“You know, if you just used a little bit more ______ you would look so much better!”

“Girl, lay off on the blush, you wear way too much.”

“Why don’t you wear makeup?”

These are all things I have been told before, in my early years as a teenager.

On one hand, I’ve been told I should wear more makeup. On the other hand, I have also been told I wear too much. When really, people shouldn’t be telling me what to do with myself at all.

I’ve never been one to wear a lot of makeup. On a regular day, the most I wear is eyeliner, and maybe some mascara. If it’s a special occasion I’ll be fancy and put on some lipstick or eye shadow, but I don’t wear concealer, foundation, blush, bronzer, or any of the other products out there. It feels too thick on my skin, and I can’t stand it.

However, some people see it as a way to be an artist. Their face is a canvas and they want to make art. I think that’s a wonderful way to see it.

Makeup is an accessory, not a necessity. It’s like bracelets, earrings, and necklaces. It simply adds. It isn’t something every girl needs, or something every girl should feel like they can’t live without.

The media puts so much pressure on having a perfect complexion and appearance; luring girls into thinking they’re anything but perfect just the way they are. If they don’t look flawless, they’re judged for it. Having people judge you for what to decide to do with yourself is unfair, and cruel.

According to statistics, around 91% of women are unhappy with their bodies and or appearance.

Body image being so closely related to low self-esteem, these negative views can cause eating disorders, substance abuse, and even suicidal thoughts.

The biggest victims of these judgments are girls between the ages of 12 and 25. It’s even said that 45% of teenagers have considered plastic surgery when they’re older because they feel that they need to change for others.

The fact that girls think they need to change to make someone else happy is disheartening. You hear it a lot, and it may be becoming a bit cliché, but it’s true when they say everyone is beautiful just the way they are. If anyone tries to tell you different, they’re wrong.

We all have insecurities. The amount of makeup you wear, and what you do with your body is nobody’s business.

Nobody has the right to tell you what you should, and shouldn’t do with yourself. It’s your body, you make the decision of what to do with it.