The Beauty Rules You Can Finally Let Go Of

What if your makeup choices weren’t “good” or “bad” at all?
What if red lipstick, black eyeliner, or shorter hemlines were… morally neutral?

I recently read a blog post about laundry that completely shifted how I think about beauty.

It said that how you do your laundry is morally neutral. At the time, I thought—right, that’s awesome. The article was advocating for spending less time folding clothes and putting them away. It was targeted at busy people who wanted to take back more of their time. The author explained how one could spend less time by not folding laundry—and letting go of the guilt that might come with that.

She said it does not make you bad or good whether you fold your laundry or not. Laundry is morally neutral.

And that idea stuck with me.

So today, I started thinking about makeup and clothing. I wondered what hangups we might have about what we consider “good” or “bad.” Whether we’ve been taught that certain colors, styles, or techniques are somehow wrong—or more acceptable than others.

I thought about a few of my own, and a few I’ve heard from women in my studio.

For example, red lipstick certainly has a connotation. I remember being told not to wear red lipstick when I was younger. The same thing with the color black—it was too severe, or too sexy. Skirts above the knee? Also questionable.

And I understand where that came from. Much of it was rooted in modesty. Having once been a teenager—and now having raised two—I absolutely understand the desire to guide, protect, and instill values. No judgment there at all.

But I do find it interesting to look back on.

Black eyeliner is another one that comes up often in my studio. Many women feel an aversion to it. Or they believe they’re “not allowed” to wear it.

And now, with a more mature perspective, I find myself giving permission—to myself and to others—to let go of some of those old associations.

Makeup and clothing are morally neutral.

Yes, they can be used to express something bold or make a statement. But assuming we are adults with the wisdom to make thoughtful choices… we don’t need to carry those old labels anymore.

So I’ll ask you:

Which makeup or clothing styles do you need to tell yourself are morally neutral?

What rules are you still holding yourself to… that you don’t actually need anymore?

What would change if you stopped labeling certain styles as “too much”… and simply asked yourself if you liked them?