Like many women my age, and, if we're being honest, many girls in general, I constantly find myself noticing, analyzing and judging my appearance over other more important, often internal characteristics, based on living in a world that's so focused on outer beauty. Despite how many people claim that beauty is on the inside or how many brands promise to stop publishing overly retouched images, in a world full of virtually flawless Instagram models that are just a scroll away from launching you into a social media rabbit hole of comparison, loving and embracing yourself for who you truly are underneath all your favorite makeup can be a challenge. Before you know it, your aimless scrolling during your morning commute subconsciously launches you into feeling like you're not as pretty, and maybe as a result, not as worthy. But why? If society doesn't make men feel this way, why should women have to? Luckily for me, my breakthrough assignment and becoming a beauty editor made me realize it shouldn't be this way. I'm hoping this article can help you realize the same.

Images via Instagram

I have always been, and will always be, the girl who loves Too Faced's Melted Fuchsia Lipstick, a glazed-donut-like cheekbone glow, swatching the latest makeup launches and attempting to recreate celebrities' red carpet makeup looks. But, after being forced out of my comfort zone into a world of makeup-less living, I will never feel required to wear it again.

If that sounds farfetched for your life, consider this. As a beauty editor, I get to attend events, go behind the scenes, talk with makeup artists about the perfect no-makeup makeup technique and write stories on all the latest and greatest products, tips, tricks and trends to permeate the industry. While it seems glamorous on the outside, and admittedly it is at times, it also gives me the eye-opening opportunity to see models before they're professionally dolled up, to interact with Instagram influencers before they complete a full-faced tutorial, to experience the personalities that underlie the outer surfaces that are so widely double-tapped on Instagram and to discover just how much makeup goes into creating the beautiful faces that we've come to believe are the gold standard.

It truly is a blessing because the moment you recognize that nearly nobody looks exactly like they do on social media and that a person's personality and interests play a big role into how beauty is perceived in real-life encounters, a lot of self-conscious walls come crumbling down and, slowly but surely, in the midst of gorgeous girls, you learn to love yourself for who you are both inside and out.

So, while you may not be a beauty editor or even a writer, maybe you'd be willing to take on a little assignment. And if you are, I want you to put down your Beautyblender, set aside your highlighter and take a peek in the mirror. Babe, you're gorgeous just the way you are. Go show the world that you know it.

Image courtesy Rebecca Norris