Empowerment doesn’t mean "this makes me feel confident"
Empowerment comes from gaining political,
social, and economic power.
Feeling confident because you know that you‘re living up to misogynistic beauty standards and knowing people won‘t mock you for failing your obligation to be pretty isn‘t empowering.
If one choice has negative consequences, and the other is a societal obligation, you‘re not empowered by conforming to what is expected of you.