Why I Can’t Go Out In Public Without Makeup

The answer: I just simply don't want to. 

I taught myself how to do my makeup at some point during my sophomore year of high school. My mother never wore much more than under eye concealer, pencil eyeliner (sometimes), and the worst mascara you could ever buy. I'm serious, you're better off without it if you're using the kind that she did and sadly still does. This meant that I slowly had to learn, on my own, how to transform my face that was not treated kindly by puberty. I went through about four different foundation shades before I found one that sort of suited my skin tone. I went through dry patches and oily patches, fighting tooth and nail to make my skin look decent. It never did, but at least I felt a little bit better about myself.

Flashforward to now. I like to believe that I can do a decent job when applying my makeup. I have acquired more than an average girl over the years and have practiced and practiced to make myself look presentable for any occasion. I've gotten so used to wearing makeup every day to hide my imperfections that is has just become part of my routine. I get up, wash my face, and then makeup always follows. It's almost automatic at this point in my life. Even if I'm going down to the lobby of my dorm, I have to at least put foundation on. This always poses the question, why can't I go out in public without makeup on? Contrary to the popular belief that I'm trying to put a mask on for the world, I really just don't want to go out in public without something on. And that is my choice that should be respected.

Is it hurting you that I like to make myself look nice? I don't want to confuse beauty with caking makeup on your face. That has nothing to do with it. If I'm going to be out smiling at the world and strutting my stuff, I'd prefer to do it with a little bit of makeup on my face. It's the thing that gives me the most confidence, adding that little extra skip in my step. Does that make me a horrible person? Am I any less intelligent if I have mascara or lipstick on? Does it always have to mean that I'm trying to hide my true self? The answer to all of those is HELL NO.

It's crazy what some people perceive makeup as. I've heard people accuse me of using it as a mask, a deceptive tool to lure in people that wouldn't otherwise like me, a waste of time, something that made me seem vapid and shallow. Hearing those things hurt me. I find it incredibly offense that I can't be my true self if I have foundation on and I can't be taken seriously as an educated and intelligent young woman because I have a little bronzer on my cheeks. I don't think it's fair to be judged for what you put on your face, and inversely, what you don't put on your face.

The moral of the story is to forget what everybody else says about your habits and routines. If you've never worn makeup a day in your life and don't have any intentions on wearing it, good for you. If you just want to wear mascara because your eyelashes are basically invisible, good for you. If you want to wear a full face of makeup on a daily basis, good for you. Maybe we should stop caring so much about the outward appearance others choose to show and focus on being a little more supportive of each other. That would be quite a bit more productive.