Each and every day, women across the world express their ideal of beauty differently. Whether that ideal involves covering birthmarks, wearing a certain style of clothing, or behaving a certain way, all of these factors contribute in the overall perception of beauty for that person. The media continues to set standards of what women (and men alike) should look like and be like. This distorted image ultimately leads to unhappiness through constant comparison to others as the ultimate realization that we can never look like another person because they don't have the same composition as us...and that is okay.

Cosmetics appeared many years and generations ago. In each lifetime, it represented something different to the people who wore it. In ancient times, it was used as part of rituals and to enhance beauty instead of create it. I think that through the years, we have forgotten that makeup is a form of art and it should be treated as such. It has the power to change how a person looks to the point of being unrecognizable. Makeup artists distort the way people look in movies to create the illusion of another world and different creatures.

Today, there are so many outlets constantly trying to pinpoint this shifting concept into what one person should look like or be like, ultimately losing part of yourself as you try to achieve a certain style to feel good about yourself. I particularly love what Darling Magazine stands for.

This magazine celebrates the art of being a woman. One of their goals as a magazine is to represent women as they are: real not retouched. They do not alter the way a person looks to fit a specific mold but instead, they highlight that person's unique characteristics creating an environment of joy and empowerment.

Since I have been introduced to makeup, I have continuously struggled to use it as part of a creative outlet instead of something that I cannot leave my house without. I think that natural beauty is exceptional, but I also do not think that makeup is something that we should not use. On the contrary, it allows for experimentation on how we look until we can find the person we are but have continued to hide for so long. So, next time you are applying your makeup, think about how to enhance your natural features instead of completely hide them, and, if you are feeling a little bit brave, go outside without makeup, take a selfie, and let your skin breathe for a day...you will be surprised on how liberated you might feel.