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Where Do You Stand on Wearing Makeup?
I remember watching my mom primp before she would go out. As a little kid, I thought all girls grew up to wear the same type of makeup as my mom. I just thought that’s what I was supposed to do! While I’ve discovered that I cannot get into wearing makeup, I don’t think it’s fair to say that anyone who wears it is wrong. I was curious how other teens feel about wearing makeup and was fascinated to see the range of opinions. Read on to see what I mean!
How you express yourself is your choice; you can look awesome with or without makeup.
The Natural Look
When I was in middle school, I heard negative stuff about makeup from some male relatives: one thought that makeup was something women used to hide themselves and the other said that only abusive men insisted women wear makeup. I remember taking those different, yet critical, opinions to school and insulting the girls who had decided to start wearing makeup. I would say they were cowards and had let men control their lives and choices. I now see how this was extreme, and I no longer feel this way.
I was curious to hear from someone who doesn’t think makeup is the way to go. Brandon, 14, of Robertsdale, AL, says, “I’m against makeup because I feel like people should let the world see how beautiful they are without it.” When I started writing this article, I didn’t expect someone who is against wearing makeup to have such a nice argument as to why! Still, as much as I support embracing natural beauty, I know it’s not right to tell someone they’re wrong for wanting to wear makeup to accentuate that beauty.
A Personal Choice
Some teens may not be “pro” or “con” when it comes to wearing makeup, but are open-minded. If someone feels good in makeup, who or what’s to stop them? Marco, 18, of Livingston, NJ, believes wearing makeup, like many other things, is a personal choice: “I say that you should wear it only if you want to—not because someone else tells you to, not because society thinks it’s a norm.” We all have opinions about how people should act or what they should look like. But is it up to us to decide if people should wear makeup?
Wearing makeup can make people feel better about what they look like, and this makes some people happier. Why should we try to take that away from others?
Enhancing Beauty
Some people are all for makeup. For instance, Mena, 15, of Colts Neck, NJ, often wears it. She says, “I love the way I look natural, but I feel makeup enhances beauty so that others can see it as well. Also, I feel like a badass with a winged cat eye.” Go, Mena! Makeup can be about more than just wanting to cover up insecurities; it can also be about feeling proud and fierce about your look.
Some people are really talented at using it, too. Fernanda, 18, of Agudos, Brazil, says, “Makeup, in my opinion, is art, and some people take it seriously and dedicate a lot to do it. There should be more positivity about people—girls, boys or anyone—wearing makeup. Negativity is awful.”
Mena and Fernanda give great reasons to support those who use makeup. Wearing it can make someone feel awesome. Also, it’s cool how Mena mentions enhancing her beauty; people use clothes and accessories to feel confident—why not makeup?
Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by how most of the teens I heard from, even if they don’t really see the point of makeup, ultimately think that it’s up to the individual whether or not they use it. How you express yourself is your choice; you can look awesome with or without makeup.
