I could wake up, roll out of bed, brush my hair, and walk out the door to wherever I was headed every morning. That is not what I do, though. I wake up 30 minutes earlier than I need to, just so I can put on makeup. Naysayers will argue that girls put on makeup because they are vain, or because they want attention. That may true for some girls, but it is not reasonable to lump all girls into a category for the sake of an insult.

I love makeup. I love shopping for it and putting it on. There is something extremely satisfying about getting the last drop of foundation makeup out of the tiny glass bottle. Perhaps the "completionist" in me just enjoys the thrill of finishing something, but I think it is more than that. Tearing the clear plastic off of a new eyeliner pencil and uncapping it makes me happy. The newness of the eyeliner pencil, waiting to create something beautiful makes me happy.

I do not wake up and think about making myself look pleasing to other people. I don't care about that. The only times I consider what putting on makeup will do to affect other people is if I want to impress someone on a date, or if I am expected to look a certain way for a wedding or special occasion.

I wear makeup because it makes me feel good about myself. It feels good to take care of myself and to put effort into my personal appearance. Wearing makeup is about me, not other people's perception of me, and this concept is very difficult for a lot of people to understand. It is safe to say, everyone goes through that awkward stage of life where impressing other people is a priority. You want to be popular. You want to be the prettiest and the one everyone ogles in the halls. As I get older, I realize how silly that is, but I also understand that with age comes maturity and higher self-confidence levels. The more you discover who you are, the more self-confidence you have.

All jokes aside, I love wearing makeup. I did ballet for most of my life, and I always did my own stage makeup. So, now, as a young adult, I have a fascination with makeup. It astounds me how these products can totally transform a person from "just got out of bed" to "ready to take on the world" in minutes. Not all of us are blessed with flawless skin and long, dark eyelashes.

But it isn't even about comparing myself to other girls. It's the feeling you get when you really try to look good. You put on your best outfit and do your makeup just right.

So the next time you hear someone shaming a girl about wearing makeup, remember this article. Remember that girls wear makeup for their own reasons. My reason is personal. Makeup is not about vanity. It's about loving yourself and loving how you look.