By Takiya Smith

After a hectic weekend of moving both home and business, I awoke to an aching body and stared dreadfully at the haggard, puffy-eyed and disheveled haired girl looking back at me from the mirror.  This amazing, yet incredibly horrible sight of my sleepless nights was enough to remind me that I was ever so grateful for make up.
As I prepared for war, I dug through my personal arsenal of beauty products and began my attack on the battle at beauty hill. It was a fight-for-your-life struggle as I broke out the heavy artillery: collagen eye gel pads to awaken sleepy, tired eyes; exfoliating facial scrub to slough away dry, dead skin; and a tightening cream to hydrate, replenish and karate chop fine lines.  Going in for the kill, I went for the jugular and attacked the very heartbeat of my nemesis with a hit of foundation, some smoldering eyeshadow, a few swipes of mascara and some soft, barrel curls in my hair, as a reminder to never show her ugly face again.  Headed out the door, I took one final glance at the beauty in the mirror and thought to myself, yes, makeup matters.
Now, to those of you who wake up simply stunning, more power to you.  To the rest of the world, this article is just  for you.  I must first and foremost offer that makeup is in no way, shape or form, a cover up, but an enhancement. Yes, make up can work wonders in covering blemishes, scarring and less than perfect skin, however, covered or not, it’s the skin your in.  I once had a friend, after years of knowing her, and wondering why she did not wear make up, finally reveal to me that she was taught and grew up thinking that only ugly women needed and wore makeup.  I embarked on informing her of how makeup is supposed to accentuate not over accelerate the process of ones beauty.
Have you ever noticed anyone, maybe a friend or just some random woman in the grocery store and thought to yourself, wow, she would be really pretty if only she did this, or wore her hair like that?  It’s not that this woman is entirely unattractive in her state of natural beauty, but you can see how a coat of mascara could make her eyes pop or a hint of bronzer could make her skin shine.  Inner beauty, I’m all for, but if I have learned nothing from my many wars at beauty hill, I can honestly say that the emerging, made up beauty that I’ve come to know so well, is the one that I consistently want to introduce.
When you look good, you feel good and when you feel good you are able to put your best efforts forward to do good.