In high school, I wasn't obsessed with make-up. I could go to school without wearing it and not feel like a troll. I could enjoy my summer days spent tanning without an ounce on my face and not every selfie had to be taken before I washed my face each night. When I got to college, however, things changed. Most people in college throw their hair in a messy bun and run to class in sweats. I'm not one of those girls, and that's because I found that the best way to have "me-time" while I was away at school was to do my makeup. On a weekend morning when I was doing homework, I would take breaks to put on makeup. On a weekday when I had class, I would do my makeup as a way to help myself wake up before class. And then it became a habit. It became something that I slowly grew more and more obsessed with. But, there are a couple things that I don't enjoy about my new hobby.
1. The Questions
No, I don't wake up at six in the morning to start getting ready. Yes, I really do makeup every day. Yes, my desk is half vanity. They're simple questions, but they're questions that I get a lot and a lot of the time they're asked in a judgmental tone that I could really do without. Some girls get wasted every weekend. Some girls never leave the library. I spend about fifteen minutes putting on makeup.
2. The Stress of Running Low
The best part about being away at college is that I can't go on random shopping sprees. The worst part about being away at college is that I can't go on random shopping sprees. If I'm running low on makeup, I can't just run out and replace it. Instead, I have to go online and order it, and then pay the ridiculous shipping fees, unless I'm spending fifty dollars (which could be done easily, but isn't something a college kid on a budget can do whenever they're out of makeup. Speaking of...
3. It's Expensive AF
Makeup is expensive. When my eyeliner runs out, it's $20 for a new one. Eyeshadow is at least $45. Foundation is another $25. It's insane, and nothing ever seems to run out at the same time and there's usually no way to predict how close you are to running out until it's almost too late so then you have the stress of hoping that your order will be there in time for when what you have decides its done.
4. It Makes or Breaks Your Day
It's my stress reliever. It's my "quiet time". But, it can also determine how my day is going to go. When my eyeliner takes five attempts and still isn't quite equal or the new eyeshadow trick I tried didn't blend perfectly, I know that I'm going to be in a not-so-great mood, because something is just off. While most things becoming easy and you can perfect them after so many weeks of doing it in a row, makeup just doesn't seem to have that same reaction.
5. "You probably only wear makeup because...."
It's not that I don't like how I look without makeup. I'm not reliant on it. It's just that I feel more confident when I have a black line across my eyelid and a few swipes of mascara never fail to make me feel like I can take on the world. It's not about requiring makeup so that I can walk outside of my dorm room. It's just that it's become a part of who I am-I'm the girl with the killer eyeliner and the long eye lashes.
6. "I don't like girls who wear makeup"
Nothing bothers me more than when a guy states that makeup is false advertising. It kills me when they make jokes about taking girls swimming for the first date, because makeup isn't meant to change the appearance of individuals. All it's meant to do is to enhance one's inner beauty and help to increase their confidence level.
7. "I don't wear makeup because-"
That's really awesome for you and I'm glad that you don't feel the need to put on makeup, but guess what? I'm not one of those girls. I don't talk about how I'm better than you are because I wear makeup, so I would really appreciate it if you didn't try to act like you were better than me because you don't wear makeup. Please and thank you.
