I don’t want to jinx it but I believe the worst days of the pandemic might be behind us. And all of us have emerged worse for wear, entirely incapable of functioning normally (what is normal even?). We’ve been inventive with our coping mechanisms- so we’ve relied on everything from retail therapy to binge watching trashy shows to trying makeup therapy. Whatever works, okay? For me, it’s been a weighing-scale destroying, wallet-emptying, soul-crushing mix of all of these. But what really worked for me is turning to makeup as therapy.
Now I may be weird in many ways, but surely there are a lot of us out there who withdrew to the comfort of a concealer, who hid their frustration with rapid strokes of their blending brush. For many of us, makeup therapy is readily available and easily accessible. This is not to say we shouldn’t seek professional help but sometimes, the fabulous application of eyeshadow makes it feel like not everything is spiralling out of control. I spoke to a couple of experts to get their take on makeup therapy and I am comforted by the knowledge that they weren’t absolutely appalled at the thought. Phew!
Makeup Therapy Offers You A Semblance Of Control
Dr Geetika Mittal Gupta, International Aesthetician says makeup therapy is real and it could be your thing to turn to when it everything else seems to difficult to tackle. She says, “When it comes to our beauty routine, we have complete power. We know how to apply eyeliner, how much nude to put on our lips, and how to put three dots of highlighter on our cheeks. No one knows this better than we do, and it is because of this awareness that we feel entirely in command. Similarly, spiralling out of control is a life test. However, we are the only ones who apply cosmetics. As a result, the burden of responsibility is lifted off our shoulders, and we become our own boss. Even the simple understanding of knowing which product to apply on our face is a form of control in our beauty process. We scrutinise all of the serums’ science, the appropriateness of each makeup item, and even our facial symmetry. We know it at the back of our hand, literally and figuratively, as we swatch our concealer away!”
Dr Chytra V Anand, Celebrity Cosmetic Dermatologist says it’s not just makeup, just generally looking good works to make you feel better. “Whenever someone looks good they tend to feel good and this has a direct access between the brain and eyes, it’s called the visual brain access. Our eyes signal or message the brain, so when someone wears makeup they feel like they’re looking good. This sends signals which releases happy hormones and this decreases the other negative factors. It escalates the bit the heart rate a little bit, increases the blood pressure, brings vitality and revitalises the person. It has actually been proven that the make up sales go up immediately after any kind of adverse event. Look at the covid situation right now, you’ll see makeup industry is booming and it’s because people are spending here to make themselves feel better and look better.”
How Does Makeup Therapy Work?
I mean is it knowing that you’re working towards an achievable goal? Dr Geetika Mittal says, “Our laser-like focus on putting the cosmetics, leaving extraneous things out the window, is one obvious reason why a morning beauty session relaxes our minds. It’s ideal for folks who have a lot of racing ideas and tend to over-analyze them. Furthermore, this type of self-care forces us to spend time on ourselves, and it transforms into a personal space of introspection, solitude, and pleasure. However as a skin specialist I strongly suggest “address before you dress it “ so if there’s compelling need to hide or camouflage some scar or pigmentation issue then it’s best to address it medically and treat it.”
In fact, your skincare routine could also have the same effect. Dr Chytra V Anand chimes in and says, “It is not just about makeup, it’s about skincare procedures and about other procedures like botox as well. There is actual data which talks about how over 60% of women had botox therapy also felt better after having botox done feel better mentally. In fact, even for cases with milder depression people talk about how looking good can actually make them feel better.”
Makeup therapy is really a thing. Type that using a hashtag on instagram and the beauty girls show up with their wicked eyeshadow looks and precise eyeliners. So it looks like I am not the only one who indulges in makeup therapy. The application of makeup offers an escape, into a world where I have a say, in a world where I have a grip on things. And while the jury may be out there on how therapeutic makeup can be, I believe in the power of it.
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