What IF: I Didn’t Wear Any Makeup?

by Marzipan on September 22, 2010 · 31 comments

This week I have the distinct honor of taking part in the fantastic Rabbit Write’s No Makeup Week. Not only do I just adore Rabbit Write, but this project is something close to my heart as I strive to learn how to love my body exactly as it is, today, right the moment, without trying to cover it up, carve it off, or smush it into societal expectations of the female form. THUS, I created for you a play-by-play visual representation of my thought process (nearly every morning) in my decision not to “brighten/fix-up” my face or straighten my hair:

Insert several moments of vague panic and attempts to cover/straighten/fix/adorn/smush/beautify, and then the inevitable collapse onto my bed.

For more information about Rabbit’s No Make Up Week please check out other responses from within the blogging community by catching up with everyone on facebook, following the hashtag #nomakeupweek on twitter, reading about it in JEZEBEL, and checking out Rabbit’s Huffington Post interview.

What do you think about No Makeup Week? How much makeup do you wear? Do you wear it every day or only on special occasions? How do you think wearing/not wearing makeup impacts your ability to love yourself?

Tagged as: beauty, body image, flaws, imperfection, makeup, no makeup week, perfection, rabbit write, what if wednesday

http://birdsiviews.wordpress.com Linz

You look GORGEOUS with no makeup/no hairdid.

With no makeup… well… I have very little eyebrows. It’s not pretty.

Amber

LOL same here! That’s why I had mine tattooed on, I’m a cheater

http://food4fitness.wordpress.com Eunice

Woo! I’ve been participating in No Makeup Week without even knowing it! I only started wearing makeup consistently about a year ago. Even now, I don’t wear that much and still go without when I’m too lazy/tired/busy to go through the whole ritual. This week has been busy, busy so no makeup for me. I have to admit though.. I did cringe a little this morning. Haha
Eunice recently posted..Veggie Confessional
http://liveyourideallife.blogspot.com Andrea Owen

I love you, MM!!

Since I had kids, I’m lucky if I brush my hair and put on mascara. Honestly, it hardly ever happens. Sometimes I’ll be halfway through my day and realized I never took my messy bun/pnytail out when I woke up, showered and got dressed.

I wore almost no makeup when I recorded my welcome video for new website (Monday launch!). I watched the video and thought, “I have GREAT facial expressions!”

Hmph, self esteem rocks, y’all.
Andrea Owen recently posted..I did it because I was scared
http://thepaigeturner3.blogspot.com/ Paige

I have yet to go a whole week with out makeup, but I have been trying to do it a few times a week. Maybe it’s time to try it for the full week.

My other thing I’ve been toying with is attempting to go back to my natural color with my hair. I’m so blonde right now & it requires so much upkeep. I get a lot of compliments on it but it feels a bit untrue to what I’m trying to accomplish with accepting myself just the way I am!
Paige recently posted..The Ball is Rolling
http://healthisontheway.net Libby

I’ve never been a makeup person; I wear it to weddings and occasionally swanky nights out, but that’s about it. It does always kind of sting a bit when people say, “Wow, you clean up well!” when I wear makeup; it makes me wonder what they think of me and my appearance normally and feel very self-conscious. I know it’s just because it’s something different (like getting a haircut), but still. Argh.
Libby recently posted..Your Boundaries and Your Parents
http://s.rvxn.org sui

you are so beautiful, mara. <3
Carolyn

I just read about this on Jezebel today. I’m a makeup addict, so I’m real scared to try it out. I might take the plunge tomorrow. But I must say, my dear, that you look completely lovely.
http://Www.tempestbeauty.com Mandy

Flip! You are GORGEOUS! You don’t need makeup, and you don’t need to feel self conscious. So many women would LoVE to look half as lovely as you.

Proud of you!!
http://amerrylife.com Mary (A Merry Life)

I thought you look gorgeous without makeup.

