If you're severely anxious about being seen without makeup, this is one post you've got to read.
Let me start this post by mentioning the fact that I LOVE makeup, there is nothing like a perfectly contoured cheekbone! However, I have encountered friends who have mentioned that they feel odd leaving the house without makeup on and to be honest, I’ve also felt this before.
When did we become so uncomfortable with our skin? Why do we have to spend an ungodly amount of time applying makeup on the days that we don’t WANT to? Learning to love what’s underneath the makeup can be challenging but here are some things that I’ve found helpful to see yourself in a new light.
Do It For Yourself
It’s hard to escape the influence of others but a good start before doing anything is to ask yourself why you are doing it. So, Why are you wearing makeup? Your answer doesn’t have to be something really deep and insightful – it can be if you want it -i.e (fighting the unrealistic expectations of women in a patriarchal society).
It can be as simple as “because I want to”, “Because I think it’s fun”., “I just want to try something new” All these are acceptable reasons as long as they stem from you and not how other people will feel about it. And quite frankly their discomfort over you not wearing makeup has nothing to do with you and a lot to do with them. So, pay it no mind and do you!
Take It Off One At a Time
If you are a person who wears makeup all the time suddenly going bare faced might come as more than a shock to you but, you have to give yourself time. It takes some time to build confidence and get comfortable with new situations, however, you have to start somewhere.
It can be as simple as firstly taking off your eyeshadow and then lipstick and so on until you are comfortable going barefaced. There is no time limit on each item, as long as you are doing it for you.
Learn To Love The Skin You Are In
Clearly, self-love is something many people are trying to find. This not only includes loving who you are on the inside but also love the outside. Love the little things about yourself and focus on the things you like about you. If you can’t think of one, stare hard enough until you find something you can say “ya know what? My (insert here) is not that bad and you can always start with one thing. Just pick one and say “I love my (fill in blank) birthmark, eyebrows, nose, and teeth. When you start to like one thing it’s only a matter of time before you notice other things you like about yourself.
Take Care Of The Skin You Are In
Want to feel comfortable in your skin? Well, let’s start by taking care of it. Whether you wear makeup or not, your skin will take a beating be it from the foundation, from not being protected from the sun, from not eating right, or drinking enough water and a host of many other reasons. So, you have to make sure you are giving it your best.
Make sure to have a cleansing routine that works for your skin, invest in products that work for you (and no they don’t have to be what the YouTubers use!). Also, great skin starts from the inside out, drink water, eat healthily, control your stress, wear SPF and just take a little bit of time each day for some skin TLC - I've found just 6 minutes of journaling everyday has helped me mentally stay organised which manages my stress levels (and we know what high cortisol triggers on the skin right?) - no time for unwanted blemishes!
Get Comfortable With Imperfections
I read somewhere once that we came into this world a blank canvas and all our scars are just signs that we have lived and experienced things. This statement, however simple, blew my mind and changed the way I thought about scars. I sat there thinking yes!
That’s so true, the scar on my leg has a story (it’s a long story) and the cut behind my ear was from playing around as a kid!
These are all a part of who I am, so why do I try to hide it? It’s part of my uniqueness and all your scars signify that you’ve lived, they tell a story and they are uniquely yours, why not embrace them? As we continue to go through life some of us will get acne, a cut here and there, some bizarre spot on our cheeks, sunburn, dark spot, stretch marks but it’s all a part of life. Sometimes focusing on these things take away from us experiencing life and living it to the fullest but imperfections will happen and you just have to roll with it.
If you've tried 'everything' and feel lost in the aisles or websites of endless skincare bottles promising to combat that acne flare up, underlying blackheads trapped within the pores, pigmentation, rosacea or scarring, seek a professionals opinion before you splash £££ on skincare that will inevitably not do much to heal your skin.