So the truth is, when I was sixteen, I kind of hated makeup. I avoided it like the plague. To me, it was one of those things that the popular girls wore and it made you look grown up and boring. And I seriously did not want to grow up. But I never really understood what beauty was, until I became who I am today.
So here is a letter to sixteen year old me, on the topic of beauty.
Dear sixteen year old Jordan,
We both know the reason I'm writing this to you. I think you're probably still too young to understand beauty, and even too young to understand makeup, but I thought I'd give it a go at telling you this anyway. I know you'll ignore me. You'll shake your head and say you get it, but really you don't. And the truth is, you don't need to get it. You just need to be you.
Number one. You don't need to wear makeup for anyone else but you. I know there's a boy. I know he seems like the world. I know you change. You start to cover up the dark circles under your eyes and you blush your cheeks to hide the blushing. You add lipstick to brighten your face. And that's brilliant. Except for you, right now, it isn't. You haven't changed yourself for you, you've changed yourself for him. And I know you're not ready.
When you are older, you will learn to love makeup. It will make you feel brighter and more confident, but at the moment, it just makes you feel small. It makes you feel small when he doesn't notice and it overwhelms you with negativity. When you are ready, you can plaster your face with everything under the sun, but for now, be you for you. If you do something for somebody else, even if it's something you don't mind, you will end up hating it.
Photo Credits: School friend and awesome face-owner Leigh Collier
Number two. Wearing makeup won't change you as a person. Despite your belief, it won't make you an adult. It won't stop you from loving Disney and unicorns and it won't make you like the mean girls. It's fine if you're not ready, but perhaps you're holding yourself back from something you'll really enjoy. Don't be afraid, just say yes.
But number three, not wearing makeup has its upsides too. When you're older, you'll have great skin, which is something you probably don't even notice right now. But trust me, the years spent foundation-less really pay off in the long run. You'll also save a lot of money. Which you'll eventually end up spending on makeup anyway. Sorry about that.
Until then, you need to take care of what's behind your face, before putting on your face. That's number four. Your self-esteem, your confidence, your optimism. These are the things that the mirror should see before your gaping mouth as you apply mascara. All of these things, and more, are ones which should be treasured and cared for, and gently applied every morning so they shine through. These will make you far more beautiful than any eyeshadow ever will.
And lastly, your beauty isn't measured in your ability to appear beautiful, it's in your ability to be beautiful. When you grow up, you will be valued for your kindness and strength. You will be loved for your wit and your laughter. And while you will love to wear red lipstick and fancy clothes, these will only be an embellishment to your true beauty, which lies within.
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