I could not wear makeup until I was 16 years old. “16 years old? That’s so far away!” I protested with my heart once again broken by another impeding ordinance. I was forced to go through middle school bitterly staring at my friends in the bathroom as they put on their glittery, enchanting lip gloss. Coming into high school, I would get questions about my bare face and have to explain that my mother did not allow me to wear makeup until I reached the glorious age of 16. Maybe I could have secretly worn it at school, but I walked to school with friends so from the moment I left the house, my naked face was exposed. Not to mention, I later learned that puberty is not a conspiracy theory, that is definitely real, and along with it came its infamous side effect: “pimples.” People saw my face, no makeup and all, and whenever I had acne or my annual sprout of eczema, those traits carried with me in every conversation. It was rough. I would wonder, where was the excitement that makeup could provide me with? Where was the glamor I wished for? Then finally the big day came. I already had a list full of cherished makeup products that I had been waiting to finally purchase on my 16th
I could not wear makeup until I was 16 years old. “16 years old? That’s so far away!” I protested with my heart once again broken by another impeding ordinance. I was forced to go through middle school bitterly staring at my friends in the bathroom as they put on their glittery, enchanting lip gloss. Coming into high school, I would get questions about my bare face and have to explain that my mother did not allow me to wear makeup until I reached the glorious age of 16. Maybe I could have secretly worn it at school, but I walked to school with friends so from the moment I left the house, my naked face was exposed. Not to mention, I later learned that puberty is not a conspiracy theory, that is definitely real, and along with it came its infamous side effect: “pimples.” People saw my face, no makeup and all, and whenever I had acne or my annual sprout of eczema, those traits carried with me in every conversation. It was rough. I would wonder, where was the excitement that makeup could provide me with? Where was the glamor I wished for? Then finally the big day came. I already had a list full of cherished makeup products that I had been waiting to finally purchase on my 16th