As the new academic year begins, you’re probably thinking to yourself that this will be your first time seeing your classmates in person — this is likely coming after a whole year of virtual school spent mostly behind a screen in your pyjamas while sporting a serious case of bedhead. Trust me, I feel you.
Alas, as we slowly (heavy emphasis on slowly here) move back to normal, it’s time to look presentable again. Some of you might already be stressing about looking attractive, feminine, or eye-catching for your first week back to school. You may even be planning to wake up two or three hours in advance just to prep your hair and throw on a full face of makeup to rock the day with.
While this is can be a perfectly okay — and even fun — routine, have you ever stopped to ask yourself if this stuff you actually wanted to do? Or if you’re doing it because it’s expected but not necessarily what you want? I know plenty of girls, my sister included, who resent the feeling that they have to wear makeup every day to look good but see no way to stop. But I can promise you, if you’re feeling stuck in this, you don’t have to be.
If laying a cosmetic brush on your skin isn’t your thing but you still want to exude that same professional “put together” vibe, these are the tips for you.
1. step up your skincare routine
So here’s the thing. If you want to get away with the no-makeup look while still looking like a Bomb Ass B—, you’re gonna need to take care of that skin. The truth is, whether or not you wear makeup, you will only ever look as good as your skin is happy. That means daily cleansing and moisturizing, plus treatments if you need it! And never, ever neglect the sunscreen. It’ll go a long way.
There’s a big reason why people love the no-makeup makeup look. Natural beauty is powerful and has its own magnetism. You can still achieve a gorgeous skin glow without a single drop of foundation. If you think about it, makeup really only enhances what’s already there — at the end of the day, it’s still your face that’s front and centre!
The truth is, many people invest hundreds and even thousands of dollars into makeup while failing to provide that same attention to skincare products, which is a huge mistake. Your face is your canvas, and if it’s treated well, the amount of paint you will feel you have to add will decrease significantly. Present it with confidence, and it’ll make a huge difference!
2. Take care of your mane
So if you’re going out with a bare face, how can you still look magnetizing and feminine without any of the effort? Well, there’s no better way to start than the area framing your face.
Just like makeup, a lot of people look at hair for signs of someone’s professionalism and put-togetherness — and it can be a good measure to a point. Meaning you don’t have to get it chemically straightened and blown out to achieve a luxe look, but you do still need to take care of it and style it on occasion.
What does this involve? Well, that depends on your hair type, but generally, it means choosing the right shampoo and conditioner for you, as well as the best products to keep your hair moisturized and frizz-free. This also includes regular visits to the hairdresser to get rid of those pesky split ends — nothing screams personal neglect like ends that look fried.
When your hair looks healthy and shiny, it will elevate your whole look. And using that as the foundation, you can then start building on it by styling it with various braids, cute buns, high or low ponytails, all of which can drastically change your appearance and make you a certified babe. You can even use headbands, decorated pins, silk or satin scarves, and scrunchies to really step up your look!
3. Up your fashion game
This part really goes without saying: If you’re removing colour and attention from your face, you’re gonna need to add it to your wardrobe. The best part about this is that fashion is so dynamic and versatile that you can do absolutely anything you want with it and still achieve an amazing look. With the right outfit, most people won’t even notice you’re not wearing makeup.
Don’t know where to start? I’d say Pinterest is your best place to go. Start pinning all the outfits you like, and after few days of doing this, look back at them and see what each outfit has in common. You’d be surprised to see how consistent it’ll turn out to be! Then you’ll actually know what to buy when you shop and feel more confident in your personal style. Once you’ve built your foundation, you can even start to accessorize with pieces like a nice belt, a statement scarf, bold shades, and even a cute purse.
What matters is that you’ll have put in the care and attention into your look, and that will be impossible to miss.
4. Bring out the Bling
Nothing screams “I’ve got my life together” quite like sporting some fine jewelry. This is really the crème de la crème of any look. No matter how bare your face is, nothing beats the look of gold hoops, minimalistic necklaces, statement rings, or a sleek watch. A good jewelry collection will always take your outfit to the next level and make you look effortlessly chic. You just have to take the time to invest in it — that’s right, it means dropping the cheap accessories that start to tarnish after a few wears and turning to real delicately crafted silver and gold pieces that will actually last.
The best part is that these jewelry pieces can be paired up with absolutely any style and still look good. Wanna be casual and comfy in a plain cropped tee? Throw in a simple chain and gold bracelet — boom, you’re the queen of street style. Got a fancy dinner date you’re heading to? Put on a pair of cool earrings and add on a necklace or two — you’re a million bucks. You simply can’t go wrong with a good arsenal of silver and gold jewelry. Just be sure not to overdo it and achieve the opposite effect!
5. Own it
All these tips will go far in elevating your look, but they won’t matter in the end if you don’t own your style, your body, and your heart. Some may disagree, but not wearing makeup is a statement — that statement can often be political. Your confidence in yourself is the ultimate middle finger to a world that insists you have to look a certain way. Being put together doesn’t always have to be about changing your natural appearance. You can be bare-faced, have a full mane of wild kinky hair, and still look amazing. You’re not lazy or unprofessional for doing so.
This isn’t to say changing your look is a bad thing. Wearing makeup can be fun! Nothing feels quite like putting on some bold red lipstick to take the day by storm. What matters is that you wear it because you want to. What the rest of the world thinks of you won’t do any favours for your growth or mental wellness in the long run if you put it above what you think of yourself.
Hopefully, this helped make your transition back to school easier! Always remember that the only opinion that matters is yours and as long as you love how you look, you will be unstoppable. Now go kick 2021-2022 in the ass!