By Pirah Aijaz 

Many people think that makeup is a girl’s beauty arsenal. It is our cultural imperative that women have to buy and wear branded cosmetics. Even organizations demand that women have to wear makeup at the workplace to look professional. This becomes a trend now and almost every woman is dependent on makeup. It has been assessed that women don’t like to go out of their homes without makeup on. Do you ever think that what could be the reasons behind it?  Well… according to psychology, there are two main reasons why women wear makeup. The first one is Camouflage because most women feel anxious and insecure and tend to hide their scars, and wrinkles as they feel a bit unconfident in a public place. While the second reason is Seduction because others want to look good and more appealing in front of all. However, such kind of women take it as a confidence booster and feel sociable, bold, and decisive.

Truly, In Pakistan, there is a large number of fashions/textile designing and arts institutions that claim that young ladies must be presentable at an institute instead of wearing veils or abayas. This becomes a typical practice nowadays who steals their natural looks. And those girls always feel dubious. Simultaneously, organizations and industries also demand the same meet social expectations which seem totally unfair.

I have observed that in our society, people try to penetrate the sense of wearing makeup among women at an early age to be attractive in all walks of life, from dating to interviews, jobs, academic life, and friendships with others, they need to be more elegant and pretty, and the reason for that isn’t entirely cultural. But, according to the Association for Psychological Science, attractive people are treated differently in all fields of life. Simply, people believe that makeup is a girl’s beauty arsenal to win everything in life.

Alongside, those women who believe that if they show their natural face, they won’t be treated like others. This mindset lowers their self-esteem and they can’t move confidently anywhere. It also dooms their entire personality. So, if you are one of them, then you should change your thinking and accept yourself as you are. And for this, you need to develop a sense of self-acceptance and self-love for yourself. It will reinforce you to set a realistic standard of beauty among women. Remember that; makeup is just an accessory, not an essential need.

Let me explain the point to you. There is no doubt that makeup makes you healthier, but what I think about it is, once you rely on it, you would feel uncomfortable when you don’t use it. So, stop relying on it, because the majority of females think that makeup makes them more charismatic, empowered, and confident. But what I believe is, no measure of make-up can fulfill you except if you be cheerful from your heart. This way, you should try to keep yourself simple to look naturally beautiful all the time. And I ensure you, once you did with it, you would love yourself, and enhances your self-confidence.  So, let’s start your new journey by accepting ourselves with all our flaws, living confidently, and praising ourselves when others don’t. For this, you just have to change your mindset and need to understand that makeup is just a fabricated way to hide your natural look, not a girl’s beauty arsenal.