by Michelle Wilkinson

Created on: September 17, 2009

Some women have been putting on make-up every morning for so long that they can't even imagine leaving the house without wearing any. If they decided to leave the house without putting on several coats of make-up they would feel completely naked, deprived of the mask that offers them security and comfort. Any blemishes or bags under their eyes can be disguised and it gives them a real confidence boost knowing that their face has no visible flaws, so that they can enter any social situation focused on the issue at hand rather than worrying about their appearance.

There are women who are convinced that they are ugly and that wearing make-up is the only way to make themselves reasonably presentable. If they have been wearing make-up since their adolescence, never leaving the house without applying some kind of cosmetics to their face they've never had this perception challenged. If nobody has ever seen them without make-up since they were a teenager how do they know what other people think about the way they really look?

It is not unusual for teenagers to be insecure about their looks, especially when they are liable to develop skin problems, but you'd have thought that older women would be able to appreciate their face more. However, though they may develop fewer spots they are then faced with wrinkles. All women want to look younger than their years, and make-up is a good way to knock off a few, if applied liberally, which is one reason why some women won't leave the house without putting on make-up. As well as wrinkles, make-up can hide scars and any other imperfections, and women can feel more confident if they know that someone isn't staring at a prominent mark on their face because it is covered up.

There are women who won't leave the house without putting on make-up because it is their job to look good. Celebrities certainly can't leave the house without being conscious of the paparazzi following them. Some don't care what pictures are captured of them, as a picture of them looking terrible will always turn up, but others go to great lengths to always look their best, which means applying make-up. Even those who don't have to contend with the paparazzi, but who have a job in the beauty or fashion industry can feel the pressure to wear make-up and the need to put a lot of effort into their appearance.

Not all women are bothered about wearing make-up, deciding to avoid it altogether or wearing it only on special occasions, but some women can't seem to live without it, having become accustomed to wearing make-up since they were young and feeling insecure about their appearance without it.

Learn more about this author, Michelle Wilkinson.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.