This Beauty Campaign Uses Makeup & Video Games To Shatter Glass Ceilings

In the first episode of Stranger Things 2, Will, Dustin, Mike, and Lucas head to the arcade to continue their reign as the Dragon’s Lair champions before noticing they were beat out by the new kid in town, "Mad" Max. Besides being a perfect opening scene, the nostalgic moment of an 80s arcade game foreshadows a major theme in the second season storyline. And one beauty brand is taking the same approach.

Julep recently launched its Cushion Complexion, a multi-tasking cushion concealer, and with it came an empowering beauty campaign about breaking down stereotypes and pressures that come with being a woman in 2017. It, too, uses a video game to bring home the message.

Called Throw Anything At Me, the campaign focuses on typical societal pressures women face daily — think: getting catcalled at 9 in the morning from a complete stranger, or the unfair body shaming that comes with not shaving your underarms. In the video game, which you can play here, you're in control of fighting off these annoyances and get "points" in doing so.

Admittedly, the game does have its flaws — there are plenty of women who, obviously, do not consider doing their laundry or eating a kale salad a stressor — but the data behind it is pretty legit. In a study of 600 women in the U.S. conducted by the brand, Julep uncovered that 75% of respondents feel pressured by unrealistic beauty standards, 66% of women have experienced unwanted sexual advances, and 51% of women admit to inequalities in the workplace (like the wage gap).

The research also suggests that women use their skin-care or makeup routines to feel brave and more confident every day — an idea we can certainly get behind. Personally, I always sweep on a red lipstick before heading into a pitch meeting, and I'm definitely not alone. So while a concealer won’t be the thing to shatter glass ceilings, if it's something that makes you feel powerful, isn't that a great start?