Hey Beauties!! Who’s ready for episode 3 of ‘Cuppa&Chat’?! This week we have the beautiful Aisling talking about how makeup helps with mental health. In a society where makeup is often classed as a ‘cover up’ and people are accused of ‘trying to hide’ behind a mask, Aisling show’s you how in alot of cases, for us it really is a different case!!
You know the score, get the cuppas and munch and lets get to chatting!!
Meet Aisling
Aisling (pronounced Ash-ling) is a 23-year old Irish blogger. She blogs about eco-friendly living, books, coffee, bucket lists, pop-culture and more at thisdreamsalive.com. She also runs the vegan, wellness, recovery, and anti-diet culture site pricklypineapples.ie
Make-up and my mental health:
I’m a big fan of bold lipsticks, smokey eyes, and blinding highlighter. But I get a lot of stick for it.
People always misunderstand why I wear makeup or why it’s the style it is.
Using makeup as a shield:
I have a little birthmark on my nose so when I first started wearing makeup the goal was to conceal that, and then I started looking at ways to make my nose look smaller. Then I got acne. So in the beginning makeup was to conceal these things.
When I was 12 all I had was concealer and bronzer, and back in those days we didn’t know what contour was so a full face of bronzer and a few concealer patches was a bad look. Then I moved onto foundation and a little bit of eyeliner because I had no idea how to use anything else.
I still put on foundation and concealer but I don’t actively target the mark like I used to; if people notice it, people notice it. If they make a mean comment is more of a reflection on them than me. That said, it’s so faded now that people only notice when I point it out.
“But boys don’t like it when you…”
When people try to change me, one of the lines is always “but boys don’t like it when girls…”,
Apparently, boys don’t like:
- eyeliner flicks
- all black clothes
- dark lipstick
- tattoos
It’s such a sexist argument. We don’t wear makeup for boys to notice us, even when I was in school, it was actually more just to keep the other girls from having more reasons to criticize me. Boys don’t notice the shade difference between my Celebrity Skin or Bow n’ Arrow nude lipsticks, but I do.
It suggests that I should actively change myself for someone to find me attractive; I should be someone else because apparently being authentic and alone is worse. Which is a terrible message to send!
I wear heavy eye make-up or dark lipsticks on a daily basis so I get a lot of “whos’ that for?” or “where are you going?” – it’s for myself because I like looking this way. Why would I only make myself feel good for special occasions? This makes me feel good so I do it every day!
Also, people have types. My boyfriend of three years loves my eyeliner flicks, tattoos, and style – and of he didn’t I’d still look the way I do anyway.
Self-expression
What was never an act of insecurity was my eye makeup.
My eyes are really the only feature of my face that I like.
I’ve always loved dark eye makeup, most of my wardrobe is black so its all part of the aesthetic.
People have always misunderstood wearing a lot of eye makeup to be an insecurity thing, and accused me of “hiding behind it”. To the point of literally nearly staging an intervention about my eyeliner.
If anything, it draws attention to my eyes. At least it does now since I’ve gotten considerably better at eyeliner flicks and blending eye shadow.
There was a phase where I tried overlining my lips because they’re tiny but I don’t do that anymore. Before the lip-lining phase I always loved dark lipstick anyway (but I balance my eyes out so I don’t look too dark or as a clown on those days).
When I’m in work, or when I was in school, how I do my make-up is one of the few ways to show off my individuality in a uniform. It helps me feel like me.
Mindfulness
The whole process of actually going my makeup is really mindful for me.
It’s the only part of the day I’m not thinking about or doing a thousand different things.
I have to concentrate on it so I literally can’t be thinking about other things.
I don’t stick of mindfulness or meditation so it’s my only real “mindful” moment in my day. Where I’m 100% in the moment. As I do my makeup right after breakfast, it lets me start the day on a positive note. As it’s part of my routine I don’t have to “make time” for mindfulness. It’s just there.
The Bottom Line
My make-up has a really positive effect on my mental health, and not the opposite like people assume.
Next time you feel the need to criticize or make assumptions about how much someone is wearing, maybe keep your mouth shut because it’s none of your business anyway.
Thankyou so much Aisling for showing everyone how makeup can help us is so many ways. I have the same view on how makeup makes me feel and I love to sit and pay about with ideas!! You can see my previous guest post’s here… Episode 1 Featuring Thoughts With N and Episode 2 Featuring Deb.
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Much Love – Mrs Slee-Jones xx
Dont forget to show Aisling some love and check out her socials and blog!!!! Links below.
