette and Kylie lip kit that hits the market do I find myself gazing down at comments and conversations about why a woman wears makeup?

For me and many other women, it’s not because we’re insecure. It’s not because we’re covering up flaws. It’s not because we want attention, and it most certainly is not for the boys. It’s because we feel in control, modern, chic, classy, beautiful, powerful, etc. I wear makeup because I like to put my best foot forward; I wear makeup because I love to take those precious few minutes in the morning for myself. I wear makeup for me, myself, and I. Not for the boys. Not to show up other women. Not for attention. Just for me, as do many other women. Makeup, in my opinion, is like an accessory- you look great with or without it.

In this day and age, women have grasped their lives in their hands. We have made more progress than the generation before us and will continue to make changes. So why can’t the way a woman chooses to present herself with a certain degree of makeup also be in her hands? We no longer fit a cookie cutter idea, and new boundaries are constantly being pushed. Why can’t a woman just be left alone with how she decides to put on her makeup?

No makeup, a little makeup, or a lot of makeup still looks amazing, and if a woman feels great with how she looks, then so be it.

So to all the ladies out there who, like me, wonder why people criticize so much on how much or little makeup you put on, just keep strutting your stuff. If you want to be a gorgeous glazed donut with your bomb highlight, you slay away. If you want to have an eyeliner wing that is on point, I’m going to bow down in respect for your patience. Because a woman’s confidence is the most beautiful thing, and if a woman loves to apply makeup for herself and feels like she looks fly, then, by all means, keep soaring.