The wearing of makeup dates back to 6,000 years ago in Egypt but, now makeup is used for many purposes like enhancing faces and covering up blemishes we don’t like about ourselves. But how much does it cost to “put on our faces” and how much time?

In 6,000 years, the makeup industry, the trends, and the customers have all changed but the premise is still the same: to be more beautiful. But this form of beauty comes at a high price.

The average woman will spend roughly $300,000 on makeup in her lifetime and that they will use a key 16 products to get ready. They will use facial wash, toner, serum, eye cream, moisturizer, primer, concealer, foundation, bronzer, blusher, eye shadow, eyeliner, mascara, eyebrow product, highlighter and finally last but not least lipstick.

An average woman in American takes about 55 minutes to do their makeup. So if school starts at 7:50 girls would be up at six am doing their makeup, but not every girl is like that.

“For my makeup it would take about five minutes but, two times a week I will put on BB Cream from Tart and that will make the process longer,” said Grace Vasquez, a freshman. “My make up morning routine is washing my face with Cetaphil or Clean and Clear, then put on face lotion, hazel toner, rose water spray, chapstick, blush, concealer, and one coat of mascara,” said Vasquez.

I went online at Ulta and picked everything out on her list, it totaled to $178. So what would the total cost look like for a girl who wears more makeup?

“I wash my face, then apply moisturizer, toner, and serum. After that comes primer, foundation, and then concealer” said freshman Christa Dickey. “Once that is all blended then I do my eyes with mascara and a liquid liner. I fill in my eyebrows with a pencil and then shape them. Finally bronzer, blush, highlighter, and setting spray,” said Christa Dickey.

I once again went to Ulta and I totaled it up, all of that costs $340. But what makes her want to put all that effort?

“It wasn’t for self conscious reasons,” said Dickey. “ It just looked really cool and I wanted to try it.”

We all talk about inner beauty and how much it matters but with money like this being spent to make us more beautiful do we actually mean it? But what about younger people? Is it okay for them to wear as much makeup as high schoolers do?

“If it was a nine year old, of course for fun at home or on Halloween but they still need to be kids and not worry about being pretty,” said Vasquez. “I am much older than nine so it okay for me to wear makeup.”

Makeup has its pros and cons, but it is important to feel comfortable in one’s own skin without feeling disgusting without a face of makeup on. Younger people should stay away from it and just enjoy being young and not have the standard that most girls are held to. I spend $104 between concealer, mascara, lipstick, lip balm, and eye brow pencil. I don’t wear makeup everyday and you just have to learn to love yourself in front of your mirror no matter your appearance.