Makeup as Self Expression

In society today, women are constantly shamed for what is and isn’t beautiful. This has created the idea that makeup is what makes women appealing. “When one’s body is disliked because of deviation from norms of function or appearance, replicated evidence shows that anxiety, insecurity, and low self-esteem are regular correlates” (Jourard, 1964).



Makeup can be viewed as both a form of self-expression and a confidence booster. Makeup has created products that aid in hiding your face structure, acne, blemishes, and even birthmarks. Periodically, this has degraded the idea of the existence of a women’s natural beauty, the belief in only looking beautiful with it on. On the other hand, makeup is very well one of the many virtues of growing up. Makeup is art, a pathway of ones creativity and talent.



Makeup has evolved, in a thousand years it’s come a long way since the copper and lead ore the Egyptians used to make cosmetics with. Today we take precaution for the makeup we buy, there are both drugstore and brand products available. There is a cosmetic for just about any imperfection. In ancient times cosmetics consisted of berries as a lip stain, burnt matches as a type of dark eye shadow, a child’s urine as a foundation, they even believed swallowing ox blood fixed blemishes and imperfections. Clearly, women went to the extremes of putting their health at risk for an enhanced beauty back then. Times have changed in terms of the danger of the actual cosmetics but an enhanced beauty is something women will continue to indulge in.



The equipment used in makeup today consists of brush sets with specific uses for each item such as foundation, eye-shadow palates, contour kits, highlighters, lip stains, sticks, glosses and much more. In makeup there are terms like smokey eye and natural looks. Smokey eye makeup can either be light, using brown and cream colors, or dark using more intense colors such as black, grey and white. The eye shadow in a smokey eye look is blended well enough to almost diminish the ability to tell apart the start of the different colors used in creating the “smoke” allusion. Now, don’t be fooled, a “natural look” is not, not wearing makeup. A natural look is more of a term used to describe someone who is wearing makeup (very little with skin colored tones) but allows you to still appreciate his or her natural beauty.



Well-known makeup stores today such as Sephora and Ulta include quality brands such as Anastasia, Kat Von Di, Too Faced, and Nyx. Over the past two years, matte cosmetics have been the best sellers according to Sephora and Nyx industries. These include matte powders that avoid greasy skin and matte lipsticks that are longer lasting and collectable. Many argue that if it isn’t brand, it isn’t worth it, but in some situations a trip to a drugstore can provide you with better eyeliner or an equally respectable concealer. Makeup is expensive if the product is well spoken for. Otherwise, it’s very much affordable.



Makeup has come a long way since the Egyptian days and it has changed the idea of beauty for women in the process. It’s meant to help you feel good in your own skin. Makeup is the paint, our face the canvas and we are the artists. It can be either a routine or something done for a special occasion, but it is definitely a worldwide beauty enhancer and the key to a girl’s confidence. Cosmetics have thrived in our society and as new ways of applying it or new products are brought up, the industries will continue to grow.

About Us


The words written on each of the model's chest are words that describe them. Makeup is what you make it out to be. It's passion, expression and art. This article is meant to send out a message of the beauty of self expression and how makeup for many is a way to do so. Makeup is not a tool meant to make an ugly thing beautiful, it's meant only to magnify the beauty that already exists.

Photographer/Editor:
Ricardo La Torre aka Rirod

Writer/Model #1: Express & Fearless
Kaitlyn Castano

Model #2: Frecks & Smile
Yaimee Casanova

Model #3: Create
Annie Mayli Gonzalez

Model #4: Cheerful & Love
Yamilis Olivera

Model #5: Hope
Elizabeth Vidal

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