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Thursday, April 9, 2015

Learning to Love the No-Makeup Me

I've come to realize that women who don't wear makeup haven't "stopped trying," they're merely more comfortable with who they are than I am with myself.

I am a huge proponent of Beauty Redefined. They have opened up my eyes to things I don't think I would have noticed before. They can be really in-your-face sometimes, but there's truth to what they're saying.

I recently looked in the mirror before going to bed, at myself without makeup, and thought, I don't even know this person. And it's true--I am much more familiar with my made-up self than I am with my natural self. I realized that the image in the mirror was the real me, the way God made me, and yet I'm so uncomfortable with others seeing my naked face that I never go out without makeup.

In the Salt Lake area, people are really gung-ho about looking good. I didn't realize this until I moved out of state. As soon as you cross the border into Utah, you're assaulted with billboards for plastic surgery, fat removal, hair removal, spray tans, etc. It's ridiculous how many billboards and ads there are for that. Even listening to news radio I get ads for surgical "beauty." I recently heard one specifically made for "mommies," as though being a mother automatically makes you ugly.

When I lived in Moscow, I relaxed from the rigid hair-and-makeup routine I'd been practicing since before I was a teenager. The "standard" for "beauty" isn't as high up there--perhaps media hasn't hit it as hard. I started wearing ponytails. I began to feel comfortable with just mascara and cover-up. It was great.

Then I moved to Rexburg for a summer, and back to Salt Lake, and have been again assaulted with high ideals of beauty.

So I'm on a personal mission to like who I am without makeup. To not be hyper-aware every time I'm bare-faced. To be able to go to the store without mascara (which will be the hardest thing to give up). I want to like me without enhancements, because the enhancements are getting out of hand, and they're all focused on women.

My makeup basket. AKA the container for all
my self-confidence palettes.
I'm starting by being bare-faced at home, and I'm taking a selfie of myself every morning. I want to get used to natural me. When I do go out, I'm allowing myself mascara and cover-up so I don't look too different from me-me. (But I'm still going to do my hair.)

Wish me luck. And if you aren't familiar with Beauty Redefined, I highly suggest reading some of their articles.

8 comments:

  1. I SELL make up. But, I like to use it when I get dolled up. Most days I don't wear it to work. I used to HATE my freckles. Seriously, loathe. And my red cheeks. But now I'm like, hey look freckly toes! (:
    I found this other blog of a woman doing the same thing - sans make up!
    http://www.thelittleblogofawesome.com/

    You might like it :)
    I'm impressed, Charlie!!!

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  2. Salt Lake is a very image conscious town. I applaud you for such self exploration and realization. Very cool.

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  3. Do what's right for you. Those how love and care about you, it won't matter to them.
    I wake up to my wife without makeup every morning. Even so, and even with her hair messed up a bit, I still think she's pretty darn hot.

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  4. I rarely wear makeup, but only because I think I look like a clown with it on. I'm envious of people who can wear it and look amazing - I adore Audrey Hepburn eyes, but I'd look like a panda :-/

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  5. Oh man, I know what you mean about the Salt Lake area. I've never lived there but have visited plenty. Loving yourself in all your forms (with or without make-up, happy or sad etc) is tough, but so important. It's harder to do when you get older and the emphasis on beauty is even more heavily pushed into our faces (wrinkle creams, anyone), but I believe it is possible.

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  6. I went on a mini-rant when I got an ad in the mail to help "mommies" get "summer-ready" with a bunch of surgeries. My husband helped me turn it into laughter, but only to keep me from being so mad that in summer, the advertising world dictates that any body that has borne a child is inherently unworthy of sunlight.

    On the makeup thing, I don't wear any because I'm lazy. :D

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