Makeup can be overwhelming. Among the paid sponsorships, commanding magazine articles (how many beauty essentials all girls must have could there possibly be?), and new product releases every single day, it can be easy to forget that makeup is not just a commodity but a personal and individual journey, a form of expression and experimentation. Much like a fingerprint, makeup routines differ from face to face, and every girl has their own unique experience, backstory and taste.

In the interest of throwing out all the scrupulously-prescribed beauty rules, we decided to get to the bottom of how girls actually feel about their getting-ready routines. From when they picked up their first lipstick to what their signature beauty look is, we asked a group of diverse girls about their journey with makeup. As our models applied their makeup, they shared stories about glitter and eyelash extensions, bushy eyebrows and childhood dance classes. And in the process, we discovered that makeup has no rules. Whether you’re the sort of person who wears glitter every day or uses lipgloss as eyeshadow, whether you spend five minutes on your makeup every day or fifty, who is anyone else to tell you to do otherwise? After all, your makeup routine is about you—and no one else.