Why I don’t wear makeup to work everyday. And it’s not what you think

Makeup and skincare is a beautiful thing.  It’s something that I love (clearly, since I’m devoting my precious little free time to proclaiming to anyone who will listen to me how awesome it is).  As much as I love makeup, I also shy away from it.  Why you ask?  It’s pretty simple.

Yes, not wearing makeup saves money and time, but it’s not really about that for me.  It’s more of a philosophy.  When you grow up with skin that turns on you at any second, you make conscious choices – almost negotiations – before you layer up on the next product. A sort of quid pro quo, Clarice – ok that was a little creepy but if my skin had a voice it would be something that would instill a bit of fear of the unknown.  I just know if I wear that amazing full-coverage foundation that makes me look airbrushed that I’ll pay the next week with breakouts.  Constantly curling and adding 5 coats of mascara will eventually cause my lashes to be brittle and break.  So, because my level of effort to keep my skin calm caused me to make some choices, I developed a new relationship with makeup that is purely serving a need want of self expression.

Doing so became my own beautiful thing.  If I don’t feel like enhancing myself that day, I don’t.  I don’t know if my work friends appreciate my down to earth vibe when I show up with no makeup on (is she sick?) but it does something for me physically – by letting my skin calm down – and emotionally.  It forces me to be comfortable in my own skin and almost always creates this subtle approachable vibe.  I run the same meetings, and talk to the same people. I may have a rager on my forehead, and speaking of, let’s talk about that cowlick that looks like it’s thinning…but I am still there just like I always am to get *ish done.

Why am I posting about this?  Because tis the season where people get down in that dark cold place of the holidays.  Where you start folding in, instead of branching out.  And it’s true that you are just beautiful the way you are.  This amazing thing happens to me when I haven’t worn mascara in a while.  I decide to curl my lashes and do my thing and BOOM I feel like Adriana Lima. I cover up my redness with a great primer and foundation and wow…I look flawless – cha- ching! I fill my eyebrows in and it’s me against the world.  But I don’t need it to feel like me. It’s the same face I was staring at but I got used to the done-up drag that becomes routine. I got rid of half my gadgets and extras. I realized that people don’t really care.  And if they do, well, they probably aren’t my cup o’ probiotic & protein infused tea.

So I challenge you this wintry season to focus on the things that helps your skin heal and thrive.  Try a few days or weeks without the full face of makeup and see how you feel.  Go up and talk to a stranger at the bar when you just would NEVER if your hair and lip liner wasn’t tip top.  You’ll be surprised how liberated you’ll feel (so many guys loathe lipstick anyway) and when you decide you want to do you and pamper yourself up to the hilt you’ll just know you look so. dang. fine.

Don’t believe me on the benefits? Check out what this writer at Cosmo had to say.

What do you think? Could you do a makeup-free challenge? Drop us a line in the comments.