Makeup is a must for certain people on a daily basis in order to have the courage to step outside. So, how do these tiny lipsticks, foundations, and concealers affect your mental health?

Let’s Get Into It!

Makeup is a form of artistic expression that everyone AND anyone can learn and enjoy! For some, it’s a therapeutic process to help with expressing themselves along with improving self-esteem. But the main question is… do you paint your face to feel better about yourself or to get the upper hand at your job, or to please others with your *godly* appearance? If your answer was a maybe, kind of, or yes to any of these questions, it reveals a great deal about you and your mental health.

• Getting Ahead?

The role of modern makeup, *AHH*. To keep it short, let’s just say it’s developed quite a bit over…  say, centuries. Makeup can be seen just about everywhere, including in the workplace. 

“Body & Mind” writer and author Beth Rush says, “However, people don’t only wear makeup to improve their inner sense of self-worth. Research reveals that women who wear makeup on the job earn higher salaries than those who choose to work bare-faced.” She even goes on to say, “Picture a flight attendant. Now, visualize the same individual without makeup. Can you do it?” Can you?

• Is It Therapeutic?

Coloring, painting, and drawing are all examples of similar activities. “Doing something like applying makeup can help the body and mind to slow down and focus intently on something,” says Jane Polinski, a mental health therapist. She also claims that when you finish your makeup look, a chemical called dopamine is released, which results in positive mood swings. 

Beauty blogger from “The Zoe Report” Kelsey Stewart shares a bit about herself and why she feels that makeup is therapeutic for her. She believes that, “If I had a dollar for every time someone suggested trying yoga or meditation to ease my depression and anxiety, I’d be typing this from my home in Malibu while looking out at my view of the ocean. While yes, these are proven to be very effective approaches for many who struggle with mental health, I’ve personally never found them to be helpful.”

Also, these many feelings, which are referred to as “pitfall patterns” by psychotherapist Mike Dow, PsyD, author of “Healing the Broken Brain”, are related to neural mechanisms in the brain that have been linked to depression and anxiety, and some behaviors — even as seemingly basic as a skincare or makeup routine — can help to uproot them.

On That Note: All in all, cosmetics helps you to be open-minded and express yourselves in ways you thought you couldn’t. It’s almost like originality, originality is strictly coming from YOU, and that’s all that matters! So go ahead! And do you and while you’re at it be the best you!