It has only been recently that I wanted to write about not wearing makeup. Young Living recently came out with a new line of toxic free Mineral Makeup that is blowing up the internet, and has women going over the top excited.
I’m excited for people to have those options – it wasn’t until last week that I realized how many women wear makeup.
Just WOW.
Y’all, I love Young Living. I am passionate about essential oils and vibrant health.
While I’m excited for everyone to have new and safer options, make up is not a defining feature of who I am. I don’t cover up my skin, sprinkle on eye shadow or, know anything about picking out the right color of lipstick. I don’t even own a bottle of mascara or have to worry about mascara sweating in this hot desert heat of Arizona (because makeup in this heat – Oh, I can’t imagine!)
Thinking back to my childhood days, I remember finding a bottle of liquid foundation deep in the bathroom cabinet when I was around 10 or 11. I remember putting it on my skin, examining my new look in the mirror and then washing it off quicker than it took to put it on.
I also remember asking my mom “is this yours?”, simply because I never once saw her put any cosmetics on her face – lipstick, eyeshadow, mascara, or foundation. I was confused why I would find this bottle deep down in the drawers when she never really used it at all.
It was in my late teenage years that I struggled with horrible acne that made me very self conscious. I went out and purchased liquid foundation and for years, I wore it at every opportunity. I wanted nothing more than to hide the fact that my skin was a major issue. Instead of worrying about fixing my gut (the root of the acne), I was too concerned with covering it up. I refused to let anyone see me without foundation slathered all over my face, and mascara on my lashes.
It wasn’t long after that I went away for military service. Every woman that served with me through basic training and advanced training had makeup. In fact, they, too, would refuse to let people see their true face without pigments. Not long after my exit from the service, it stopped.
One random day. I ditched everything I had and never went back to touch makeup again.
17 years later, I haven’t put any on since. My once acne-prone skin is now no longer – in fact, you would never know that I had issues with teenage acne back in the 90’s.
While I realize that some women wear makeup as a form of expression or perhaps because it is simply the norm of society, for me, wearing makeup raised a few red flags. While I did feel a bit more polished wearing cosmetics, it also led me to tell myself that I could not face the world without it. I don’t want to be dependent on makeup.
Likewise, I don’t ever want to feel naked or unattractive without it.
I don’t want to be dependent on cosmetics for self confidence – because when it’s not used in the form of self love, it leads women to look for flaws rather than accepting what is. What else do you need to improve or cover up with powders and pigments?
Is it lashes?
Perhaps the lips need attention?
Is your complexion even?
So while it might help instill a bit of confidence, it also takes away a certain amount when you take it off, too.
I hate having to worry that it will rub off if I give someone a hug or kiss my kids.
I don’t like the feeling of sweating through stuff on my face.
While each woman can ultimately decide if cosmetics are for her, I have to wonder if our culture is waging a war against an unhealthy obsession with perfection, and youthfulness. We constantly tell women that they need to love themselves, after all – we are all beautiful. But then we sell product after product to help them fix their appearance – from enhancers to cover ups, lash boosters, and wrinkle removers.
Women want to look unflawed.
Every woman is imperfect and each woman is going to differ in size, shape, and level of imperfection. Instead of caving in to a self erasing mentality, perhaps we should embrace our differences, and learn to realize that we are all beautiful – wearing makeup isn’t required to help us get there. And while I don’t speak for all women, I know that I am self confident in my looks – imperfections and all, and through self love and confidence, I want to continue to love my appearance.
And I hope my daughters learn to love theirs equally. The last thing I want is for them to fall into the trap of the societal norm where they feel that in order to be accepted, they must identify their imperfections and cover them up in order to be confident.
Because confidence truly comes from the inside, not on a product applied to the outside.
Wearing makeup should be something that each person feels free to choose or refuse.
Perhaps I didn’t need to write this post to talk about the issue. But… if I did, the decision to wear or not wear is ultimately yours. If you opt not to, then chances are you have a very valid reason.
Ultimately, in the end, the question “why don’t you wear makeup?” should be answered with “do I really need to give a reason?”
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