It is 2 PM on a Tuesday afternoon, and I am elbow deep in a pan of loose, golden glitter. My entire family is either watching satellite TV or playing board games with no worries in the world. "Let them be," I tell myself, for I am busy experimenting with makeup.

While my normal going-out routine would be just a dab of lipstick and a streak of kajal, at this moment I am sensing great pleasure in taking art (read: makeup) to a higher level. I am spackling myself with a Hollywood-style strip of eyelash, piling on maroon lipstick, and sweeping on sparkly eyeshadows. While everything outside seems mundane, disheartening, and a tad bit frightening, I take refuge in something that I love — glamouring myself.

It's not just me; even celebrities have shared their experience on how makeup can be a mood booster. When nothing makes sense, dabbing red lipstick always helps, it seems. It soothes my wounded conscience and makes me feel completely in control of myself.  As crazy as it may sound, this is true!

The science behind it

When you carefully put on makeup like a concealer, a bronzer, and a blush, you are caressing your face with your fingers. This releases oxytocin, which is a "happy hormone."  The actual process of working with the hands can help reduce stress. Ask any makeup artist or painter—they will all agree.

Photo: Sazzad Ibne Sayed

Creativity

While there might be a set of rules for writing, painting, and applying makeup, anyone knows that the best art form is achieved when creativity flows freely. When experimenting with makeup, I do not plan anything ahead of time. I look at the wardrobe I am about to wear and allow myself to "wear" the mood I am in that day. Then my creative mind goes solo — the main idea behind makeup is to always feel more confident, empowered, and free.

There are no mistakes

On days when you feel like you have overdone your makeup or that kajal might have smeared more than you wanted it to, remind yourself that there are no set rulebooks and all the "mistakes" are only in your head.

We have to learn to stop chasing perfection and instead enjoy the process of everything we do. Makeup has always been about fun. It has been about self-expression. Let's just keep it at that.

When the world is filled with 101 reasons to worry, let us not turn something so heartwarming into a complicated thing. Plus, there's always the added advantage of being able to start afresh when we do not like the end results!