I don't like make-up, I'm against make-up, I don't think it's good for women, and I don't think they really need to be using it, honestly. I think it takes away from women's natural beauty and capitalizes on women's beauty, it is so bad for them...haha this is what I used to think too. The only time I applied make-up, then, was during a work thing because I worked at a photography studio and we needed some marketing stuff, otherwise I always swore against make-up.
Fast forward a couple of years later I got a part-time in a ‘’high class’’ restaurant, and they ‘’encouraged’’ make-up. I slowly incorporated make-up into my routine and it turned out to be fun and even made me feel a lot more confident, not that I wasn’t confident before.
Unarguably, there are potential side effects of using make-up, especially when not used properly, here are some of them:
1. Skin irritation – there might be chemicals in some products that can irritate your skin, causing inflammation, itching, etc of course read labels, go for quality products, and do patch tests.
2. Acne – make-up sits on the skin, especially those with heavy oils, and can clog pores leading to acne breakouts. After applying makeup, cleanse your face, have a good skincare routine, and see a dermatologist if it persists.
3. Dryness – some make-up products might have alcohol, which can rip moisture exacerbating dry skin conditions. Moisturize before applying make-up.
The list of potential effects is endless, but also if used properly, they can all be avoided. Choose make-up products suited for your skin type, and opt for products with skin-friendly ingredients.
There’s also the argument of make-up sexualizing women, setting unrealistic beauty standards, unnecessary expenses, etc, let me know your thoughts about make-up in the comments section. It all comes down to cultural norms, individual perspectives, and personal beliefs.
I think it’s okay to wear make-up, be it for creativity, personal empowerment, self-expression, etc. It’s a personal choice at the end of the day, don’t feel any pressure to conform or follow hearsay, maybe you’re like me and you just don’t have the skills. Once I learned what works for me, I didn’t see any fault. On days I feel like it I rock my look, on my less busy days. Like other things in life, it’s all about personal choice and moderation!