Just Be Yourself: Makeup!

Now I know what you're thinking. Why would I start a series about being yourself with makeup, something that masks and camouflages your real face? Well, I revealed my real face to the internet for the first time right up there. The first photo is me having just woken up and brushed my hair. The second is after taking a shower and putting my makeup on. There was zero photoshop interference with those pictures, minus sizing. And I will tell you right now, I feel like my real face is the one on the right.

A lot of girls don't like makeup, and I can totally understand where they are coming from. It is a mask that you put on your face to hide your flaws or to accentuate your best qualities. And in my opinion the same can be said about dressing for your body type! The social views on makeup are complex. It can both draw attention and make you blend in, depending on how you wear it.

Lolitas view makeup the same way as any other women. Some think it's a necessity; why would you spend all that time on your lovely outfit and leave your face plain and boring? Some think it's to be avoided, a crutch that keeps the world from seeing your true beauty. Some just use the basics; concealer, mascara, maybe a little eyeshadow. It's all a matter of personal opinion! And in the end, you should just be yourself. Don't listen to what others think you should do with your face. Do what you think is best. Granted, if you go the makeup route it's a good idea to understand the products and use them to their best advantage, but in the end it is entirely your decision.

One of my personal role models is Doe Deer of Lime Crime Makeup; she started the company from scratch and lovingly crafts her products. Her goal is to integrate bright colors into the makeup industry. To the right is one of her lipsticks, My Beautiful Rocket, a bright orange. You can look through Lime Crime's lipsticks here at her webstore; she has purples, pinks, red, even a bright blue! Her products show that not only can makeup be bold, but it can be fun and vibrant. My personal favorite is Styletto, the gorgeous black. I want to wear it all the time.

Eyeshadow is always a fun splash of color to compliment your outfit. My very favorite brand is Urban Decay, which can be bought at Sephora.The colors are rich and bright, and have really good staying power. If you can't afford $18 shadow though I also recommend Maybelline, a drugstore brand that has a wide variety of colors. The staying power isn't as good, but the shadows last a long time in the compact and only cost about $5 a piece, so you won't have to worry about wasting it.

My own routine involves covering up a good deal of acne, as you can tell in the photo. It honestly looks as though I'm wearing a different skin! I've had to perfect my routine over the years, but it currently consists of foundation, concealer, and finishing powder. The concealer that has saved my life up to now is Clinique's Advanced Concealer. Unfortunately it only comes in two (very slightly different) shades, and doesn't cater to many skin tones or colors. It does show up a little orangey on my face, but that's taken care of by finishing powder, and it hides my acne like nothing else. And to me, my mask actually shows people what my face should really look like if it wasn't covered in ugly red bumps.

So in order to effectively wear makeup with lolita, you don't have to go full-out Mana style blue lips with a pure white face and thick lashes. I mean sure, you could if you wanted, but it isn't required or necessary. Find what works best for you, what you like, and overall what makes you happy. If it goes against your personal beliefs, that's fine. If you can't leave the house without it, that's fine. Experimenting is always fun though, so don't be afraid to give anything a try! Go crazy, have fun! And don't forget, just be yourself!