by Katherine Lee, LCSW
As a therapist who specializes in working with millennials, I encounter many young women who struggle with self-confidence and finding their place in NYC. The pressure of job interviews, business meetings, NYC nightlife, and the city’s dating scene can feel intimidating. In these cases, I work with clients to develop ways they may feel better about themselves and more equipped to confront the very scenarios they’re afraid to approach.
Sometimes building a toolkit to enhance feelings of self-confidence involves identifying where clients can go to achieve this goal, especially for newcomers who may find themselves overwhelmed with all the city has to offer, and unsure of where to start. Rouge New York (www.rougeny.com) is a sanctuary that offers city dwellers enjoyable and reliable makeup application service. The idea of using cosmetic products to boost self-esteem can be a loaded topic. While some research suggests that over reliance on cosmetic products may keep a woman from managing poor self image effectively, we also know that makeup can enhance a woman’s self –esteem, and can help her to feel more empowered. Not only that, the process of having one’s makeup applied by a skilled artist stimulates our sense of touch, smell (fragrance), and sight (the process of becoming and looking beautiful). Rouge New York strives to offer this type of sensory experience for women.
Rebecca Perkins, the owner of Rouge New York, has done a spectacular job of helping us ladies to feel covered in a number of ways. Rouge is not simply about making a woman feel polished before a specific event, such as a big meeting or a date night. Perkins strives to make sure that her clientele receive support so that they can feel better in their own skin on a day- to -day basis. One of her favorite services is called “The Ransack,” which involves bringing your own, previously purchased makeup to the studio and learning how to make the best use of it with one of Rouge’s makeup artists. Perkins says, “Women have all these products they’ve bought from various stores or from online, and some of those products are not going to make a woman feel the way she wants to feel. People want to get help figuring out how they want to use what they already own.” Rouge also offers a monthly membership that allows you to drop into the studio an unlimited number of times per month to have your makeup done. “We are open at 8 am,” says Perkins. “You can come here before work. Our members really use us. We are a part of their routine. I came up with the monthly membership, in part, because I really want to make it easy and approachable for members to use. You don’t have to save getting your makeup done for a wedding or a special occasion.”
Whether its paying a flat fee to be able to pop in daily, or using Rouge to prepare for a major event, their services are sure to make you feel better. Perkins’ mission is clear: “The feeling of being put together gives our clients confidence, and that is empowering. After you come here, all you have to think about is what you are saying, not what you look like. We’ve got you.” The mere aspect of physical touch, combined with the know-how of artists to flatter your features means you’ll get a boost of endorphins every time you visit. The result is comparable to the after effects of having a great workout at the gym, only in this case, you get to sit back and relax while all the work is done for you. As a mental health professional, and as a woman, nothing sounds better to me!
