Is Covering Up Your Acne Dishonest?

Anyone who's ever dealt with any type of acne can tell you that, sometimes, covering up those suckers isn't the hardest part of the whole deal. Nope, the most difficult aspect of blending concealer onto your breakouts is the line you have to toe between wearing too much and too little. If you don't put enough on, those whiteheads push through. But, add just a touch "too much," and you're "trying to hide" behind your product. That's exactly what Laurel of xoVain struggles with daily — and she thinks it's total bull.

After breaking out in severe acne in college, Laurel started covering up. It got to the point where she became obsessive about concealing her blemishes. "It was a total Catch-22: I hated looking like I had acne, but I also hated looking like I was caking on makeup to cover it up," she writes. In the age of the no-makeup selfie, anyone with a pimple has had to deal with this dichotomy. While the no-makeup selfie's "embrace your natural state" mantra is seemingly rooted in good intentions, it forgets one thing: What if we simply don't want to love our perceived flaws?

Laurel writes about how putting on makeup every day is something she does for herself to feel good about the reflection she sees in the mirror. And, that's pretty admirable, especially when it seems we've come to a point where anyone who wishes to improve the way they look — whether it be with makeup or plastic surgery — is regarded as "fake," "dishonest," or "cheating."

The fact of the matter is, if ladies like Laurel choose to spend 30 minutes a day applying makeup because it makes them feel their best, that's honest and real. Makeup is meant to help us feel a bit more beautiful, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Click over for Laurel’s full story. (xoVain)