We Are Fluide is committed to the health and wellbeing of our #fluidefam. That’s why, during this quarantine, we’re bringing you a blog mini-series designed to fill your void and ease your worries through self-care, makeup, and online connections! Welcome to We Are Fluide’s “Queerantine”!
Ever flash a peace sign in the mirror after a back-to-back breakdown and makeup session? Then this one’s for you! There’s a reason we gravitate towards our brushes and blenders when the going gets tough—after we work through our routine, our minds are clearer, more present, and more focused. Even when motivation is nowhere to be found, there's solace in sitting in front of the bathroom mirror or bedroom vanity to do our makeup.
This month during quarantine, you’ve either retired your makeup, or it’s been working overtime. It’s not like you have anywhere to go… but if you’re in the latter camp, makeup just makes sense, for a few reasons. You can change your outward appearance to reflect a more idealistic version of yourself—whether that entails lots of glitter and blush, or jet-black eyeliner and neon green shadow, it’s up to you. And connecting your inside self to your outside self... it hits.
If you’re looking for an out-of-the-box way to get a little more mindful during quarantine, the solution might just be in your makeup bag. Read on to learn why exactly makeup makes us feel so good!
Meditation
You don’t need yoga pants and the ambient sounds of a waterfall or rainforest to meditate. Meditation exists in many ways—as in, not just sitting quietly in criss-cross applesauce—and it can be beneficial to almost anyone. All it really entails is focusing the mind on an object, thought, or activity, which silences all other noisy or intrusive thoughts. This is called mindfulness, and it achieves a mentally clear and emotionally calm and stable state. Makeup can count as meditation when you focus on your actions and technique, and the feeling of application. When you get stuck in patterns of depressive and anxious thoughts, it's helpful to engage in activities you enjoy. While you focus on yourself in the vanity mirror, you bring yourself into the present through self-actualization, and through the sense of touch and attention to detail.
Use techniques that engage your senses, which may include bright colors, textured brushes, and detail work. As you go through your routine, consider which sensations you enjoy the most—is it a beauty blender that slowly turns your complexion into a glowing canvas? Or is it the buildup of bright colors on your lids? Everyone has a favorite part of their routine—think about yours.
And finally, speaking of routine: a solid routine can help bring a sense of normalcy to this strange time. While a daily routine is suggested, the small victory of a completed makeup routine can help you feel productive and successful too. You can also use makeup as a reward or motivation for tasks you’re less eager to work on.
Self-Expression
Makeup is most known for its transformative abilities. Regarded as a medium for self-expression, it is often perceived as an accessible art form that anyone can learn. Art and makeup can help manage behaviors, process feelings, reduce stress, and increase self-esteem. For instance, when you use your body or face as a canvas during your makeup application, you express a sense of control over yourself and your appearance. Furthermore, makeup can help bring to the surface true feelings or a version of yourself that lives in your head, helping to establish a lasting sense of identity. As we spend our days in pajamas floating through our living spaces, it’s hard not to feel like a ghost. This is why makeup can bring you back to feeling like yourself. On the flip side, if you’d rather use makeup to step into a different realm of imagination, makeup can be a form of escapism.
Expressing how you feel through art also helps you understand your emotions more thoroughly. Recently, my therapist told me that many of us are grieving the lives we lived before the pandemic. Exploring these emotions through art can help immensely, even when the art isn't necessarily created based on those emotions. Sometimes creating something that holds relevance to you personally just feels good. During quarantine, it’s the small victories that can help relieve tension and bring you down to Earth.
Products you may gravitate towards
The products that can help you feel better will vary from person to person. When you go through your routine, think about the steps you enjoy the most, and explore them in different ways. If you enjoy using glitter, find different ways you can incorporate some sparkle into your routine. If you love the process of building your foundation, contour, and highlight, search up different techniques for application or products you might like to try. And of course, we can’t forget skincare! A skincare routine can be very therapeutic because it’s very hands-on, and you are directly benefiting yourself.
If your favorite part of your routine is your face/foundation, try our Universal Gloss:
If you love a glittery lip, try our Glow Out Set:
If your winged eyeliner shines bright, try our Universal Liner Quartet:
If you’re all about the sparkle, try our Aura Glitter Set:
If you have any makeup tips, products, or parts of your routine you’ve been enjoying lately, let us know! After all, we’re all in this together. Makeup, like any art form or hobby, can easily forge a strong bond through community—and you’re always welcome in ours.
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