I Put On Makeup to Disappear

I started wearing makeup at 16 because I thought it would make me confident. Instead, it became my daily armor against a world that felt too bright, too judgmental. Every morning became a ritual of covering up—not just blemishes, but pieces of myself I'd decided weren't good enough. Foundation to hide the tiredness. Concealer for the dark circles that told stories I didn't want to share. Mascara so my eyes looked awake enough to face people. The tutorials said makeup was about self-expression and creativity. But honestly? I was just trying to build a version of myself that other people could look at without flinching. The irony is that the better I got at applying it, the more lost I felt underneath it all. I'm still learning that maybe the goal isn't perfection. Maybe it's just showing up as yourself—even when that feels terrifying. #BareFaceAnxiety #MakeupAsArmor #BeautyBurnout #Beauty #Makeup