2.5 Hours of Makeup Every Morning: Japanese Teen Struggles With Social Media Beauty Standards
For most teenagers, breakfast and getting ready for school are part of the morning routine. But for 17-year-old Misaki, whose real name has been withheld for privacy, the first priority is spending as much as two and a half hours applying makeup.
For her, makeup is more than a beauty routine. It is something she describes as essential equipment for facing the outside world with confidence.
Her experience highlights a growing concern about how social media images and unrealistic beauty expectations can influence the way young people see themselves.
From large eyes and sharp facial features to smooth skin and slim bodies, images of so-called ideal beauty are constantly appearing across digital platforms. For teenagers who compare themselves with these images, the pressure can become emotionally exhausting.
A Morning Routine Focused on Achieving the Perfect Look
Misaki begins her morning by sitting in front of a mirror and carefully working on her appearance.
One of her biggest goals is creating large, slightly drooping eyes. She uses special eyelid tape to create a double-eyelid effect before applying primer and concealer to cover areas of her skin that make her uncomfortable.
Eye makeup comes next.
Throughout the process, she records herself using the rear-facing camera on her smartphone. This allows her to check her appearance from an angle that she believes is closer to how other people see her.
Her eyelids receive particularly careful attention. If the double-eyelid effect does not look right, she repeats the process, sometimes continuing until the skin becomes noticeably red.
"Makeup is like equipment for appearing in front of people with confidence," Misaki explained.
Her words show how strongly appearance can influence a teenager's sense of security in everyday social situations.
How Social Media Changed the Way She Saw Herself
Misaki first became worried about her appearance when she was in sixth grade.
At the time, she came across a Japanese hashtag on Twitter, now known as X, that connected people sharing selfies.
She was surprised by the photographs of girls with large eyes and sharply defined facial features.
"There are girls this cute?" she wondered.
Although she understood that some photographs might have been edited using smartphone applications, the images still affected how she viewed her own face.
She began focusing on features she disliked, including her eyes, nose, and facial proportions.
She also became increasingly concerned about how her appearance might look from the side.
Social media had introduced her to a particular image of beauty, and she gradually began comparing herself with it.
Bullying Made Her Appearance Anxiety Worse
Her concerns became more serious during junior high school.
Misaki recalled being teased by classmates about her height. The comments affected her confidence and made her increasingly uncomfortable around other people.
She began wondering whether everything about her appearance was strange.
She also developed a persistent feeling that others were looking at her or laughing at her.
Eventually, she found it difficult to attend school and stopped going toward the end of the first term of her second year of junior high school.
Although she returned during her third year with high school entrance examinations in mind, another experience made her uncomfortable.
When she heard students making negative comments about another girl's appearance, she began worrying about what people might say about her.
She became afraid of being seen by others and felt that she should not draw attention to herself.
Even the idea of having her photograph taken for a graduation album became frightening.
Her experience illustrates how online comparison and face-to-face bullying can combine to affect a young person's confidence.
Choosing a High School Where She Could Express Herself
When choosing a high school, Misaki selected a correspondence school that allowed students more freedom with clothing and makeup.
She wanted to attend school while feeling comfortable with the way she presented herself.
She began learning makeup techniques through online videos and used money from her part-time job to purchase cosmetics such as eyeliner and lipstick.
She also developed an interest in a darkly and cutely styled look commonly described as "landmine-style" in Japan.
The style matches the appearance she admires, particularly large eyes with a slightly drooping shape.
For Misaki, makeup and clothing became ways to express her personal preferences while managing her discomfort about her appearance.
How ChatGPT Became Part of Her Makeup Routine
Technology has also become part of Misaki's efforts to improve her makeup skills.
She sometimes asks ChatGPT for advice when she struggles with particular techniques.
For example, when she asked how to create parallel double eyelids, the AI responded empathetically and suggested a method for achieving a more natural-looking effect.
However, her conversations with AI are not limited to cosmetics.
When she feels upset about comments concerning her appearance, she sometimes uses AI as a place to express her frustrations.
She has written that she has not completely overcome her concerns about her face.
This shows how AI tools can become part of everyday personal conversations for young people, including discussions about appearance and self-confidence.
At the same time, AI cannot replace trusted relationships, professional counseling, or appropriate mental health support when someone is experiencing serious emotional distress.
Discovering That People Value More Than Appearance
Despite her continuing concerns about beauty, Misaki has gradually developed greater confidence through experiences at school.
People around her began appreciating her opinions and the things she said, helping her understand that appearance is not the only way people evaluate one another.
