High school was an awkward time for me, as I’m sure it was for many of you. At first, no one really knew what was going on, but once everyone had settled into their respective social groups, expectations started arising. For me, this is where my makeup obsession began.
I was a cheerleader, so naturally, my cheer friends were always wearing makeup, and eventually, I began to as well. I thought of it almost as a rite of passage; if I wore makeup, I would be seen as popular and cool. Sure enough, both boys and people in general began to notice. I was getting comments on my Instagram selfies saying, “OMG you’re so pretty,” and by sophomore year, my self-esteem had boosted through the roof.
Then, came senior year. The original shock about my “new” appearance had dissipated, and it hit me…hard. I started to wear more and more makeup to “cover up” every single “flaw” that I had until I practically looked like a clown. I was using makeup as a way to mask all of my insecurities, and I thought more makeup meant more attention. I would not have been caught dead without makeup on, and it was then that I knew my obsession with makeup had turned into a reliance.
Once college came around, I wore my usual amount of makeup for the first few weeks. I thought since I had joined a sorority that I would constantly be caking my face with powder, but I soon came to realize that no one wore makeup in college. In fact, the most likable and confident girls were often the ones who never tried to hide behind a thick layer of gunky makeup like I had done in years prior.
I began to realize that having a “flawless appearance” ultimately had nothing to do with people’s view of you. What shapes their perception is your personality and outward confidence. Being comfortable in your own skin is the key to being noticed and appreciated by others.
I challenged myself to quit wearing makeup for the rest of the fall semester, and the results were even better than I could have imagined. I had the best semester of my life. I thought I would constantly be thinking about how I looked and being afraid of people judging my appearance but giving up makeup was actually extremely freeing. I rarely even thought about my appearance and, instead, focused on improving my communication skills, and my personality and confidence naturally showed through. Everyone was complimenting me on how bubbly I was and how much they loved hanging around me, which boosted my self-confidence way more than a compliment about my appearance ever did. I began to love myself.
Now, here I am. A sophomore in college and truly more confident with myself than I have ever been in my life without makeup. Choosing to ditch the makeup has allowed me to not only grow as a person but to grow into my own person. I am so thankful that something as trivial as powder and lipstick no longer control my perception of myself.
Photo credit:
youqueen.com
mariefranceasia.com