A letter to all the Cake Faces of the world,

To those who get told that their eyeliner is too thick, their foundation too patchy, or that they "would look prettier if you wore less makeup,” I hear you.

To the girls who obsessively watch beauty gurus online trying to find new techniques or who love glitter and vibrant eyeshadow, I respect you.

Too many people are disrespected because of their love of makeup. Many individuals who don't understand or respect makeup think that it's nothing more than a pathetic hobby enjoyed by vapid narcissists who only care about their appearance. Makeup wearers and egomaniacs are not synonymous.

Makeup is about empowerment. It is about the power to put some cream and powder on your face, walk out your door, and not feel ashamed of who you are or what you look like. Makeup grants the ability to control your circumstances. You can enhance your cheekbones, make your eyes stand out more and conceal blemishes that make you feel powerless.

As someone who has struggled with acne for the past five years, I strongly relate to many YouTubers and beauty bloggers who have felt the hopelessness that I felt back in middle school when my breakouts started. I hated when people would talk to my zits and not to me. I couldn't look people in the eye, and there were days when I didn't want to leave my house out of embarrassment. No more.

There are still days like this, when the scars refuse to fade, or when any amount of concealer cannot cover up a particularly angry pimple. These days can be absolutely devastating. Instead of feeling ashamed over something that I can't control, I can enhance the beauty of my other features to distract from what I feel insecure about and regain control of my life.

So again, to those who have struggled with minor pimples, cystic acne, rosacea, psoriasis, eczema, burn scars, or any other skin problem, we have the right to feel just as beautiful as any flawless-faced model on a magazine cover or billboard.

People will always tell you how to look, but only you can decide how to look and feel about yourself. Who cares if someone doesn't like your makeup? The only person who needs to like your makeup is you!

Many will call you lazy for not wearing makeup, and shallow if you do wear it, so you might as well do what ever the heck you want.

Love,

Your Pimply Pal, Taylor