For me, makeup has gone from being a tool for concealing imperfections to a type of self-expression and self-care. And I’m not alone.
“Increasingly more people see makeup not only as a method to beautify, but additionally as a component of their wellness and self-care routines,” says Joanne Hsieh, CEO of Astral Health & Beauty, which owns brands like PÜR Cosmetics, Butter London, and Cosmedix Skincare. Once a predictable a part of beauty routines, as of late, makeup has change into a robust tool for wellbeing.
An Added Layer of Confidence
Ensuring you are feeling good about yourself is a key piece of self-care. Makeup artist and wellness coach Heather O’Boyle Erman has a front-row seat to the facility of makeup to vary how we see ourselves. “So again and again after a session with me, a lady looks within the mirror, and her energy completely changes,” she says. “She’s the identical person but there’s an internal confidence that wasn’t there before. And once we taste that, we comprehend it’s accessible to us, with or without makeup.”
Even global icons like Lady Gaga can relate. In a recent interview, the singer talked about how makeup does as much for her confidence internally because it does externally, and described it as an extension of her self-care routine. “[Makeup] gives me an additional boost of confidence,” says Gaga, who founded Haus Labs makeup in 2019. “I feel I’m in a position to brave whatever is coming my way because I’ve really taken time for myself.”
Increasingly more, makeup is becoming a method to express and have fun differences, mirroring the way in which society’s concept of identity has change into more fluid. Even industries as traditionally uniform as aviation are adapting. Australia’s Qantas Airlines recently revised its requirements to permit flight attendants of any gender to wear makeup while on duty.
Persons are also increasingly using makeup as a method to have fun the role their “imperfections” play in the general canvas of their face. This has led to the rise of all the things from freckle pens to models like Paige Billiot, who uses makeup in fun and flamboyant ways to focus on her port wine stain birthmark as an alternative of disguising it.
As an increasing number of people seek to specific their moods and personalities through makeup, Hsieh notes a shift towards inclusivity throughout the industry. “Brands are offering a wider range of products suitable for all skin tones and kinds, men and ladies,” she says. “There is a growing acceptance and even celebration of private expression through cosmetics.”
Makeup as mindfulness
While we’ve all had those mornings after we’re rushing to get out the door, Yael Shy, a mindfulness consultant and creator, suggests that slowing down our skin-care and makeup routines can function a chance for mindfulness. She offers a fast recipe to raise these day by day rituals right into a mini meditation:
- Immerse yourself in the current moment by savoring the textures, gentle sounds, and fragrances of your products.
- Gently release thoughts and to-do lists, surrendering to the experience.
- When your mind attempts to steer you towards problem-solving or ruminating on the past, return to the soothing rhythm of your fingers and the experience of the wonder routine happening within the moment.
Shy emphasizes the essential distinction between looking within the mirror to identify imperfections and using makeup to hide them versus gazing at those perceived flaws with tenderness and self-love and using makeup to intensify and play. “It is not about how you truly look,” she says. “It’s about your intentionality, your decision to embrace your beauty and worthiness just as you might be. This shift in perspective can profoundly affect how you are feeling when applying makeup.”
Because the cosmetics market continues to grow, with projections reaching $417 billion USD by 2030, the ways through which we engage with makeup also keep evolving. What was once a tool for conformity and hiding flaws has transformed into a way of self-expression and holistic well-being. With more people embracing cosmetics as a part of their self-care rituals, one thing is obvious: Makeup is not any longer merely about concealing; it’s about revealing and celebrating the wonder inside.
