A survey that SkinStore ran throughout National Self-Improvement Month shows that 60 percent of women describe their natural beauty as “fairly average and nothing special.” Only 2 percent said they would describe themselves as “gorgeous” without makeup.

The results show a huge problem of low self-confidence in American women. This could be brought on by social media and its pristine celebrities, constant comparison to others, or the increasing number of treatments and products made to enhance women’s beauty. Women are becoming more and more reliant on cosmetics to feel attractive and confident. According to SkinStore’s website, one in three women don’t leave the house without makeup, and especially not without foundation. Over half of women say they need an entire full face of makeup to go to work.

When asked what women really despise about themselves, the results showed that their nose was the most hated part of their body and second was their teeth, presumably because these features cannot be enhanced with cosmetics. Over 70 percent of women’s most loved feature was their eyes, but more than 50 percent said they didn’t feel confident giving eye contact to others unless they were wearing eye makeup.

“After I started wearing makeup, I realized I had more imperfections than I thought and it made me more self-conscious,” says SFHS student Claire Lucero.

While some people experience few side effects from wearing cosmetics, the chemicals found in many products can cause adverse reactions that actually lessen a person’s natural beauty and slowly damage the skin with every application. Makeup can cause acne when it’s not properly removed, which is a common problem. If a person already has blemishes, it can make them flare up and worsen. When people wear foundations and powders that are constantly clogging their pores, it will aggravate their acne.

According to Livestrong.com, some makeup ingredients, such as fragrances and preservatives, can trigger allergic reactions, including contact dermatitis. Preservatives include parabens, which have been detected in cancer cells. Formaldehyde — mostly known for preserving corpses — can irritate eyes and skin.

Societal expectations influence girls and women into feeling like they have to wear makeup. They feel pressured to look certain ways in various situations, and women often vary their beauty routine to match the situations they will be in during each specific day. According to SkinStore, people who routinely wear makeup are often less confident without it.