Beyond Lookism: Makeup as Empowerment Armour

Confidence Glow: Magic Lamps & Makeup

Let’s face it, everyone craves that confident glow, but, unless you’ve got a magic lamp under your bed (or a fairy godmother on speed dial), we don’t all wake up camera-ready. My go-to tricks? Self-care to lift my mood, makeup togetin the mood, and a killer playlist to boost your mood and confidence but it would be considered rude if I continued blasting my favourite tunes while making small talk at the coffee shop? Here’s a riddle: What stays with you all day, doesn’t talk back, and boosts your vibe everywhere? Faith, self-belief… and yes, make-up — my trusty sidekick. it’s right up there with prayer on my to-do list!

Don’t get me wrong – I’m all for radical acceptance. Otherwise, I’d be on stilts for height and Ozempic for the rest. But do you roll into work in PJs fresh from bed? Nope. Putting your best mascara. Anything that elevates without harming? Straight onto myself-care list.

The fact is, many of us hold ourselves to low standards and call it acceptance. True acceptance isn’t settling for “good enough”- it’s loving your natural features while enhancing them with glowing skincare or a touch of makeup. It’s personal empowerment, not perfectionism. And let’s be honest: the worlddoesjudge books by covers (at least initially). Enter lookism.

What is Lookism?

Lookism is unconsciously favouring people whose looks match our cultural beauty ideals, triggering the “halo effect” – where attractiveness implies competence, likability, and trustworthiness.

For women, it’s a double bind: “Too attractive” may get you entry-level perks (higher pay, easier hires), but senior roles fade thatpretty privilege. You’re seen as frivolous, flirtatious, or threatening. “Not attractive enough”? You hustle twice as hard for visibility, missing client-facing gigs and glass ceilings tied to “likability” over merit. (citation Lookism, a Leak in the Career Pipeline? Career Perspective Consequences of Lookism Climate and Workplace Incivility – PMC

The Mirror Neuron Magic

Seeing your polished reflection, mirror neurons fire, tricking your brain into embodying that confident image. Improved posture, eye contact, and assertiveness follow naturally. In essence, wearing makeup is a psychological hack that alters self-perception.

Wearing it can increase self-esteem, self-confidence, and feelings of social ease, which in turn, changes how others respond. It’s not a necessity but can enhance your daily experience of life should you choose to use it.(citation 5 psychological ways makeup transforms confidence instantly)

From Superficial to Superpower

Many cultures encourage the thinking that make up is superficial. But if we look at makeup less as a “mask” and more as social lubricant in environments where lookism already exists, we start to see some benefits, such as:

• Wearing subtle make up signals “I’ve made an effort” which demonstrates reliability and competence.
• When someone feels put-together, they often behave more openly and engage more confidently bringing warmth to social interactions.
• Putting on make-up can create a sense of belonging, be it the corporate world or the creative arena (arts and fashion).
• The act of applying makeup can be seen as self-connection ritual by creating quiet time with yourself and artistic expression.
• While lookism is unjust, awareness empowers strategic navigation – like using makeup for approachability without conforming, turning a flawed system into one where women control more of the narrative.
• Applying makeup functions as a transition ritual, shifting you from “private self” (vulnerable, unpolished) to “public self” (prepared, intentional). The repetitive, meditative process releases dopamine and reduces anxiety, much like pre-game warmups for athletes. This creates psychological readiness, where the act itself signals “I’m ready to show up.”
• ​Colours influence emotions so used correctly make up is a definite mood enhancer.
• Initial boosts lead to confident behaviours (speaking up, smiling more), which draw positive social responses (compliments, engagement). This external validation reinforces internal confidence, creating a virtuous cycle that can persist even without makeup.

A Gentle Reframing

Makeup isn’t fake or superficial – it’s a deliberate hack for your brain’s self-confidence circuitry, turning a mirror moment into momentum. It is psychological armour, not deception (or catfishing as some might call it). Makeup is self‑expression, not self‑erasure. If makeup boosts your confidence through mirror neurons and dopamine (as science shows), does that make it superficial — or smart?

If you’re someone who was never comfortable wearing make-up and wants to start now but feels a cognitive dissonance because of your pre-established belief, then you may thinking of it the wrong way.

Instead of:

• “I wear makeup because I’m not good enough without it.”

Try:

• “I wear makeup as a way to express who I am and to feel more like the version of myself that’s ready to meet the world.”

If you’re someone who loved the idea of makeup but felt judged as superficial for it then know that those stories are more like ideologies not facts.

Instead of:

• “Makeup hides my real personality.”

Try:

• “Makeup helps my personality come across more clearly in environments where first impressions are fast and biased.”

Think about it

When was the last time you felt underconfident walking into a room, and how might a small, intentional appearance choice have shifted that?