I learned the importance of embracing my natural beauty at a very young age, and to say the least, this practice was not an easy one. Sure, I was a cute kid—as every kid is before puberty finally hits—but the real challenge was learning to embrace this new kind of “beauty” that took the form of acne scars, designer eye bags, and uneven skin tone that I was ever so blessed with in middle school. In return, this trauma brought me self-esteem issues, and as much as I tried to convince my mother (who rarely ever wore makeup) that concealer and foundation could make me feel beautiful, she never bought into it.
My mother has always been a tough cookie to crack, but I don’t believe I could have learned to look in the mirror and feel content with what I saw in the reflection if it weren’t for her. And now that I’m older, these blemishes are not as profound as they once were, but in the quiet moments to myself, I still appreciate the days I spend lounging with a bare face.
For spring break, I decided to take full advantage of this perplexed nakedness and root back to my pre-pubescent self. In those seven days, I chose to let go of makeup and all the reasons I chose to wear it: approval from others, double-takes from strangers, self-worth, etc. I figured that it was time to refresh the way I viewed myself—I needed to regain a positive outlook on my physical appearance by viewing these “problem areas” in an asset perspective as opposed to a deficit perspective.
On vacation, I simply wore moisturizer and sunscreen on my face, and as a result, I was convinced that my skin had thanked me. I wasn’t quite sure if the acne scars started to fade quicker, the darkness under my eyes appeared brighter, and if my skin tone actually evened itself out, but I like to think that scaling back on the makeup and allowing myself to rekindle the beauty of my blemishes was just simply the result of getting used to/loving the way that I looked.
Moreover, the slight self-esteem issues that I still continue struggle with, were helped in an alternative makeup-free way: The strangers that I have met while on vacation—who had no idea how different I would look with makeup on—thought I was beautiful: Just naturally glowy, blemishes and all, they thought I was beautiful. And this was just a bonus on top of the way I had already been feeling about myself. It’s been a week since I’ve returned from my trip, and I actually still prefer myself without makeup for the most part, and I am glad to have found that bit of confidence in myself. It’s really true what they say, when you are at peace with yourself, you just glow naturally.
Finally, I will continue incorporating the practice of the “no makeup challenge” for the seasons to come. I believe that taking the time to truly appreciate every aspect of your physical appearance will ultimately help you find peace and balance with yourself. Good luck on your own makeup-free journey!