“When we have high self-esteem our outward appearance tends to reflect this”, says TV confidence instructor Jo Emerson. As a regular advisor on The Wright Stuff and self- help book author, Jo says the connection between wearing makeup and having a strong self-confidence depends on the individual: 

“I believe self-esteem is all about balance. Someone wearing loads of makeup could be suffering with a low confidence problem as much as someone wearing none.” 

 She suggests, a person who feels positive usually takes care of their appearance and carries themselves with ease. Jo explains: “Not taking care of ourselves can have a negative effect on our mental health, but similarly if we are overly concerned about our appearance our self-esteem can be damaged”.  

In a survey, 49% of people said they lacked confidence because of their blemished skin; making wearing makeup a ‘must’ when leaving the house or socialising. Offering her specialised advice Jo says: “If someone has confidence issues I would always start with what’s going on for them on the inside.  If they told me they didn’t like their appearance, I would ask them if they wanted to work on that and if they did I would help them.” 

The NHS claim living with low self-esteem can lead to mental health troubles such as depression and anxiety. A person in this situation will avoid challenging situations and may develop addictive habits such as smoking and drinking alcohol as a way of coping. This description suggests that a lack of self-confidence, no matter the reason, is essentially a medical issue.  

However, the NHS don’t hold information on the rise and fall of appointments for self-confidence issues, whether more male or female patients seek advice for their esteem or the reasons why people seek medical advice for confidence concerns even though it is considered a health problem. Thankfully, practitioners like Jo offer one-to-one support for those who struggle with their appearance: 

“My aim is to help my clients find their inner beauty and fall in love with themselves on the inside. That way, makeup becomes a balanced lifestyle choice rather than a mask that someone feels they must hide behind.”  

An individual’s decision to wear makeup is certainly unique, but even daily cosmetics wearers worry that the desperation to cover their face evokes a false sense of confidence. It’s disheartening to learn that many young women feel most confident with a perfected appearance and can’t find fulfilment in their regular selves.  

With all the fun that comes with creating a stunning eye-look and flawless skin, there is concern for the vulnerable who believe makeup is necessary to achieve perfection; a perfection which is false and made from chemicals and colours.  Even the makeup obsessed who have spent thousands on cosmetics and use them on clients for a living worry about the desire to be perfect and what that could mean for a person’s confidence levels.  

So, having self-confidence and liking your appearance clearly go hand-in-hand. However, the fact that self-esteem can go beyond self-indulgence and into a territory of mental health concern certainly takes the magic away from swiping on a bold red lipstick.