The contemporary world has witnessed the rapid development of the cosmetic industry, thereby popularizing such related products as make-up, especially among teenage girls in their upper secondary school years. However, this has also sparked a spirited debate as to whether such a trajectory is advantageous or detrimental. From my standpoint, while enhancing students’ confidence, it also incapacitates a harmonious academic environment. Therefore, the following essay will voice my proposal to a neutral approach based on a sensible limitation.
On the one hand, proponents of high school girls’ make-up application can be primarily justified by the increase in students’ level of self-assurance. To clarify, wearing an additional layer of make-up can cover confidence-negating facial features, thereby reducing the feeling of insecurity triggered by external appraisal of their peers. Following this, female students will be incentivized to socialize with their counterparts, which in turn empowers them to form strong relationship bonds with increased opportunity of finding like-minded friends. This can foster sharing among students in an endeavor to release a sheer amount of stress from studying. Should these happen in force, their dedication to study will be warranted, ultimately culminating in better academic performances.
At the other end of the spectrum, some opponents of the trend might argue that the widespread phenomenon of make-up applying among high-school girls can compromise the inherent quality of learning environments. This is true as artificial enhancement of appearances can veer students’ concentration towards frivolous show-off, converting academic institutions into flamboyantly competitive places for beauty. Indeed, it is conspicuous nowadays to see high-school girls, especially those in developed nations such as the US or UK, spending a lot of time competing with their peers over cosmetic products rather than on genuine learning. With regard to this negligence, such students’ development of aptitude will be hindered, hampering their future prospects.
As a rule of thumb, I personally side with the neutral approach of confining make-up to much-needed groups. In more detail, it should only be encouraged among students with facial disfigurement or high self-effacement rather than among normal individuals. This can foster the assurance of students while maintaining the core value of academic environments, shaping the foundation for both social engagement and study-based cooperation. The follow-up results of these are the accumulation of valuable experience and aptitude-improving chances, which eventually results in holistic personal growth of students.
All things considered, the emerging phenomenon of facial enhancement among high-school female students can be beneficial in solidifying students’ self-assurance yet detrimental in negating core academic value by creating a beauty-concentrated environment. Therefore, it is my proposal to a balanced measure so as to yield the most desirable result.
