The Cost of Wearing Makeup Daily
While makeup can be a fun and empowering way to express yourself, there are downsides to using it every day. From triggering constant breakouts to taking a toll on your confidence, if you're starting to notice more cons than pros, it might be time to take a step back. Still not fully convinced? Here are 10 signs you should pause your makeup routine—and 10 side effects of wearing it daily.
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1. You're Constantly Breaking Out
If you're constantly breaking out, it's a clear sign you should stop wearing makeup for a while to let your skin heal and breathe. You may also want to examine the products you apply to your face to ensure they're non-comedogenic and don't contain ingredients that irritate your skin.
2. It's Taking Too Much Time Out of Your Day
How long does it take on average for you to do your makeup routine? If it's taking too much time out of your day, cutting into your responsibilities, and affecting your productivity levels, it might be a sign to step back and take a break to develop better time management skills.
3. It Doesn't Make You Feel Good
If putting on makeup doesn't make you feel happy, comfortable, or confident, then don't put it on. Let your natural bare face shine instead! Makeup should enhance your features and be fun to apply, not make you feel more self-conscious.
4. You're Always Running Late
Are you always running late to work or school because your makeup routine takes too long in the mornings? If yes, and you don't want to wake up even earlier to do it, it's probably best that you nix the habit altogether. Again, even if makeup helps you feel more awake and presentable, it shouldn't come in the way of your responsibilities.
5. Your Confidence Depends on It
Does your confidence depend on whether you have makeup on or not? While a hint of blush and a few strokes of mascara can help enhance your natural features, you shouldn't feel like you need to rely on these products to feel better about yourself. Don't let makeup define your self-worth, and if it does start to affect the way you view yourself, it might be time to stop wearing it.
6. You're Spending Too Much Money
How much money are you spending on makeup every month? If it's cutting into your budget and affecting your finances, you might want to step back, rethink your choices, and assess whether it's worth buying more. It doesn't help either that makeup can be fairly expensive.
7. It's Becoming an Addiction
If you're constantly on the lookout for new products and collections, impulsively splurging your monthly salary on different palettes, brushes, and sets without thinking about the financial consequences, and your house is cluttered with makeup products—it's time to take a pause. Makeup should be a fun hobby, but when it becomes an addiction it can be a problem.
8. Constant Infections
It's not just redness or the occasional pimple or two—if makeup constantly triggers flare-ups or causes infections, you'll need to stop your routine and take a closer look at your products, brushes, and tools. If you don't take a break, you might see permanent damage.
9. You're Too Lazy to Thoroughly Remove It
Sure, putting makeup on is fun, but if you're too lazy to thoroughly remove it at the end of the day, you might want to pause wearing it for a while. Leaving product on your face overnight can trigger breakouts and cause eye irritation or infections, which is why you should never sleep with makeup on.
10. You Just Don't Enjoy It Anymore
If putting on and wearing makeup doesn't bring enjoyment to you anymore, don't wear it. Again, makeup should be a fun hobby that allows you to be creative and express your personality and identity—it shouldn't feel like a chore to do.
If these signs aren't enough to convince you to stop wearing makeup, the side effects you might experience from wearing it daily may change your mind. Read on for 10 common downsides:
1. Clogged Pores
Wearing makeup all the time clogs your pores, especially if you're not taking the time to ensure you're choosing non-comedogenic products. Plus, depending on your skin type—normal, dry, oily, or combination—you might be more susceptible to clogged pores than others.
2. Acne Flare-Ups
If you're already acne-prone, makeup may only trigger more frequent breakouts. Some ingredients might react worse with your skin than others, so it's generally best to let your skin breathe if you're going through a flare-up. Otherwise, you'll only be adding fuel to the fire.
3. Allergic Reactions
Without patch testing your products, some of them may trigger allergic reactions. This could lead to inflamed skin, itching, redness, swelling, or dry spots—all of which will only make you want to peel your face off. That's why it's so important to always check the ingredient list (avoid anything with fragrance or alcohol) and to choose hypoallergenic options.
4. Eye Infections
Anything you put near your eye can trigger an infection if you're not careful enough. Your mascara, eyeliners, eyeshadow, brushes, lash curlers, and even your fingers are just some of the examples. If you're not cleaning your tools regularly or swapping out expired products for fresh ones, you could potentially get styes or conjunctivitis (pink eye).
5. Dryness & Irritation
Do you have dry skin? If so, wearing makeup all the time may only exacerbate your problems and dry your skin out even more, leading to red patches and irritated spots on your face. Again, it's important to choose products that match your skin type, and to take a good look at the ingredient list.
6. Overdependence
Another side effect of wearing makeup daily is that you may start to become overdependent on it. You might refuse to go out without a full face on, and worse, stepping out with a "naked" face might negatively affect your confidence.
7. Bacteria Build-Up
How often do you wash your brushes and makeup tools? How often do you use up your products before their expiry date? How often do you make sure you don't dip unclean fingers into powders, palettes, and creams? If you're not diligent about cleanliness, bacteria could easily build up and trigger breakouts or infections on your face.
8. Chapped Lips & Infections
Some lip products can leave the delicate skin of your mouth chapped and dry. Matte formulas are often the culprit, but some lip tints and glosses can cause irritation as well. And if your lips are particularly sensitive, you might even experience contact dermatitis or infections.
9. Delayed Healing
If your skin is currently healing from an infection or flare-up from a product, it's best to stop wearing makeup until everything clears up and your dermatologist gives you the okay. Otherwise, wearing makeup to cover these spots may only delay healing or trigger another breakout.
10. Premature Aging
While makeup itself doesn't age you (that is, unless the way you apply it makes you look older than you are), improper removal can damage your skin. Make sure to always thoroughly remove any traces of product on your face at the end of the day, and to never sleep with makeup on.
