It's all about the money....

We talk all the time about the industries that will never go away. Part of the reason I chose to go into the health care field was job security. The other industries that will never go away? Criminal justice; As long as there are things worth stealing, there will always be bad guys to chase. Computer technology; we are advancing all the time into the "next big thing" that helps us to become more lazy and less self-sufficient. Banks will never go away. There are lots of things that will never go away. But one industry that people don't give a lot of thought to, that also will not be going anywhere, is makeup.

Us girls are always looking for the next great thing to make our skin smoother, our eyes brighter, and our lips plumper. We (collectively speaking) have done our part to help the make up industry become the multi-billion dollar corporation that it is today. I know I've certainly done my part. I have a fairly large (very pink) make-up case, and two more medium sized bags that I keep all my makeup in; most of which I don't even use anymore (but you have to keep because you never know when that bright neon green eyeshadow will be needed, even though you haven't used it since junior year in high school... true story). I just organized my makeup bags last night, and discovered I have somehow accumulated 8 eyeliner pencils, 3 of them being the same color - how that happened, I have no idea....

But makeup isn't just about foundation, bronzer, eyeshadow, and mascara. Then you have all the facial creams, lotions, and treatments abound, to get rid of the acne, the wrinkles, the large pores, and whatever else the "Big Guys" have deemed unsuitable for women to have on their face. It's really quite sad actually. No makeup models ACTUALLY look like their pictures for the makeup they are promoting. There is a lot of photoshop that people don't always remember-or even know about-when they see those pictures. So women spends hundreds of dollars every year to try and reach an impossible goal: to look like the cover-girl of whatever magazine they read to "be fit", "blend in", or "look their best". And millions of girls every year become depressed because they can't look like women in those magazines. We may have gained a better looking population, but we, as women, have lost the confidence to be real in our our own God-given skin. Sure, we don't want a bunch of pimples or blackheads; we need to take care of our skin. But does that mean we have to create a mask to hide behind? To create our fake self confidence?

I'm not making fun of, or trying to be de-meaning to any girls out there who are reading this. I, too, have been sucked up into the rat-race for the "best looking". I attempted about a month ago to not wear any makeup at all. That lasted for about 2 weeks. I realized that I couldn't be ME, with out it. It was a horrifying revelation; to see that I couldn't have fun and enjoy myself because I was too worried about what people thought of me with no makeup on. It's something that I'm working on. I don't wear anywhere near as much makeup as I used to, but I still have a hard time leaving the house without it. And, I would like to add- The whole time I've been writing this, I've been waiting for my "Pore Purging" clay mask to dry so I may go to bed.... Hypocrite? Maybe. Working on self-confidence WITHOUT the makeup? Most definitely. I encourage you to do the same.

Loving thoughts,
Girl With No Name