Beauty products have been around for centuries, dating back to Ancient Egypt, and have been used for multiple reasons ranging from improvement of health, religious rituals, enhancement of beauty, and show of wealth. However, regardless of the fact that makeup can be beneficial, it has had a negative connotation surrounding it for years and this negative connotation has to stop.

According to DoSomething.org, 70% of girls avoid social interactions, such as hanging out with friends and going to school, because they do not feel confident in how they look. About 44% of these girls resort to makeup to boost their self esteem. Makeup has allowed people to turn insecurities into improving self esteem.

With almost 250,000 subscribers on Youtube, Shalom Blac is a perfect example that makeup can empower someone while also boosting their self esteem. When she was younger, Blac suffered from hot oil burns which left her with no hair and burn scars on her face, chest, and back. Blac has spoken on multiple platforms about how her unfortunate accident led to copious amounts of bullying and self hatred, but makeup came into her life and rescued her. Makeup led her to realize that she is beautiful on the inside and outside. She is now using makeup to empower her viewers on Youtube.

In a video where she discusses the power of makeup, Blac explains that for some, makeup is purely for joy. It is about pampering yourself and taking some time out of the day for yourself.

“It should be something you just love doing,” said Blac. “This is my calling that helped me through tough times, but for some people it’s just time for themselves.”

It is a talent, art, and form of self-expression that millions of people simply feel content doing. There are thousands of beauty products that come in hundreds of colors that allow women, and men alike, to play around with.

“For me at least, I don’t wear it because I feel like I need to,” said a York alumni. “I wear it because it is fun. Obviously if I’m wearing green lipstick, I’m not trying to look natural and that’s something people really don’t understand.”

Society needs to learn that empowerment can come in multiple forms, but it does not come from criticizing one another. Woman, as well as men, deal with enough criticism regarding their looks as it is, so why bash someone over something that makes them happy.

“I’ll go on twitter and look at beauty gurus and their entire page is just them retweeting other girls and being supportive,” said the York alumni. “I think if we were all just a little bit more open to ideas and weren’t quick to judge, the whole stigma surrounding makeup and wearing ‘too much’ of it, will be erased.”