Donna MateriaINT.jpgWe live in a generation that strives for absolute and total perfection. One of the ways that society has assisted us in trying to reach this impossible goal is by makeup. I see commercial after commercial advertising how makeup will make your eyelashes the “perfect” length and your skin “perfectly” smooth and blemish-free. But who are they to decide what is “perfect” and what isn’t?

The New “Natural”

Cosmetics on black slate backgroundSociety is so obsessed with perfection that makeup companies are now trying to make women look as if they are wearing no makeup at all. Women are striving for the “perfect” “natural” look. I have put both of these words in quotation marks for one simple reason: neither stands for its actual meaning. If you look up both of these words in the dictionary, you would agree with me. According to Merriam-Webster, the definition of perfect is “having no mistakes or flaws,” and the definition of natural is “not made or caused by people.” There is no human on this earth that is perfect by definition; we all have flaws, whether we like it or not. Using makeup to create a “natural” look is simply not natural at all. Why should women work so hard to use makeup to create a look that they should not put any work into getting?

Creating a New Generation of Confident Women

When I was in the fifth grade, I was not the most confident girl in the world. My parents let me apply to be in the National American Miss (NAM) Pageant. Unlike most beauty pageants, this pageant focused on embracing true beauty and teaching young girls how to be confident in who they are. They were so dedicated to this that they did not permit anyone in the Pre-Teen category or any of the younger categories to wear any makeup. It was their goal to teach young girls that makeup does not make you beautiful; what makes you beautiful is being yourself. Through NAM, I gained more confidence in myself than I could have ever imagined. I will be forever thankful for that. If every girl had the opportunity I had, we would have a better chance at getting rid of the idea of reaching perfection.

Loving Yourself

It is so important to love who you are, inside and out. Makeup is not a magical tool that will instantly make you perfect and beautiful. I am not telling you to never wear makeup, but I am saying to learn to decide when it is necessary and not necessary to wear makeup. Here are some tips for figuring that out:

  1. If the words “I want a natural look” pop into your head, you DO NOT need makeup. You already have a natural look (and it’s beautiful), USE IT!
  2. If you are going on a date or going to a special event, makeup can be good. We all have those times where we want to get all dolled up. Just make sure that you are doing it for YOU and not for other people.
  3. If you are running errands or going to class, you don’t need makeup. I know first-hand that it is tempting to waste time putting on makeup to impress that super cute guy that works at the store or that hunk in your class that you wish paid attention to you, but makeup should NOT be how you impress someone.
  4. If you have any doubts about wearing makeup, you probably don’t need it.

And always remember, a smile is the best kind of makeup. Stay beautiful!

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