During a school inquiry-based learning project, she became a group leader and participated in developing a stationery product.
She also presented the group's findings in front of more than 100 students, parents, and other attendees.
Later, she found the courage to participate in a corporate internship.
These experiences helped her recognize abilities that had little to do with her physical appearance.
Although her concerns have not completely disappeared, she has become more willing to participate in activities and move forward.
Why Beauty Standards Can Affect Teenagers' Self-Esteem
Misaki's experience raises important questions about the influence of social media on teenagers.
Online platforms allow people to share photographs, videos, and personal experiences with large audiences. However, users often see carefully selected images rather than ordinary, unedited everyday appearances.
Filters, lighting, editing applications, camera angles, and professional makeup can all change how someone looks in a photograph.
When young people repeatedly see these images, they may begin treating them as realistic standards that everyone should achieve.
This can lead to several problems:
1. Constant Comparison
Teenagers may compare their faces, bodies, and clothing with influencers, celebrities, or other users. Repeated comparison can make them focus more on perceived imperfections.
2. Lower Self-Confidence
People who believe they do not match popular beauty standards may feel embarrassed, unattractive, or less confident in social situations.
3. Fear of Being Judged
Negative comments and appearance-related bullying can make teenagers afraid of photographs, public attention, or meeting new people.
4. Excessive Focus on Appearance
Some young people may spend increasing amounts of time and money trying to change features they dislike, potentially affecting sleep, schoolwork, and other activities.
5. Emotional Stress
Persistent dissatisfaction with appearance can contribute to emotional distress. When these feelings interfere with daily life, support from trusted adults or qualified professionals can be important.
How Parents and Schools Can Support Young People
Misaki's story also highlights the importance of creating environments where teenagers feel accepted beyond their physical appearance.
Parents, teachers and schools can help by:
Encouraging conversations about online images and photo editing.
Avoiding jokes or negative comments about a young person's appearance.
Praising creativity, effort, kindness and personal achievements.
Teaching teenagers that photographs do not always represent everyday reality.
Taking appearance-related bullying seriously.
Encouraging healthy social media habits and breaks when online content becomes stressful.
Seeking professional support when anxiety or negative self-image begins interfering with daily life.
The goal should not be to tell teenagers that caring about appearance is wrong. Instead, they should be able to enjoy makeup, fashion, and personal expression without feeling that their worth depends on looking a certain way.
Final Thoughts
Misaki's story shows how beauty standards promoted through social media can become deeply connected to a teenager's daily life.
Spending two and a half hours on makeup may appear to be simply a personal beauty routine. For Misaki, however, it also represents years of comparison, bullying, and the effort to feel comfortable being seen by other people.
Her experiences at school have helped her discover that her abilities and personality matter beyond her appearance.
Her story is a reminder that teenagers need more than compliments about how they look. They also need supportive environments where they can develop confidence, express themselves, and feel valued for who they are.
Beauty can be a form of self-expression, but no young person should feel that they must achieve a particular appearance before they deserve acceptance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does the Japanese teenager spend 2.5 hours applying makeup?
Misaki spends up to two and a half hours on makeup because she wants to achieve an appearance that makes her feel more confident when facing other people.
How did social media affect Misaki's self-image?
She began comparing her appearance with selfies shared by other girls online when she was in sixth grade. Over time, this contributed to concerns about her eyes, nose, and facial proportions.
What is landmine-style fashion in Japan?
Landmine-style is a Japanese fashion aesthetic often associated with dark, cute, and distinctive clothing and makeup. Misaki says she likes this style and admires eye makeup that matches it.
Does Misaki use ChatGPT for makeup advice?
Yes. She has asked ChatGPT for help with techniques such as creating natural-looking double eyelids. She has also used AI conversations to express her feelings about her appearance.
Can social media affect teenage self-esteem?
Yes. Repeated comparisons with edited photographs, beauty influencers, and unrealistic appearance expectations can contribute to dissatisfaction and lower confidence in some teenagers.
What can parents do to help teenagers with appearance anxiety?
Parents can listen without judgment, avoid criticizing appearance, encourage positive activities, and seek professional guidance if concerns begin affecting school attendance, relationships, or everyday life.
Disclaimer: This article is for general informational and educational purposes. It does not diagnose mental health conditions or replace professional advice. Teenagers experiencing persistent anxiety, bullying or serious concerns about their appearance should be encouraged to speak with a trusted adult or qualified professional.
Editorial Note: Misaki is a pseudonym used to protect the teenager's identity. This article is an independent rewrite based on the supplied news report and does not claim to provide additional personal information about her.
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