OUR TOP 10 LISTS

10. Be a Movie Star

Never mind that I will never make the millions of dollars that every celebrity in the world makes for franchises about sports-playing dogs or films about crazy ballerinas. Never mind that my most expensive dress is 86.00 and doesn't even really fit me well. Or that my boyfriends are about as charming as Curious George instead of Clooney. Makeup was invented so beautiful girls could look beautiful on camera, and every time I put on sixteen pounds of foundation to cover up my stress blemishes, it's like I'm the star of my own movie! Maybe not a very good one. Kind of boring. But who cares, I’m an A-Lister!

Author: Alida Nugent / The Frenemy

9. Rebel against the man!

As most fashion trends started out in the days where women couldn’t vote yet, makeup used to make you a harlot. Starting in the flapper days where wearing an unflattering but movable fringe dress was a completely SOBER fashion decision, makeup was off limits for ‘good girls.’ It was the devils grease! But like all of Rihanna’s latest singles prove, good girls are more fun bad. And if wearing makeup to hide your dark eye circles is wrong, then I don’t want to be right! Really. I’d never go on a date again if you saw these eye circles. I have no choice.

8. Talk With Your Lips

Nothing says more without words than a little bit of red lipstick. Sometimes it says ‘grandma’s trying to relive her youth.’ Sometimes it says ‘this tween really needs more parental supervision.’ Sometimes it says ‘Pretty Woman,’ while other times it reminds people of the ahem...movie. Either way, you can never really go too wrong with a shade of red lipstick as long as you are careful to choose one right for your skin tone. You want to look sexy, not dead! And when done right, you can look really sexy.

7. Look Better

Duh. There are times I wake up in the morning looking like Shrek’s ugly cousin. Sometimes I just scream into the mirror for about twenty minutes before I can gather the strength to stop my shaking hands and apply some much needed blush. Thank you makeup, for making me not scared of mirrors sometimes anymore. Seriously. I am what happens when you say Bloody Mary into the mirror or whatever that urban legend is.

6. Look Worse

There have been times when I look through old photographs and wonder why I ever thought winged eyeliner up to my temples was a good idea. Or blue eyeshadow. Or orange lipstick. I was young! I was a moron! It was cute at the time, I guess, and the memories will be hilarious.

5. Look More Natural

I do not have dewy skin, tamed eyebrows, or soft pink lips without the aid of Bobbi Brown. Now, I can fake the kind of "sure I roll out of bed looking like Cabbage Patch" natural thing that I couldn't really pull off otherwise. I think my skin is really green.

4. Look More Unnatural.

Uh, it’s Friday night. You can bet your ass I’m putting on smoky smoke monster eyes. I don’t want to look like ME really, I want to look like the ME who is sexy enough to be a Russian Spy or maybe a stripper or something. How else will I manage to get a couple of pitchers bought for me and make out with some moron by the pool table? Come on, I gotta look foxy it up!

3. Change your Entire Persona

Without makeup, I’m just a girl who likes macaroni and cheese, bad action movies, and puppies on the street. With makeup, I can be a hot girl next door. I can be a Madonna wannabe. I can be a slightly goth biker chick. I can have it all! And it’s way cheaper to buy lipstick than clothes, so it’s the cheapest solution for a makeover! It’s baffling to me why they don’t have more ‘makeup montages’ in teen movies, but that’s just me.

2. Smile Wider

Now with social network sites that display your face to the internet, I began to feel a little scared of cameras. Every Sunday morning after a night out, I'd turn on my computer and be greeted with 86 shots of me doing shots at a bar or grimacing at my friend on the subway. These pictures never go away. They haunt you like a little girl eats off people's faces in horror movies. You should at least try to put your best face forward.

1. Be Your Own Beautiful

Nothing like putting on a little something to make yourself feel prettier, more confident, and more special. Even if it’s just chapstick in the morning, taking a little time on yourself is a good way to pamper yourself and feel more beautiful at the same time. Worth it!