CREDIT: JOSHUA WALLER
Don't look at your face as a problem you need to fix and mask with makeup, look at your face as a beautiful, blank canvas waiting to be enhanced.

Makeup is a powerful thing: it can cover, conceal, camouflage and even alter a person’s entire face. Makeup can be a great pick me up for days when you are feeling down and is always there to the rescue when that stubborn pimple butts its ugly head. But with all of this being said, makeup should add a sense of joy and fun to your life and should never control it, nor should it be something to hide behind.

Being a makeup artist myself, I know how fun makeup can be and all the wonderful things it can do; my philosophy is there are no rules to makeup. But I think a good general rule of thumb before using makeup is to know you absolutely don’t need it and are truly beautiful the way you are.

Skin imperfections can sometimes be embarrassing and cause anxiety when going out with a group of friends. But the truth of the matter is, about 80 per cent of the population between the ages of 11 and 30 have acne breakouts at some point in their life according to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases website. It’s a normal condition that many people face and you should never let something like that prevent you from living your life.

If your skin is too irritated to wear makeup, then simply don’t wear it. Your complexion will thank you in the long run.

Pushing the boundaries with makeup when your skin is trying to heal will just cause a lot more problems. Not only can this have a huge financial impact on you, it also can have a detrimental effect on your skin, which needs time to breathe. If you don’t believe in your own beauty, then makeup will start to no longer be enough.

Becoming too reliant on a product can transition into an addictive route of more permanent cosmetic procedures. Tattooing, micro blading, extensions and even reconstructive surgery are just some avenues people will travel down just because they feel they don’t look good enough and makeup just isn’t cutting it anymore. (I am in no way stating these things are bad or wrong, I am simply stating they should only be done for the right reasons).

Challenge yourself and practice the number one rule when it comes to makeup: realize it is to only enhance the natural beauty you already have. Give your skin a break sometimes and rock the no makeup look; you will be surprised as to how beautiful it truly can be.