Is Makeup Good For Your Mental Health?

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I have had a love-hate relationship with makeup

I stopped wearing it for a long time after high school, but I revisited it when I was wondering…

Is makeup good for your mental health?

My first thought was “NO way!”

But after watching others make videos and love it

I had to look again without bias from my past

Just because I had a dependent relationship with it doesn’t mean that it is a bad thing

So I got a few makeup items and played with them a few times

And my personal results surprised me!

I enjoyed it!

I wore it when I felt like giving myself a little boost

Once I came to this realization, then it was time for more research

I wanted to know more about the possibilities of makeup!

Does makeup help with self-esteem?

Makeup is a great way to boost your self-esteem! It is a good disruptor to a daily routine that is not helping and makes you perk up a little when you see your reflection. It doesn’t have to be much, just enough to make you smile when you look in the mirror

Self-esteem is the value you put in yourself

It comes naturally for some, and only with work for others

But working on it isn’t always hard!

Sometimes all it takes is to add a little makeup so you smile at your reflection

I’ve had to do a mix of work

I have taught myself that makeup is to add a little fancy to my life, but I am still beautiful without it

Even with that belief, I feel a new level of power when I am wearing nice eye makeup and red lipstick

The important part is to not allow makeup to determine self-worth

You don’t want to be scared to go grocery shopping without makeup

So it is important to see where you are starting and work on yourself appropriately 

That doesn’t mean the same thing for everyone, so evaluating your life is vital to determine if makeup is good for your self-esteem

Does makeup make people happier?

I personally know many people, men and women alike, that love putting on and wearing makeup

It is a great creative release for many people, but not everyone

I enjoy makeup for cosplay, but I don’t do it often

I haven’t done it for years because I don’t have room to make the clothes for cosplay as well

So makeup can make you happier but doesn’t mean it will make you happier

Just like different people have different hobbies and passions, makeup is just one of those potential passions

How makeup can give you more energy as a mom

There are two types of activities that you can do throughout the day

Things that take energy and things that give energy

Everyone has categories, but the actions in the categories are different

For example, I hate doing laundry

It takes energy for me to get it done

But my friend enjoys laundry and thinks it is relaxing

So it gives her energy!

Same action, different categories for different people

So the question becomes, what category does makeup fall into for you?

Do you enjoy it or enjoy the results?

Does it give you a little boost of happiness?

If the answer to those questions is yes, then makeup is something that gives you energy

You feel better after putting it on than you do before

This doesn’t have to mean that you depend on it, it just means that makeup is a form of self-care for you

Psychological effects of makeup

Makeup has been shown to have amazing psychological effects too!

Studies have shown that makeup can help cancer patients improve their well being

Women fighting breast cancer go through a lot of physical changes

And we are seeing that makeup has the ability to bring happiness in short-term or midterm

It isn’t permanent, but it doesn’t have to be

If makeup has the power to give cancer patients energy and happiness, I think it is safe to assume it can for you too

On the other side, there are people who struggle to leave the house without makeup

They feel embarrassed and depend on a morning makeup routine to feel good enough to go about their day

There is a difference between using makeup to feel good and depending on the makeup

When I was in high school, I never left the house without it

I was scared

I didn’t feel beautiful without it

The feeling I had then when I put on makeup is way different than the feeling I have now

I don’t put it on now because I have to 

I put it on because I want to!

So the phycological and emotional response is different

Whether or not you use makeup as self-care depends on where you are right now

Is it a need or a want?

So… Is makeup good for your mental health?

Makeup can be good for your mental health or it can be bad. It depends on you as an individual. 

Check on how you feel about wearing makeup

Does it make you feel good?

Are you anxious without it?

We want a healthy relationship with makeup, not a depending on it to feel worthy

So evaluating that first is a good idea

Once you are wearing makeup because you want to, not because you need to

Then it is time to test our energies

Do you gain energy when you wear makeup?

Do you get a little skip in your step when you see your reflection?

Then makeup might be a good option for you!

If you don’t feel a difference and it doesn’t make you happy, then it will only become a chore

That is not what we want from our self-care!

If you determine that you enjoy it and it makes you feel good, then yes! Makeup is good for your mental health