Women who want to look nice but are fed up with putting on makeup every day have an alternative – permanent makeup. That was one of the topics discussed Wednesday at Eunice Kim’s body image and distortion workshop, “Mirror, Mirror on the Wall.”

Kim, a counselor with the Counseling and Student Development Center, discussed reasons why people care about their appearance. The main reasons included social conformity, status, pride, insecurity, pleasing others and a fear of rejection. The common theme among these reasons is the need for social approval, Kim said.

“Changing how you look on the outside often changes the way you feel on the inside,” she said.

Cosmetic surgery is one way to alter appearance, and Kim discussed four unusual procedures during her PowerPoint presentation.

Permanent makeup is much like a tattoo and is not meant to cover your whole face, Kim said. Typically, eyeliner, eyebrows, lip liner and lip color are done.

Toe shortening, leg lengthening and blepharoplasty also were discussed in detail.

Blepharoplasty, also known as Asian eyelid or double-eyelid surgery, is common among Asians, Kim said. The procedure entails making a second fold in the eyelid, a physical characteristic many Asians lack.

Kim said those who have this procedure look and feel more awake and attractive.

Kim Soriano, a sophomore nursing major, said she’s heard of toe shortening for medical reasons, but doesn’t understand why anyone would do it for cosmetic reasons.

“It’s amazing what people are doing these days to change themselves,” she said.

With 34 people in the audience Wednesday, and about six at Monday’s discussion about binge eating, Kim said she thinks she was able to reach a significant number of people with her knowledge of body image and eating disorders.

“I’m glad so many people came,” she said.