I’ve never really understood wearing a TON of makeup. I don’t really wear any except for occasionally wearing eye makeup when I go out, just because I think it’s artistic and fun. I wear a tinted moisturizer that I mix up because it gives me more SPF protection that just the moisturizer by itself, but other than that I don’t wear ANY makeup daily, just the moisturizer.

Also, your “rat’s nest” is how my hair looks almost every day. I like it, but of course the whole insecurity thing we ALL suffer from is exactly that. The way I wear my hear is what you would call a rat’s nest or a mess. So of course that starts me thinking “oh, is that what other people think when they look at me? That’s not good. I should fix it. Maybe straighten my hair. I don’t want people to think bad things about me!” Even if I’m fine and think the messy look is cool for me, just by the fact that you voice negativity about yourself makes me question myself (not really but that’s how it works).

Women dissing themselves all the time just makes other women insecure and creates and endless cycle of everyone hating something about themselves and then passing it on to women/girls around them.

Sorry for the long reply, just started thinking.

http://www.medicinalmarzipan.com admin

Mary this comment made me so sad – PLEASE don’t feel like I was discounting the messy up-do look! It is my 100% go to hairstyle and I see nothing wrong with it. My hair is also super curly/course so it tends to kind of turn into dreadlocks within two minutes of washing it. When I was a kid my mom always referred to this as my rats nest, whiiiiiiiich kind of stuck itself into my psyche. Thus, the phrase tends to be something that I cling to in moments if self doubt. Also, I was mostly joking – because I do love this rats nest even when it’s all matted and frizzy : )

Mostly though, I think your hair is lovely and I hope you don’t feel badly about it or insulted. Xo.

http://amerrylife.com Mary (A Merry Life)

I don’t feel bad or insulted because frankly I don’t care what you think. Or what other people think. Getting over that need for others to like all my choices was hard but it is what lets me happily wear no makeup and messy hair and mismatching clothes or whatever I feel like doing. I was just commenting on the fact that as people we tend to do this thing where we insult ourselves and it then passes on judgment to other people who make those choices.

Love ya, no worries!

http://zenlizzie.com zenlizzie

First of all, you are so beautiful inside, of course. But can I just say, in the shallowest way possible, that DAMN GIRL, you are smokin’ without any make up!

I used to refuse to leave the house without make up because I was really self conscious of my skin, and sometimes I still am. But, after I started working out a lot more, it became necessary to go do things before or after the gym and I thought it was silly to go home/change to do those things just because I felt weird without make up on. I think part of it is just growing up and being more comfortable, and part of it is knowing that most people don’t notice if I have on make up or not, so why am I going to “fix myself” up for strangers? I want to fix myself up for me, if I feel like it.
zenlizzie recently posted..That time again… Wednesday check in
http://www.peacesofearth.com Jackie (Peaces of Earth)

You are beautiful!!!!! Not wearing makeup has been one of the best things I’ve done for my confidence and self love. I highly recommend it!

You should submit this to facesofbeauty.org!!
Jackie (Peaces of Earth) recently posted..Probiotics and Fermenting And Easy Homemade Sauerkraut
Aunt Susan ;)

Ok sweetie, this is PROOF that I do read your blog every week! But I just had put in a quote from my co-teacher: “Of all of things you wear, your attitude is the most important.”

As a card-carrying member of the “no more makeup club”, I think about this a lot!

Lot of love.
http://www.nourishing-the-soul.com Ashley @ Nourishing the Soul

I think that No Make Up Week is a brilliant experiment/challenge to love ourselves the way that we are – beautiful! I learned to wear make-up at a very early age and still struggle at times when I don’t have it on as my guard. I realize that I learned this from my mother, who won’t go to the gym without full make-up. I’m working on breaking free of that mentality and think this is a fabulous way to start!
http://www.alreadypretty.com/ Sally

Rock on, lady. I’m partaking today – naked faces unite!
Sally recently posted..Reader Request- Building Accessory Collections
http://likeunexpectedsunshine.blogspot.com Hope

You look lovely without makeup!

I think no makeup week is a great idea, however I’m not participating for personal reasons.

