Why women need to stop hiding behind makeup

Try asking a woman why she likes to wear makeup and prompt comes the reply, “Because it makes me look beautiful!” If you probe her further, she may also admit to using it for hiding her ‘imperfections’ or blemishes. Interestingly, you will rarely hear a woman say she’s comfortable in her own skin. And this is exactly what makeup has done to women!

Women feel that plastering themselves with foundations and BB creams can hide their facial skin flaws; their addiction to cosmetics is no less than that of a drug. However, what one fails to realize is that makeup is making women less acceptable of their real self and more uncomfortable of their bare face.

Makeup camouflages a woman’s real identity

Some women may argue that applying makeup helps boost their self-confidence, they do not realize it’s only a temporary boost. Looking at it from a broader perspective, such women forget their real identity and ultimately cannot accept what they see in the mirror. According to an analysis by The Guardian, the #NoMakeupSelfie campaign launched two years ago, where people shared their selfies sans any makeup, helped in raising a whopping amount of $8m for Cancer Research UK. They were able to raise this huge amount because “the campaign made people feel good about themselves; it was about affirmation, self-confidence and authenticity.” In reality, makeup only adds to the layers of artifice.

As per Dr Parul Tank, Psychiatrist, Fortis Hospital, Mulund, Mumbai, women shouldn’t rely on makeup to give them their identity. They need to identify and acknowledge their innate qualities and inner strengths in order to feel good about themselves. She further says, “Women need to be comfortable on the inside as well as outside to be emotionally stable. When there is a schism between the two, it can lead to maladjustment.”

No stringent rules for cosmetic companies
Dr Roopali Nanjappa, Dermatologist, Fortis Hospital, Kalyan, Mumbai says, “Makeup or cosmetics do not come under the purview of government agencies, hence no stringent rules and regulations are applicable to these products.” In India, most of the makeup kits do not list their active ingredients, which makes it difficult for women to know whether or not any product will have a side-effect.

Apart from this, most women do not realize that there could be an expiry date on cosmetics as well. They keep on using the same cosmetic for years oblivious to the microbes and bacteria that might have infested their eye shadows or lipsticks.

Even organic products are not trustworthy

Dr Roopali condemns the use of ‘organic products’ that are today widely available in the market as they may contain unlisted ingredients, which could harm the skin. She says, “Sometimes, heavy metals like lead and arsenic are added to the organic products that can have devastating effects on the skin. We know lanolin and beeswax, sodium lauryl sulphates and even aloe vera can cause severe allergic reactions in certain individuals.” However, she says that if a person wants to use actual coconut oil with shea butter and a hint of charcoal to make their own Kajal, it’s completely acceptable. Applying natural products, in their fresh form, like cucumber peels and raw milk mask for rejuvenation or walnut powder for a facial scrub, will not harm anyone.

At the same time, one should not forget that the shelf life of organic products is, by its very nature, very limited. So these products can also burn a hole in your pockets!

Makeup can have catastrophic effect on your skin/body

An average woman uses 12 products a day, containing 168 ingredients, according to a research by US organization Skin Deep. However, women are often ignorant of the disastrous effects of these products. “If a person has seborrhea, or oily skin, then heavy oil based or cream based foundation or concealer can definitely cause occlusion acne. Even winter creams and moisturizers can clog the pores and cause blackheads. Harsh cleansers and astringent face washes can induce severe dryness in an atopic skin,” reveals Dr Roopali.

Secondly, according to experts, sometimes, there are certain cancer-causing substances present in cosmetics that can do more harm than you can imagine. Lipsticks can contain aluminum that may cause long-term anemia, and chemicals like zinc oxide, BHA, barium sulfate present in certain cosmetics may result in organ failure too.

Further, Dr Roopali says that sharing of lipsticks, lip balms, gloss and compacts can also result in a lot of skin problems for a large number of people, especially the first-time users. She even recommends using only prescribed sunscreens and basic moisturizers as a precautionary measure.

It contributes to body image issues

Psychologists use the term ‘body image’ to describe our internalized sense of what we look like and sadly, there are a plenty of women who feel repulsed with their own bodies. Most of them are not used to seeing themselves without makeup and when they do, they start to dislike their face/body more. “I feel naked when I’m not wearing makeup. I cannot imagine going anywhere without my BB cream and cheek stains,” reveals a 26-year-old woman, Sakshi Verma.

According to Psychology Today, one can improve his/her body image by practicing self-talk. The negative thoughts need to be replaced by the positive messages, which is also a part of cognitive-behavioral therapy. A few mantras can be developed, such as, “I love my body,” “I’m more than my body,” “I’m proud of my accomplishments” and so on…