Why I wear make up

Spoonie: Why do i wear make up?

Surely if you feel so ill, you wouldn't bother with make up?

I guess thats what I'd think too if I wasn't sick but I am.

Being ill every second of every day is not like having a virus or flu that lasts for a few days. I understand thst if you are temporarily sick, you don't want to wear make up but if being sick is your day to day life, you have to try and get on with things and not let your illness get in the way of everything! If I had a bug or virus, I wouldn't be expected to work but having a chronic illness, I am.

ME and fibro is not going to go away. It could be with me forever, or for a good few years at least, so why shouldn't I make myself look respectful, 20 days a year?

I don't want to look back at photographs of myself on my birthday or at Christmas and think how ill I looked. I want to remember how hard it was to get to that point and how I survived, how I had a good time and how this illness did NOT win. It didn't stop me from going out or from celebrating. It's depressing to look rubbish all the time. I dont look like I used to. Some people might not realise this but I've put on weight, I don't wear the same sort of clothes and I don't wear make up everyday. I don't style my hair or wear fake tan. I look different than I used to. I've put on weight and don't wear the same sort of clothes.

I put on make up because it's the only thing I can do, to make myself look more normal. And that way, when I look in the mirror and see someone who looks healthy, it makes me feel less isolated and lonely and I get to pretend for a few hours that I am just a normal girl, not one with a chronic illness.

Putting on make up DOES take an awful lot of energy from me, and makes me feel ill, but then again, what doesn't?

I wear make up, about twice a month? Sometimes more, sometimes less. I always put it on if I am going to a family party or to see friends or something. If I'm going to the doctors, I don't bother but sometimes it's nice to make yourself feel special and concentrate on your appearance.

Inspired by Kelly Fricke