This past November, I decided to start wearing makeup even though I never have before. My mom always told me that I didn't need it and up until this past winter I was content with not wearing it. This winter though, I had some horrible acne and I couldn't help but try to pick at it in an attempt to make it better. Naturally though, it made it a lot worse and I was desperate to cover up the mess I had created. Even when it finally healed, I kept wearing all the foundation and other makeup because there was a scar that I couldn't stand looking at. I was convinced no one would like what I looked like without the makeup on.
After time passed though, it got more and more tedious to keep wearing it. I hated having to spend so much time getting ready in the morning. I avoided playing sports or going to the gym because I didn't want to sweat off my makeup. I constantly checked a mirror to make sure it still looked good. When summer rolled around, I really hated it and even avoided swimming because of it. Finally though, we went to the beach and I couldn't keep wearing makeup. I put on a little concealer when I was feeling self-conscious and that was it. I came back a week ago and haven't gone back to wearing makeup—and I couldn't be happier.
Society always pushes makeup on teenage girls. They market to them by saying they can cover up their "imperfections" and that they can even out their skin tone. It makes girls like myself, and so many others, feel like no one will look at them as beautiful unless they're wearing layers of makeup. Even older women are targeted by companies who say they can keep them looking young and reduce wrinkles and laugh lines. Since when is aging something that we can no longer accept? Since when are smile lines something that we should frown at? I hate that people feel like they need to hide what they look like because they worry no one will approve.
Not wearing makeup has made me so much happier. I no longer have to worry all the time about if it's melted off because of the heat. Now that I'm not hiding my imperfections, I won't have to worry that a guy may like me with my makeup on but not without it. I figure, that if people hate the way I look, it doesn't have anything to do with me. Unless they say something to my face, I won't ever even know. And who cares if they do? I'm happy and that's all that matters.
I guess my mom was right when she said that we don't need makeup to feel beautiful (imagine that). We're all capable of feeling and being beautiful if we just learn to accept who we are and be happy about it. Does that mean I won't wear makeup anymore? Probably not. I'll probably always use mascara now that I realize my lack of eyelashes. And concealer will probably come in to play a lot because everyone has their moments of self-doubt. But ultimately, I'm not going back to spending 20 minutes every morning trying to change how I look. For those of you who do use it, you have every right. It makes a lot of girls happy to put it on every morning. But just remember, you're beautiful just as you are and everyone else can just learn to accept that.
