I remember being a third grader and giving my little sister “makeovers” with the bright-colored eye shadows that came with one of my toys. I remember seeing other girls in middle school wearing makeup every day, and feeling like I had to start. I remember wearing just eyeshadow in the eighth grade and then wearing mascara and eyeliner in the ninth grade. I remember waking up at least 20 minutes earlier than normal my sophomore and junior years of high school to put on my full face of makeup, but I also remember not wearing much makeup senior year and feeling like I wasn’t as pretty as some of my classmates. I remember wearing minimal makeup or no makeup in college and learning to love myself. Long story short, I have recently stopped wearing makeup on a daily basis, and I have learned to love myself for what I actually look like and not for what I think other people want to see.

I don’t know if it was out of shear laziness, my questioning as to why I actually wear makeup, or a combination of both, but right after school was done, I decided to stop wearing makeup. That was about a month and a half ago, and, to this day, I have only worn makeup three times. At first it was difficult to make the adjustment because the act was a part of my daily routine for the past five years, but after a while, I became happy with my decision for many reasons. For one, I didn’t have to worry about the time that it takes. I also became more comfortable with seeing my skin makeup-free.

So far, this whole article probably sounds like a constant criticism of makeup, but it’s not! Just because I decided to ease up on my daily makeup routine does not mean I don’t like it. In fact, I still love wearing makeup. I used to wear the same makeup every single day, and for big events like proms and parties and whatnot, I basically looked the same. Maybe my eyeshadow would be a different color or I would wear two coats of mascara instead of one. The point is, I didn’t feel like I got all dressed up because that’s what I looked like on a daily basis (minus the long formal dress). Now, when I put makeup on for special occasions, I feel different. I really feel like the occasion is special because I am going out of the (new) ordinary. Not wearing makeup everyday adds meaning to the days that I do. Another thing that I love about makeup is that it’s a form of art. Many people fail to view it as a type of art because of the negative reputation that it has gained over the years. Putting on makeup is no easy task, and anyone who has ever done it knows that it takes skill and a vision.

I love wearing makeup, and I view it as an art, so what’s not to love? The ideas. I hate the ideas behind makeup. The idea that all women should wear makeup. The idea that women should feel more beautiful when they're wearing makeup. The idea that women need to change their appearances in order to be more attractive in the eyes of others. These ideas have been circulating for decades and have changed the way that women view themselves. People say that those who wear a lot of makeup are insecure, but I don’t believe that for a second. While this may be why some people wear makeup, others may wear makeup because they feel like they have to. There is a huge difference between feeling insecure and feeling obligated, and I hate that we live in a society where young girls and women are made to feel insecure or feel required to wear makeup. No one should ever feel obligated to alter their appearance for the satisfaction or approval of others.

For all of you reading this, go ahead and keep wearing makeup if that’s what you want. If you want to try not wearing makeup for a few days, go ahead and try that too. The purpose of this article is not to advocate removing makeup from your life because of the mixed messages behind it. The purpose is to make you realize that you don’t need to wear makeup to feel beautiful, and you most certainly don’t need to wear makeup to be beautiful.