5 Reasons To Wear Makeup (That Have Nothing To Do With Guys)

Photo by Vika Kirillova

For many women wearing makeup feels like less of a choice and more of a requirement — we’re raised with the idea that a woman without makeup is unprofessional, unkempt, or unattractive. And for any woman to be taken seriously, romantically or professionally, wearing makeup is mandatory.

This starts early for most women; somewhere around middle school or high school, each of us felt the pressure to gussy ourselves up, typically to compete for the attention of the boys at school or to be treated kindly by the other girls.

But this pressure can get tiring after a decade or so, and it’s not uncommon for women to turn away from makeup entirely, seeing it as an instrument used to keep women insecure, in competition, and in a box. Plus, up until this point, many women have only ever worn makeup to benefit the men looking at them. 

But before you throw out your makeup brushes and dump your lipstick collection in the trash, here are 5 good reasons for women to wear makeup—that have nothing to do with guys, and everything to do with you.

01 | It makes you feel confident.

There’s just something about swiping on a shade of lipstick we know looks especially good on us. The right makeup for us can help make us feel confident, beautiful, and bright, like we’ve highlighted and maximized what we love most about ourselves.

02 | It feels good to create something.

Applying makeup relies on our artistic side—we paint and blend and shape, improvise and enhance and experiment. And in the end, we’ve created something lovely.

03 | It can be an act of self-care.

Self-care often involves taking an extra long bath, sipping on a warm cuppa, and morning yoga stretches. But applying makeup can also be an act of self-care—requiring an extra 20 minutes of time focused on ourselves. Put on some soothing music and take your time; you might be surprised how relaxing putting on makeup can be.

04 | It’s fun to experiment.

From trying a new method of applying eyeliner, to using cream blush for the first time, to getting a brand-new eyeshadow palette, makeup allows for all kinds of experimentation. While we all have a simple everyday look, it’s fun to experiment every now and then, enhancing a different side of ourselves simply by using different color palettes and methods.

05 | It can help motivate you.

For those days when we just need to get stuff done, makeup can serve as a motivation. When we feel physically put together, this puts us in a mindset of “doing” rather than “coasting,” which will make us more likely to cross more off our to-do list.