Growing up, makeup never had a place in my daily routine. My signature “look” consisted of a braid and a bare face. Always. Perhaps that was because I spent every second outside of middle and high school at my local stable, riding and caring for countless horses, ponies, and even a donkey. At my barn, wearing makeup around manes and tails wasn’t a match, like putting on snow boots to go to the beach. I cared more about making my horse’s coat as shiny as I could, as opposed to worrying about my shiny T-zone. At the time, I felt comfortable showing my true complexion. In fact, I never gave it much thought at all.
But, this all changed when I moved to New York City to begin my college career at NYU. Now in a sea of arguably the world’s most fashionable people, I was swimming against the current with my literal “no makeup” look. I felt like I had to wear makeup just to fit in. So, I began setting my alarm twenty minutes earlier each morning to conceal my dark undereye circles, even out my complexion, and define my eyes.
Much to my own surprise, I came to sincerely enjoy applying makeup each morning. It boosted my self-confidence and helped me start my day in a cheerful mood, regardless of what was on my agenda. Once some of my friends asked me to do their makeup for formal events, I felt proud to have mastered a new skill all on my own.
Almost a year and a half later, makeup and I were still in a committed relationship. But, when I stumbled upon old photos of my very first horse show, it prompted me to consider a breakup. Horseback riding brought me more joy than any lipstick or eyeshadow did, so how had my confidence become so dependent on my makeup? I decided to go on a makeup “detox” for one whole month, opting for a completely bare face every morning. Here’s what happened.
I must admit that the first few days were unexpectedly uncomfortable. I felt nervous and self-conscious, especially because no one had embarked on this challenge with me. It was as if all my flaws were under a spotlight, begging those around me to stare at them.
By day six, I finally had a breakthrough about my breakup with makeup. Predictably, it happened on my yoga mat. During my yoga class, the instructor invited each of us to set an intention for our practice. She went on to offer the mantra “I am,” and asked us to finish the sentence. What immediately popped into my head was the mantra “I am me.” Me. Just me and only me. Makeup or no makeup – it doesn’t make a difference in who I am.
Society puts tremendous pressure on us to look perfect, and social media only amplifies it. This can lead us to believe that putting on makeup is a requirement to leave our house. But, throughout my entire experiment, not a single person mentioned anything about my makeup-free complexion, and I quickly forgot that wasn’t wearing any. My detox from makeup no longer felt like challenge, but rather a liberation.
We determine whether or not we want to wear makeup, and our choice should not be dictated by the world around us. Makeup can make us feel powerful, but it is important to remember that we are just as powerful without it. Contoured cheekbones, lined lips, and false eyelashes have no impact on our worth.
In terms of tangible takeaways, I realized just how much money, time, and energy makeup consumes that could be put towards more worthy causes. Waking up early to apply my makeup, removing it before bed, and devoting my Sunday afternoons to washing my brushes – this all takes up many more hours than I expected. As it turns out, giving up makeup gave me the gift of time.
Additionally, the longer I steered clear of color cosmetics, the more my complexion slowly started to clear up. Bothersome blemishes became less frequent, and my red cheeks calmed down to a soft, rosy hue. Perhaps some of my makeup staples were not only masking my imperfections, but also exacerbating them. I’ve finished my makeup detox, and on the rare occasion that I do decide to wear makeup, I forgo foundation and concealer for a sheer, tinted moisturizer.
Ironically, sacrificing what is supposed to make me feel more secure in my own skin allowed me to become more confident in myself. I hope my journey inspires you to perhaps breakup with makeup for a day or two, and I promise you that it won’t break your heart.
Images courtesy of Pexels.