To some, makeup and skin care obsessions may seem a little superficial, but the truth is that beauty isn’t just about shopping and product-hunting. Sure, feeling good about your looks can give you confidence, but beauty routines can also provide a creative, fun outlet for self-expression that can lift you up during tough times. Yesterday, we discovered a super-inspiring thread on Reddit?s MakeupAddiction that proved we’re not the only ones whose feelings about makeup go more than skin-deep.
The thread started when a user asked how beauty has played a role in people?s physical and mental health, and within hours, the comment section was loaded with Redditors sharing moving, personal stories. People opened up about how makeup and skin care helped them cope with issues like depression, anxiety, and chronic illness, explaining that beauty brings positivity and confidence to otherwise dark, overwhelming situations. [Skin care and makeup] gives me a sense of control I never had as a little kid.

Photo: ImaxTree
We chatted with eating disorder therapist and body image expert Temimah Zucker, LMSW, for her thoughts on how beauty routines can support people’s emotional wellness. ?I encourage clients to find meaning in makeup,? she says. ?Perhaps a bold lip color represents how powerful your words and thoughts can be. Or maybe concealer is less about concealing oneself, and more about being mindful that some people will see all of you, and others might not.?
Zucker ...