Sweeping Facebook is this new trend of the “no makeup challenge” in which women across America are stripping their faces of makeup to raise awareness for cancer. In theory, this is a great idea. In reality, there’s no bravery in doing this act.
An article in the Brisbane Times in Australia, Kim Stephens, a cancer survivor, reveals how there’s no bravery in wiping your face clean of makeup and posting it for the whole world to see. Instead of uplifting cancer patients, this new trend, she explains, is only making lives of cancer patients “a little bit harder.”
While I’m sure everyone who has been participating in this challenge has good intentions, just know there is another side. A side where people are actually suffering and stop looking at themselves in the mirror because they don’t recognize themselves and feel they are ugly in society’s eyes. By striping your face of makeup is insinuating that this is you in your least attractive state. By saying that, and connecting it with cancer, is implying to many that, they’re less beautiful.
Also, by posting it to Facebook, it’s a bit selfish because you’re showing to everyone, at least a few hundred people, that you’re so brave because you can post one picture with no makeup on. Just imagine having to walk around everyday with no makeup, no hair, pale skin and having nothing to hide behind- to me that’s true bravery. I don’t think it should even be called a challenge, because it’s not. Even by washing your face and losing all makeup, you still have a healthy looking face and at the end of the day, you know you have makeup to hide behind.
I know some may argue that I have no stance in writing this because I’ve never had cancer and I have no right to be claiming these things. I’m not trying to have a voice for the cancer community, but just to make aware that this is how some people may view this “challenge”. So, the next time you take off all your makeup, think about how truly beautiful you are and that makeup isn’t necessary to make you beautiful. Makeup should be seen as a form of self-expression, not a way to hide your flaws. Nobody is perfect; so don’t try to make yourself that way.