The Power of Makeup

Christmas morning of sixth grade I received my first mascara. I was bursting with happiness and excitement. All the other girls had been wearing mascara and eyeliner for months and I looked at them with envy in my eyes. I hoped that soon I would wear makeup too. I never felt that I was ugly because I didn’t wear makeup, never felt that I needed it either. Just the idea of painting my face each morning sounded thrilling to me. Little did I know that that one tube of Covergirl Mascara would shape me into the person I am today. Gradually I grew my collection as well as my love for the task which I somehow came to view as an art. I asked for makeup for holidays, birthdays, just about any occasion I could. Fast forward a handful of years; I’m now going to be a sophomore in high school and have let my love for makeup taken over me completely. A lot of people don’t understand it, but I don’t expect them to anymore. I turned makeup into my own outlet of creativity. And I love it, every last bit of it. Because makeup is mine. I can wear none if I want, I can alter my features and throw on different colors, I can blend and curl and paint whatever my heart desires. And if I don’t like the reflection staring back at me, I can simply start over. So to all the people that say “you don’t need to wear makeup to please other people, you look fine without it” : you’re absolutely right. I don’t have to wear makeup for other people and I don’t “need” it. But what is “needing” makeup? Having a zit so you need to cover it? Wearing eyeliner cayuse your eyes are too light? Contouring your face because it’s too round? There is no need for makeup, nor do I think there ever will be. The fulfillment and the confidence and the passion that I have discovered in myself is what I ‘needed’.  Five years ago if you told me that I would be sitting here blogging about the power of makeup or going to theater after school to fulfill my duties as the school’s makeup artist, or having makeup jobs on the weekend I would have laughed in your face. I would have laughed because the tables have turned. The little girl that once envied the people that applied thick coats of mascara ten minutes before they left the house, is now me. The girl behind the want for a tube of mascara turned into the girl who’s life was changed. So if you ask me, that’s the power of makeup.

with love, McKenz.