On a Monday, women spend, on average, 76 minutes getting ready. There are other things besides makeup that are guilty of taking up so much time, but, considering 1 in 3 women will not leave the house without it on, my guess is that makeup has to take a majority of the blame. Time is not the only thing that suffers because of makeup, though. I think our self-esteem levels can take a beating, which may seem kinda counter-intuitive. Makeup is supposed to make you feel beautiful and confident, right? Then why, in this makeup-crazed world, do only 4% of women worldwide think they're beautiful? Call the President or the police or something, because it looks like makeup isn't doing its job.

You gotta conceal this. Contour that. Highlight this. I think we've all bought into the necessity of these things at least a little bit. I'm not completely against makeup, but when the little Covergirl bottles and palettes become like iron shackles in peoples' lives, then I'm a little confused. Some people make it their duty to their country to never be seen without makeup. Like, they're doing everyone a service to not expose the creature that lies behind the foundation and shadow.

But you know what kind of creature it always is? A human being. (I take that back. I have seen a monkey wearing makeup before. She was adorable! And a little creepy. But anyways...) The world's full of humans and I hear they come in an uncountable variety, variety that is to be celebrated! With the exception of clothes (gotta always have those on, friends!), everything you came out of the womb with is really all you need to be seen by other people. You're equipped with all the essentials already, and while some makeup here and there is cool, beauty was placed into your DNA long before your eye shadow choice today!

What's it going to take to make us feel beautiful then? Makeup isn't "making" the cut: we go back to feeling ugly each time we take it off. Beauty has to be appreciated deep down, deeper in our pores than makeup can reach. For too long we've let makeup think that its job is not to accentuate our beauty, but to create it. We throw up our hands, refuse to see the beauty in ourselves already, and hire makeup to work its magic. It's time we call it out though for a job not well done because, frankly, it can't be done. There's no beauty to create - your beauty has always been there, dependent on no one and no thing: no further creation than God's needed! You're beautiful, girl! It's as simple as that! With the makeup, without the makeup: you're beautiful! Believe it (and maybe remember it before you spend like $50 on an eyeshadow palette cause girl, there are needs and then there are wants ;) )! We are all beautiful, and as soon as we start realizing that, yes, Maybelline, we are "born with it," we're going to feel the kind of beautiful that doesn't have to change with the latest trends.

Here is that fabulous monkey for your viewing pleasure... :)