I started wearing makeup when I was in seventh grade, and it was just a little mascara, but it was very exciting for me. But over the years I started hearing comments like, "It would that a shovel to get all that makeup off her face" or "I don't wear makeup because I'm not insecure" and "I hate girls who wear too much makeup they just look like clowns". These are all very real comments made by people that I know.

To the people who think I wear makeup because I am insecure or trying to cover up something...

What you don't realize is that material things are not going to fulfill feelings of insecurities, it may help, but you can't fix something inside your head with material things. Maybe some people go in with this intention of trying to cover something up, but in the end it's not going to work. It's unfair to point fingers at someone wearing makeup and call them extremely insecure, when we all are insecure about different things. I wear makeup because it gives me an extra boost of confidence and gives me a little time for myself in the morning.

To the people who think makeup makes people look like clowns...

This is another comment that I hear quite frequently and it is something that even people who wear makeup say a lot. They will make some degrading comment about how a person's makeup looks bad or "cakey". This is ridiculous. Not everyone who wants to wear makeup has the skills of a professional makeup artist or the money to afford expensive makeup. It is rude to assume that everyone has what you do. It's not your face, so if someone wants to wear their makeup differently from youjust let it go.

To the people who think makeup is degrading to women...

Some think that wearing makeup is just giving into society's rule that girls must look a certain way. For me this is not how I view it. I wear makeup because I want to, because it gives me time in the morning to myself. I wear makeup because I love trying out different looks. I am not trying to be an airbrushed magazine image because that is not real. I am confident with or without makeup. I use makeup as a form of self expression.

At the end of the day, if you want to wear makeup - great! Do it, rock it, but if someone doesn't want to wear make up don't make them feel bad. If you don't want to wear makeup- great! Do it, rock it, but if someone wants to wear makeup don't make them feel bad about it. If you are bothered by someone wearing makeup ask yourself why am I upset that someone is doing something that makes them confident and happy? It is not your face so leave them alone or tell them there eyeliner looks is bomb.