View the article in publication here, pgs. 32-37.

Nearly every Saturday morning, I open all of my apartment’s shades and windows, brew some coffee in the Keurig, connect to a pastel pink speaker and queue up my “Early Autumn” playlist. With a cool breeze wafting through the apartment and sunlight streaming through, I settle into my desk and pull out my colorful palettes and liners to see what eye look I want to go with for the day. My favorite eye combo consists of a wash of color in the crease, an iridescent shimmer shade on the lid, and a thin brown liner to tie it all together. Although my routine seems pretty set, it was not so long ago that I would only stick to a neutral look when going out and about.

From a young age, I had always been fascinated by makeup, and so I started playing with makeup quite early on. However, it was not until my freshman year of high school that I started wearing it regularly and using it as a way to express myself and my style. Red was for days I was feeling bold, mauve was my go-to, dark purple was a quick way to spice up my outfits, and nudes were the default. I was known as “the freshman with the lipstick,” and while some meant it as a way to compliment me, others were confused as to why I was being “extra.” At the same time that I was wearing bold lipstick to school, I was also experimenting with creative, colorful makeup looks every night in my room. While I would show my family and close friends my looks, I never wore them out because those comments about me being “extra” were constantly stuck in the back of my mind.

Yet by my junior year of high school, the rise in popularity of makeup influencers and the acceptance of bold and adventurous makeup gave me enough confidence to create a public Instagram account where I began to post colorful eye looks for anyone to see. I kept it a secret from everyone I knew, nervous about the critiques I was going to get. Much to my surprise, by the end of the first two weeks I had gotten a couple of followers and nice comments from people I did not even know — giving me the confidence to tell people about it. In the last couple of years not only have my skills and techniques improved, but I have slowly gotten more comfortable with wearing the creative looks in public rather than just posting them online.

According to Merriam-Webster, makeup is a “cosmetic used to color and beautify the face.” In practice makeup is simply another tool at all of our disposal to show our individuality and creativity.

“Makeup is just such a fun and personal experience that anyone can use to encapsulate who they are and their style,” said second-year Aisling Deane.

Over the course of the decade, creative freedom and expression has grown through new makeup products and emerging techniques. For much of the mid to late 2010s, neutral makeup tones were all the rage from the bronzy eye looks and super contoured cheekbones of 2014-2017 to the dewy and toned down looks of 2018. However, 2019 did a complete one-eighty from the previous year’s hype surrounding fresh-faced looks and natural beauty. Glitters, colourful shadows, fun lip colors, and graphic eye looks have essentially taken over the makeup scene.

Along with makeup-focused influencers, the HBO TV show Euphoria has played a large part in bringing this artistic makeup style to mainstream media. Though Euphoria has a riveting plot with emotive acting, the show is best known for its visual aesthetic. From the bold eyeshadow colors to the placement of gems to the sheer amount of glitter used, Euphoria is probably the first show to have such a big and notable impact in the beauty community.

“[Euphoria] influenced the way I play with different looks,” said second-year Hannah Sammut. “I certainly wouldn’t have thought of some of that amazing stuff if I didn’t see it.”

Similarly to Sammut, Euphoria has inspired quite a few of my own makeup looks, especially when it comes to using little rhinestones and other jewels around the eyes. The show was even an inspiration for one of the latest TikTok transition trends which features the song “Still Don’t Know My Name” off the Euphoria soundtrack. With the show blowing up on the TV screen and populating social media feeds across multiple platforms, the influence is undeniable. On campus this fall, there are significantly more people than usual wearing colorful eyeshadow looks complete with Euphoria’s signature glitter and gems. The popularity of the show has helped normalized creative looks, giving people the freedom to use it as a form of expression.

Today more than ever, finding new ways to outwardly express ourselves is important since masks cover about 50% of our faces. The way that our masks cover our nose, lips, and some of our facial expressions makes our eyes our most important and defining feature. Since coming on to campus, I have been more motivated to wear some sort of eye makeup to help me feel a little less invisible — even if it is a quick little pink winged liner or a blue shimmer shadow, I feel more myself.

“Now that I’m always wearing a mask, my eye makeup helps me show my personality since no one can see my smile anymore,” said third-year Hannah Chaouli. “COVID has [also] opened me more up to my creative side which is why I’ve been experimenting so much with eyeliner.”

Even if someone feels more comfortable with a little mascara, brow gel and concealer in comparison to a brightly colored look, it still is a way to reflect your inner aesthetic. It also acts as a way for us to connect with people who similarly appreciate makeup as a universal tool of expression.

“My favorite part of doing colourful eye makeup looks is the conversation that comes out of it,” said Chaouli. “Especially during this pandemic, connecting with others is so important, so if I can do that through makeup, that’s even better.”

Makeup in and of itself is not only a creative outlet but also such an important part of self-expression. The way that we choose to paint our face and our eyes is the way that we want people to perceive us. On a personal level, I grew up with makeup and my self-esteem did as well. The better I got at perfecting a colorful liner and a properly blended eyeshadow look, the more I felt myself. This is what makeup is all about, it is about testing out your creativity and in the long run, using it to develop your innermost self.