From blush and mascara to concealer and bronzer, makeup has been used for a multitude of reasons, such as covering insecurities and amplifying attractive features.

Students at LZHS have their own reasons for using or not using makeup. Skyler Hult, sophomore, says that she loves makeup and wears close to full coverage nearly everyday. Hult even wants to have a career as a wedding makeup artist.

“I don’t feel like I need to be wearing it,” Hult said. “I wear it for confidence [and to] enhance natural beauty [rather] than to fix insecurities.”

Hult also wears makeup for her cheer competitions, to accentuate her features.

“I love doing the most bold and extravagant [makeup, and I love] expressing myself through cheer makeup,” Hult said.

Hult says she spends about an hour each day doing her makeup, and although she has a passion for it, she feels there is some stigma surrounding reasons for wearing makeup.

“I don’t like how people always assume that [wearing makeup means] that you’re trying to impress somebody or you’re insecure,” Hult said.

Makeup has other downsides, such as the negative effects it has on skin, according to Kaelyn Cardwell, sophomore and casual makeup user. Cardwell also says that although she wears a few products everyday; it is important to embrace and appreciate one’s natural face.

“I [really] like not wearing makeup because it’s good to see yourself naturally, not just get a false reality of always having makeup on,” Cardwell said.

Amoga Sridhar, junior, only wears makeup to fancy events. Sridhar says she chooses not to wear makeup everyday because she is not an “early-riser” and finds it impractical.

Sridhar says that she has faced some judgment for not wearing makeup.

“For Indian families especially, the norm is to look more fair-[skinned],” Sridhar said. “And I, of course, didn’t meet that standard. I wouldn’t agree with [the norms], my skin is my skin.”

Overall Sridhar emphasized the importance of staying true to herself with or without makeup.

“I feel like it’s better to show myself as how I am as a person,” Sridhar said. “I feel like it’s important to have a sense of self.”

Cardwell also agrees with Sridhar that use of makeup sheds interesting light on who people are. Cardwell says she enjoys seeing the variety of ways people choose to use makeup.

“I like seeing all the different ways people present themselves,” Cardwell said. “I think it’s really interesting and you can tell a lot by a person’s [appearance whether] they’re creative or if they stick to more simple looks.”