I actually get some good laughs when I don’t wear makeup because people are constantly asking if I’m sick. I’m a tad on the pale side. I don’t wear a lot of makeup anyway, and I always try to make it look natural, like no crazy colors or anything. I don’t judge the ladies that do, I’m just lazy.
http://www.clarityincreation.blogspot.com rebekah (clarity in creation.)

you are absolutely gorgeous! to cover that face with makeup would be a sin, woman! rock it!
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http://www.facesofbeauty.org Heather (Faces of Beauty)

i guess i’m really out of it, but i didn’t realize it was no makeup week! you should submit these to http://www.facesofbeauty.org
http://sunflowerdaisies.blogspot.com Lori Lynn

I have rosacea on my face, so I’m blessed with having redness on my face. I’ve seen a dermatologist for it, and have stuff to help it, but if I didn’t have the redness I probably wouldn’t wear make-up hardly at all. Before I knew that I had it, I had terrible acne and of course redness, so I covered it up with make-up, but it still didn’t help. I still have a little acne, but not nearly as bad.
http://handprintsoul.wordpress.com/ McKella

Beautiful! No makeup week is a great idea. I’m perfectly comfortable going without makeup, but I do like to wear a coat of mascara most days because it makes me look a little more awake. I also have bright blue eyes, so the mascara helps me show them off.
McKella recently posted..How to Move with Joy
http://lifeunity.blogspot.com Lisa

Gorgeous! (You and the sentiments)

I’m an on-again off-again type of makeup chick. I find it hardest to not wear makeup after I have for quite some time because I see a difference. When I’ve gone without, however, I feel quite fine and beautiful!

Hmmm….
Lisa recently posted..For You and For Me
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http://www.happinessiswithin.wordpress.com Dana

You are amazing!! Have I told you how much I love and admire your blog? Because I DO!!!!! Keep doing your thing girl, you are helping the world be a much much better place

Dana xxo
http://www.decoybetty.com Deidre

First of all you’re stunning!

Second of all, I hardly ever wear make up (like 5 times a year) and those are usually when I am trying extra hard to dress up…ie when I went to a wedding a couple of weeks ago.
http://brightsidedweller.blogspot.com/ Chelsea (bright_sided)

you’re the awesomest
Chelsea (bright_sided) recently posted..Outfit log- Dry Clean Only
http://animalfriendlyeating.blogspot.com/ kelli

you are a natural beauty! beautiful skin…gorgeous eyes and smile!
kelli recently posted..shes baaackkk
Croatia

This is such a deep blog! What can I say, youve hit the nail right on the head! You even added some videos to make it seem so much more real. Youve got a great way of communicating with the reader, a great way of making me feel like what you have to say is just as important to me as it is to you. Keep it up!
Heather

I’ve spent most of the past 2 months not wearing make-up because I have had problems with my eyes reacting to something (we know not what still).

At first, this was deeply unnerving. I felt naked, my eyes looked small, I felt insignificant and unattractive. Wearing other make-up only seemed to emphasise my naked eyes, so I gave up on that as well. When I felt unable to continue on face-less, I clung onto the fact that I could choose to wear some lipstick if I wanted. I could do the no eyes, all lips thing I’ve seen in magazines.

And then the cold sores hit. Big time.

I had to literally force myself out of the house, so ugly and ashamed of myself. So angry at the world for punishing me like this…

But I am glad I did this and here’s why: I’ve learnt that I can live without material things, like make-up, and get through day by day. I’ve learnt that other people don’t notice its absence as much as I did. I also learnt that whilst I’d rather have the choice, it truly isn’t the end of the world to go without it.

My issue now is that I’m scared of experimenting with make-up. I’d always loved it and yet here I was, frightened of how it might make me look. Would I look pathetic for reapplying? Would it triggering another reaction? Would I never be able to wear make-up again?

I’m taking this on a slowly-slowly basis. I figure I’ll go one step and once and see how it works out.

But it isn’t as scary as it seemed at first attempt – and I’m far more beautiful than I ever knew I was underneath.