Not to be biased, but makeup is my favorite thing in this world. It built me into who I am. It brought me to people I never would have met. It gave me an outlet to be my truest form of myself. It gave me some funny nicknames. Makeup is kinda my thing. Boys always think they are entitled to an opinion on what I like on my face, but in reality, it doesn't affect them directly at all- except when it does. The way makeup makes people feel impacts their relationships with others, outward display of themselves, confidence, assertiveness, and sense of beauty. And these things really do affect everyone- not just the girls testing swatches down their body in Sephora.
Makeup is important to you because it involves:
Expression
Makeup is a way to introduce yourself to the world without even saying anything at all. It allows me to take all the pent-up passion and energy and joy and wear it on my face for everyone to see. It has become an outward expression of my inner self. Makeup allowed me to not only find creativity in the everyday world, but it forced me to incorporate my passion into my daily life. I get to wake up every day of my life with a completely blank slate to do whatever I want with my face. I represent how I'm feeling, how I want to be perceived, and how I want to be seen.
Thoughtfulness
In my previous article about mindfulness, I touched on the importance of taking time to reflect on life and enjoy it. Getting ready in the morning is my me-time. It is a set-aside part of my day I just get to sit and be still. It is my piece of my crazy chaotic life that I just get to enjoy and spend time on me. I think about my day. I get to force myself to take a breather and do what makes me happy. & that's important
Confidence
I believe all women are pretty. That isn't what makeup is about. However, I am a big believer that a woman in makeup, is pretty powerful. Makeup is the extra umpf. Psychological studies prove that by standing in "superhero pose" can uplift your mood, confidence, authority, leadership, and success. That by the little instrumental position, there are huge effects on self-awareness and presence. Makeup is kinda like that. It is one of those things that just gives you a sense of who you are and why you belong here. It provides a place to know yourself and have pride in it. It pushes me to feel like I'm representing my whole self.
Community
I have been in a group chat with makeup loving girls across the country for years. We discuss products, hype each other up over complicated looks, and talk about life. Through this community, I have met so many people with the same interests and challenges and creativity. We bond over pigments and rant over pallets. We're best friends. Doing makeup for other people also brings so many people into your life you never would've met unless their prom was coming up. It is often an hour or so of talking and getting to know people in your chair. It's more personable than most careers because you're constantly touching their face, getting centimeters away with pointy tweezers and soft brushes. You get close in this space.
Opportunity
I am a Public Relations and Marketing double major with a goal of working in branding, social media, content creation, etc for a makeup company. This passion of mine is allowing me a backdoor into the makeup industry and being around and interested in everything I love while still graduating with two degrees that contribute to that goal. Makeup gave me a platform to build a career off of. It gave me interpersonal skills, time management, and connections. It's a place in one of the largest industries in the world solely based off of passion and people.
Giving
Doing someone else's makeup is like the finale of what not to wear. It's sometimes out of their comfort zones. It's sometimes not what they're used to. But watching someone look in the mirror and truly love how they look and feel beautiful is one of the most amazing gifts in the world. It gives someone a starting point to push boundaries and find yourself. It leaves you never wanting to take it off. Giving someone the ability to truly see their own beauty is a whole new level of incredible.
Industry
The United States has the largest makeup industry in the world. This 63 BILLION dollar industry employs approximately 64,000 Americans. It is expected to increase to an 85 BILLION dollar industry by 24. It is continuously evolving and developing across different mediums and brands. There are constantly new versions of old products, new concepts, innovative ideas, and efficient tools that work to expand this market exponentially.