When I first started using makeup, it was a mess.

YouTube tutorials didn’t exist, and I lined my bottom eyelids with black kohl. It was a bad time. To some, makeup is seen as a form of dishonesty—you’re covering up your “true self.” To others, makeup is a form of expression. Just like clothing, what you choose to look like when you walk out the door is a representation of who you are (that day, at least).

To me, makeup offers the opportunity to creatively play with my identity. Some may gawk and shake their heads at an “unnatural” beauty look, but that look can boost your confidence to new heights. While this summer’s beauty trends bring back that “all natural, no-makeup” look, you can stand out in a way that will make you look like a majestic queen (rather than a clown).

That Eye Tho

Drag queens aren’t the only ones who can beat their faces. Any person can try out a color-popping mug worthy of Pearl. If you choose to do so, I’d recommend starting with the eye. Using a colored mascara is a good way to test the waters. If you like that look, try adding a single, vivid color on your lids. You know that cheap blue eyeshadow you repeatedly wore throughout middle school? It’s back in fashion, but now you can afford shadows with better pigment and a valuable primer.

Blue Makeup Tutorialwww.youtube.com

Pucker Up

While scrolling through “colorful makeup” videos on YouTube, I recognized that the majority of videos feature a young woman with a highly pigmented eye with a nude lip. Although it’s important to balance out your eye and lip colors whenever you play around with a new look, don’t be afraid to try something different. If you want to stay in your comfort zone, wear a bright lip and craft a more muted eye look, or vice versa. If you do decide to go with both a bright lip and bright, playful eye, then begin by staying in the same shade, like a lilac eye and a violet lip; the color combinations are endless.

Easy Colorful Makeup Tutorial | Summer Blue & Bright Lipswww.youtube.com

Highlighter EVERYWHERE

Forget highlighter just on your cheekbones; every feature on that gorgeous face of yours deserves some shine. There’s a reason why Fenty Beauty is so successful; it’s changing the game with multi-use products, including their highlighters. Apply it to your face, your chest, your lips, your kneecaps (if you really want), etc. Take full advantage of this beauty trend to become a glowing, glittery sensation.

Learn how to Highlight Rihanna’s Way | FENTY BEAUTYwww.youtube.com

All of this is not to say you can’t experiment. There should be no rules when it comes to makeup, only tutorials and suggestions. In the end, how we choose to present ourselves is unfortunately subject to judgments, assumptions, and speculation. All of us, regardless of gender, are pressured by society to look a particular way, as if we should only be variations of one another. But standing out and being playful in our self-expression is a fun part of existing; our bodies are canvases. We should all be comfortable in our own skin and unafraid to be ourselves. Watch the video tutorials, learn the skills, and apply them however you please. At the end of the day, you choose what to do with your body, and if anyone discriminates against you because of how you choose to present yourself, then you probably wouldn’t want them in your life anyway.

Do People Judge You Based On Lip Color?www.youtube.com