Last weekend I had a #nomakeup moment, and it got me thinking! It was one of those days where I popped out for a short run in the morning and late in the afternoon realised I was still in my exercise gear! I needed to pop down to get some food for dinner but decided a quick shower was in order first.
What I did next is something I don’t often do
Some people may think I don’t wear make up and I admit I am not one to wear a lot…however I tend to put on a little each day, a BB cream at least and maybe some concealer and lip balm (almost out of habit), even if I am off to exercise.
Last Sunday afternoon however, I slathered on some body cream and rosehip oil on my face post shower, dressed and ran out the door to the shops. I whizzed around Harris Farm and as I smiled at the butcher waiting for my order I suddenly realised I was out with no make up!
Now this is not a first for me, but I did think to myself this doesn’t happen often. I briefly felt bare. Sunday’s are a good day to go make up free (unless you are off to a special event), but somehow my n0 make up moment got me thinking…
The #nomakeup movement
Last year, Alicia Keys (American singer for those who don’t know the name) was the catalyst for a social media #nomakeup movement following a photoshoot in which she decided to wear no make up. She talked about feeling the pressure of being who other people want her to be and how she felt like a chameleon continually re-inventing her look. So she decided to reveal to the world herself with no make up and in the process accept who she really is.
As you can see, she is a true natural beauty and I think this was fabulous that she used her celebrity status to get people to at least consider who they want to be and how they want to seen by the world, along with open discussions about why being sans make up may reveal your true self . In fact it may actually release you from the pressures you may feel to look a certain way.
I am not anti-make up by any means. I appreciate how make up makes you feel. I enjoy creating a more glamorous me from time to time for a special occasion, and as I mentioned before, I do put a small amount of make up on most days. – only low-tox make up these days of course. What worries me is the obsession with make- up that seems to crawl into many young girls lives and it sticks with them into adulthood!
We need to teach our girls that #nomakeup is ok
It begins with dressing up to look ‘grown up’ and trying mum’s lipstick, then when the girls get together they make up each others face, and suddenly you have tweens who feel the need to use some concealer and mascara regularly. Once they hit high school and they have a social life, wearing make up becomes the norm and by then it has become a habit.
What a I want my daughter to know and what I have learned about myself over the years is that there is no need to create an image of yourself for others that isn’t the real you. Don’t grow up painting a picture on your face that is the only you people ever see.
It’s OK to be #rawandreal and go out in public without make up.
When you find your soul mate who you want to share your life with, you don’t want to suddenly reveal a different you and you don’t want the burden of having to create the look you think they want. We all should question how much we hide behind make up and invent ourselves for other people rather than being true to ourselves.
What I want to say to girls heading into their teens, is have fun with make-up, enjoy looking different sometimes BUT be sure to get back to your true self by having a #makeupfree day now and then! (or even once week…Sundays a good day!)
Alicia Keys song “When a Girl Can’t Be Herself” reflects her thoughts on wearing make-up:
In the morning from the minute that I wake up / What if I don’t want to put on all that makeup / Who says I must conceal what I’m made of / Maybe all this Maybelline is covering my self-esteem
We want our girls to be confident in who they are, who they were born to be, and accept their unique body and look. Despite girls being bombarded with unrealistic images of women in this digital age, what has changed since I was a teenager is that there are lots of people in the public arena being real about their body shape and how they look, and I am glad about this. Let’s get our girls following on Instagram groups like Body Image Movement and women like Winnie Harlow who are inspiring them to be natural beauties!
In fact, as I started to write this post over the week I came across an Instagram post by my naturopath Jules Galloway who recently started a new Instagram account @bebodyhappy . She posted a #nomakeupselfie this week and talks about accepting her body, her age, her natural look, and asking us all to do the same.
Jules said posting a selfie without make up was liberating. I felt liberated to be out and about with no make up last week, so to finish this post here is my #nomakeupselfie. It feels good, it feels revealing, it feels natural. I am embracing being Beautyful Naturally!
Share your #nomakeup moment with me on social media – Facebook or Instagram. Let’s hop on board Alicia’s #nomakeup and Jule’s #makeupfreeselfie community – and use #beanaturalbeauty and #beautyfulnaturally so I can see it too!
PS: I didn’t even get to discuss how good no make up is for your skin’s health!! Something to discuss in an upcoming blog post.
What do you think?