Every morning, we sit in front of the mirror, brushes and palettes in hand, ready to face the world. Makeup, for many of us, feels like a small but vital way to establish control in our day. A swipe of lipstick, the perfect winged liner—it’s like creating order in a world full of chaos.
Is makeup really about beauty, or is it about control?
Think about the last time you had a rough day, a day when things felt out of your hands—maybe it was a stressful meeting, or an unexpected event that threw you off balance. How did you feel when you sat down to apply your makeup? Maybe it wasn’t just about looking good. Maybe it was about feeling in control of something. That’s the trick makeup can play on us. It can give the illusion that we’re mastering our circumstances through appearance, that by perfecting what’s on the outside, we can manage what’s happening on the inside.
Makeup, in this sense, becomes more than cosmetic—it becomes armor. Each product is a piece of that protective layer. The foundation evens out the skin, but also, it smooths over insecurities. The eyeliner sharpens your gaze, but it also sharpens your defenses. Lipstick adds a pop of color, but it can also add a barrier between you and the world’s judgments. It’s about control—controlling how we’re seen, how we’re perceived, and ultimately, how we feel about ourselves.
But is this control real? Or is it a beautifully crafted illusion?
Psychologically, we often reach for control when we feel vulnerable. We polish the surface to feel more secure. But what happens when the armor becomes too heavy? When our desire to control our image starts controlling us? Do we stop feeling free to experiment with our appearance, for fear of breaking the facade? Does makeup start dictating how we show up in the world, rather than supporting who we are?
The reality is, no matter how much makeup we apply, the world will remain unpredictable. The day will still throw curveballs. The trick is not in how perfect the eyeliner is, but in learning to embrace the imperfections of life—and maybe even the imperfections of our appearance.
So the next time you reach for your makeup bag, ask yourself: Am I using this to express myself, or to protect myself? Because makeup can be empowering, but only when it’s worn as an extension of who you are, not as a shield from the world.