Have you ever spent countless hours on Pinterest, scrolling through an absurd amount of hacks to get that perfect, glowy complexion? I know I have. I used to fall asleep every night, praying to wake up with perfect skin. Did it ever happen? No.
I knew if I ever wanted to have that dewy, fresh complexion I dreamed about, I’d have to actually change something in my lifestyle. As someone who is not willing to alter my diet, I knew changing my eating habits was out of the question. I didn’t eat terribly, but I had a sweet tooth I had no control over.
I thought about a new routine. Maybe I’d buy some new products, give my skin a new set of cleansers and moisturizers. However, my college budget couldn’t swing a brand new skincare routine. Saying that, it is good to know that we shouldn’t sleep on drugstore skincare. Just because it was pulled of a shelf in CVS, doesn’t mean it’ll destroy our complexions.
After all of this contemplation, I decided I’d have to do something a little more immediate. I usually wore a full face of makeup every day, using mixes of foundations, concealers, and powders to hide my skin. Though the routine was tedious, I loved makeup.
Despite my dedication to my usual routine, I decided a good break for my skin could be beneficial. I realized I didn’t feel beautiful without makeup on. I vowed to stop wearing makeup for at least four weeks, turning the idea into a small, personal experiment.
In the first few days, it was hard. My skin was visibly breaking out and I didn’t have foundation or concealer to cover the blemishes. I felt pretty self-conscious and felt that I looked exhausted without makeup on. To prevent the recurrence of the blemishes, I bought a few face masks and invested a small amount of money into my skincare. Simple sheet masks can do wonders for those trying to save a buck. After a few days, the blemishes reduced and eventually stopped appearing, boosting my confidence.
I had a simple skin-care routine: cleanse with a gentle cleanser, toning with witch hazel before applying generous amounts of cream moisturizer. I used a vitamin C facial serum every few days to boost my “glow.” I used Vaseline on my eyelashes and eyebrows to moisturize them and promote growth.
In addition to not wearing makeup, I also doubled my intake of water and drank 1-2 cups of green tea everyday. Not only does this hydrate skin and keep it blemish-free, but I just felt better. I also made a stronger effort to relax, spending at least one hour every day doing something I wanted to do, whether it was reading or going on a walk. Stress influences the skin to break out.
After one week, my blemishes slowly cleared up. After two weeks, I noticed I wasn’t breaking out anymore. In the third and fourth weeks, my skin felt radiant and I was more comfortable not wearing makeup.
After seeing the results, I haven’t been tempted to start wearing foundation again. I believe it is essential to feel beautiful in one’s skin, and I had realized how vulnerable I had become when I wasn’t wearing makeup. The no-makeup experiment not only rejuvenated my skin, but boosted my own self-confidence.
This routine definitely took some getting used to, I even hated the routine while I was doing it. However, after the first week or so, I started to see the results I was looking for. I used to always strive for that natural “no-makeup” makeup look, but it feels much more rewarding when I truly feel beautiful without makeup on.
Image sources thumbnail/1/2/3: Pexels