We’ve seen the memes plastered on our Timelines. The “this is why I have trust issues,” and “take her swimming on the first date,” captions that usually accompany the before-and-after pictures of a woman’s flawless contour. In the comments underneath a makeup tutorial, there is always that one person who fetches the tired, irrational argument that a woman is “deceiving” her partner because her highlight pops and her winged eyeliner is sharp enough to cut somebody. Somehow, if a woman’s “full face” is so fierce that it is slaying our entire existence, then she is “lying.” She is “trying to be a different person.”

Stop it.

Deception comes in all shapes and sizes. People lie about everything, whether it’s their ages, their credit scores or their whereabouts last night. And who knows? Perhaps there is a minority of individuals that utilize makeup to purposefully “catfish” others, but can we blanket this unlikely prospect on all makeup-wearers? Of course not. I would like to believe that a lot of women (and men because they slay, too) sport makeup because they love it. They wander for hours through the aisles of beauty stores with a dozen swatches of glittery eyeshadows on the insides of their arms. They feel a great sense of excitement when they purchase a new bronzer. Makeup is their talent, their hobby, their art. In my opinion, one can champion an obsession for cosmetics and still be satisfied with the face he or she sees at the end of the day, when the false eyelashes come off.

A passion for makeup does not equate to a hate for one’s natural beauty.

From a girl who swears by her lip balm, I yearn for a more advanced makeup routine. I wish my one makeup technique wasn’t a mismatched, haphazard coat of foundation, a couple of streaks of mascara, and a cheap matte that isn’t even lined properly. Can you imagine? That's why in my free time, when I’ve been signed out of my cousin’s ex-boyfriend’s stepdad’s Netflix account, I watch makeup tutorials. I also follow various makeup gurus on social media, fascinated with the way these artists transform their faces into canvases, achieving a flawless, angelic finish that I can only envy. Learning to accomplish an immaculate contour may not be on everyone’s bucket list, and it can produce drastic changes in appearance, but makeup is a form of self-expression, and people apply it for an assortment of reasons. Maybe it's a source of serenity, or people like the way black eyeliner accentuates the brownness of their eyes, whatever. Regardless, there is nothing wrong with donning makeup, and it does not mean one is trying to deceive others.

A woman can apply makeup on a daily basis for herself, and herself only.

Besides, I do not carry a dozen NYX soft matte lip creams in my arsenal to fool a guy that may not even notice the difference between the shades “Copenhagen” and “Transylvania.” Is it so outrageous that a woman collects beauty blenders in every shape and size not to hoodwink someone, but because she simply likes to blend? To me, if you gaze at a woman’s made-up face and believe she naturally has gold-tinted eyelids and burgundy satin lips, then you, my friend, have quite the imagination.

I realize the importance of embracing natural beauty. Yet, I find it bothersome when nay-sayers attempt to parallel makeup to false advertisement, as if taking pleasure in smoky eyes and a little concealer is a crime. In my opinion, if a woman spends extra time in the mirror “baking” her face, then that is her prerogative. Obviously the application of makeup is something she loves to practice, so she finds the time to do so, the same as others find time to practice things they love. Let’s be honest here – of course makeup elicits a difference in a woman’s features. It would be unfair for me, though, to make broad generalizations about the level of her self-esteem and her intention of wearing makeup based on how often she wears it or how different she looks without it. I reckon the parties that wear makeup on a regular basis wear it because of the artistry and versatility it provides, rather than the supposed trickery. In other words, they wear it mostly for themselves.

Thus, beware if you take me swimming on the first date. I can’t doggy paddle to save my life, and my contour won't be disturbed because of this magic potion called setting spray. The bright side? At least you’ll be able to admire the way my highlight glistens beneath the surface as I drown.