The art of wearing and applying makeup acts as an unexpected, yet substantial role in the empowerment of women. Unexpected because when one thinks “empowerment of women”, makeup isn’t usually a topic that pops into one’s head. But it can play a crucial role in the confidence and self-esteem of women.

In the early 20th century, makeup was used strictly for women in theater or the arts, but fast-forward 100 years and nearly all women can attest to owning some sort of makeup product. Even as young girls, we were obsessed with the Lip Smackers and the Lancome Juicy Tubes lip gloss. We would sit in awe in front of the bathroom mirror as our older sisters did their makeup, anxious for the day when we could do our own. The obsession began, and as we got older, we realized the true meaning behind makeup wasn’t for boys or for prom, but for ourselves.

There are so many negative connotations associated with makeup and the fact that it is just plain fun has been lost. Sisters and cheerleaders Bella ‘17 and Monique ‘19 Shilliday say that sometimes they spend hours in the bathroom together taking off and putting on makeup. “It’s like a bonding thing for us” says Monique. “Bella does my makeup before each football game we have to cheer at and it’s gonna be so weird next year when she’s not there to do it.”

Makeup is not only a source of amusement, but provides a sense of beauty and confidence for each woman. Girls can relate to the feeling of leaving the house with a fresh face of makeup and knowing how stunning they look. Every girl deserves to experience that boost of self-esteem that wearing makeup can give.

Makeup is more harmful than you may think, according to an article from The Huffington Post. Many of the risks are due to the poor regulation of cosmetics before they are shipped out to stores.

According to the Huffington Post and the American Cancer Society, although makeup products labeled “natural,” “herbal,” “green,” and “organic” may seem appealing it does not mean they are safe, trustworthy products. Those labels are not actually regulated, and therefore hold no true value and meaning. Legitimately safe products should have an expiration date. Natural products actually go bad at some point. Like leaving fruit on the kitchen counter, it will eventually go bad. But by having an extended shelf life, a company will not have to spend more money to produce more products once older products have gone bad.

The American Cancer Society said that while the FDA does require that cosmetic products be safe, they do not have the authority to enforce companies to test their products before shipments are made. Because figuring out the long-term effects of products can be difficult, most testing is done only for the short-term effects. However, these short-term effects are likely identified after the product is sold and used by many people. Meanwhile companies fail to test for “long-term toxic or carcinogenic (cancer-causing) effects”.

A list of the ingredients is required to be on the retail product, with a few exceptions . The product’s list of ingredients is not required to include fragrance, flavor, or trade secret ingredients, reported the American Cancer Society.

Reading labels, going on websites, and doing research is always a stupendous idea. The American Cancer Society has an extensive list of different carcinogens that can help one identify if the products they are using are safe. Unfortunately, there is not much research/data on the long-term effects of cosmetics. Because of the uncertainty, many people have chosen to not use makeup at all. This of course does not mean all makeup is bad, but one should do research on their products to double check.