My Lips Only Look Like Mine When I’m Alone

Some mornings, I stare at my lips in the mirror and can’t remember what they looked like before I started drawing them on. The routine is muscle memory now—balm, wait, liner, blend, check for smudges. I sharpen the pencil like I’m prepping for battle, not beauty. I tell myself it’s just about neatness, but really, I’m trying to erase the parts of my mouth I never liked. The uneven edge, the way my top lip disappears when I smile. I’ve gotten so good at faking symmetry that sometimes I forget what my real face feels like. I wipe it all off at night and catch my reflection—bare, soft, almost unfamiliar. I wonder if anyone would recognize me without the outline. I’m not sure I would. #BareFaceAnxiety #MirrorFatigue #BeautyBurnout #Beauty #Makeup