Embracing myself and saving my skin: not wearing makeup for 40 days
Self confidence is an important part of being a person, making sure that you love yourself no matter what, that you are comfortable in your own skin and are able to embrace your uniqueness. I find comfort in putting makeup on everyday for school, every time I leave the house, even at dance class I have something on my face. But let me tell you my supposable hoard of makeup actually consists of a whopping eight products plus five brushes I barely know how to use. Ironic.
I wake up at 5:30 a.m. to get ready for the day, and I’ll have bags under my eyes from lack of sleep, but don’t worry I’ll just cover them right up. I feel better about myself when my skin tone is even, and my eyelashes are touching my eyebrows. My makeup has to last my busy schedule, so there is no room for mistakes in the morning because right after school is cheer, then dance, then Younglife. My appearance has to last, there are no ‘buts’ about it.
But here I find myself not only giving up make up for a week, but for 40 days. I’m taking away my safety shield, going out of my comfort zone and not touching makeup for over a month. This thought haunts me, but maybe my skin will thank me, along with my body for giving it the sleep it needs.
Monday (April 3):
Alarm time: 5:50 a.m. I felt well rested and realized that I could maybe push sleeping to 6 a.m. and still catch the bus at 6:25.
Time it took to get ready: I got ready ready in 15 minutes and was actually able to eat breakfast for once in my life.
Other Reaction: People were at first very taken back, many have never seen me without makeup before and were shocked that I wasn’t wearing at least macara (I couldn’t live without it). Everyone was supportive of me, and loved the idea of giving up makeup. I had a freshman say “I rock the no makeup look” and another student say “You pull it off so well.”
My Reaction: I was really shy and wasn’t in the best mood at the beginning of the day, or any part of the day, I felt out of place and uncomfortable. But the reaction from everyone made me start to feel okay-ish.
Tuesday (April 4):
Alarm time: 6:00 a.m. I was more rested than Monday.
Time it took to get ready: I got ready in 15 minutes but I missed breakfast and felt rushed.
Others Reactions: They were the same old same old I guess, nothing really special was said necessarily about my face, today I wore a cute T-shirt dress and a cardage, and people said “I looked cute today.”
My Reaction: I was starting to warm up to the idea of no makeup, but I was still self conscious about my skin because you can see the blemishes and little spots that are usually covered. I liked being able to rub my face whenever I wanted without smudging my eyeliner I worked so hard on. It was nice; I also took a good nap in class without getting my eyeshadow on my forearm.
Wednesday (April 5):
Alarm time: my alarm went off at 5:45 a.m. but I didn’t get out of bed until 6 a.m.
Time it took to get ready: I got ready in 10 minutes because I did not care enough today to look good. Again I didn’t get to eat breakfast.
Others Reactions: Nothing really happened again. People talked to me and didn’t run away in fear so I guess you could say it was a good day.
My Reaction: I am starting to get way more comfortable with myself, and I’m pretty astonished by how clear and smooth my skin is getting. I am feeling more like my fun-loving self then before I wore makeup, almost everyone is seeing the real me.
Thursday (April 6):
Alarm Time: My alarm went off at 5:30 but I woke up at 6:10 and I was stressed out!
Time it took to get ready: I got ready in 5 mins, I kinda did my hair on the bus and I randomly picked out clothes.
Others Reactions: I don’t really get compliments anymore, people have accepted me and like my look, even if it not what society says to look like,and they embrace the fact that I was going against it.
My Reaction: Makeup is still something I love but I love the natural look as well. Not wearing makeup gives me a sense of power, like I get to control how people see me. It makes no sense because my face is the same, but I feel when I’m not wearing makeup I feel like myself and that gives me something I’ve never had constant in my life.
Friday (April 7):
Alarm Time: 6:00 a.m.
Time it took to get ready: I got ready in about 15 minutes, and I had breakfast this time go me! If you count a Nutella sandwich breakfast.
Other’s Reactions: My friends were shocked I made it this whole time without touching my macara, it was tempting but I never did. They said they were proud of me and said they loved my natural beauty and how I embraced it. To say I was happy would be an understatement.
My Reaction: I loved this experience and I can say that while I will still wear makeup, I will also go natural and just wear my inner beauty. It was nice to sleep in, and eat food most mornings and just relax. This was great and I highly suggest it.
Final Comments:
This was the best experience that I voluntarily did, I was shaky at first but after Wednesday I was happy to not wear makeup. I enjoyed waking up late, and listening to my jams while I brushed my teeth and ate breakfast. Overall my mood this week was better compared to when I have to wear makeup, my inner self was finally out and ready to stay. I was genuinely happy, and loving life, even when I had to go to school for AIR testing. There was no better feeling when I rubbed my eyes to try and rid the exhaustion that school gives me and not worry about raccoon eyes.
I recommend this so much! It is amazing to take a step back and just look at your life in a whole different way. It was refreshing, relaxing and a great excuse to be lazy.
Anonymous • May 22, 2021 at 2:15 am
Okay, you’re SO pretty! I love your smile!
morgan davis • Dec 11, 2019 at 1:12 pm
I really enjoy this comment because I think in today’s society, it can be very hard for girls to feel confident without makeup. I like this article because it is relatable and shows how it is hard at first, but it becomes easier with time.
crystal tse • Nov 6, 2018 at 4:46 pm
I really liked this article, it inspires other people to do the same and teach you how to be confident in your own skin. This taught me the many positive impacts in not wearing makeup for 40 days such as more sleep, smoother skin, more time to eat breakfast, and etc. It can also boost your self confidence a lot more. This article is related to human interest because the story could have caught the eyes of many teenagers and convince them to do the same. The many positives listed in the article could provoke them to slowly change their morning routine and skip the many hours of doing your makeup when instead you could be sleeping.
sara • Nov 6, 2018 at 2:15 pm
this one is my favorite i dont wear makeup at all and she is beautiful without it. i believed that we use makeup to cover who we are when really your covering up the real you. makeup is just a mask of who we are. theres human interest
Caroline Chubb • Nov 5, 2018 at 12:08 pm
1.) I liked the frequent comments on the topic. It included not only how she felt about not wearing makeup, but what others thought about it as well. It helped me understand the true experience of going makeup free, and showed a broader perspective on the topic itself.
2.) I learned from reading the article that depending on the person, going makeup free can benefit in many ways, including a boost of self-confidence. In this article, it not only did increase confidence, but saved her time as well. She mentioned her ability to eat breakfast with more time in the morning, therefore increasing her mood during the day. She also was able to catch more sleep, which was healthy for her as well.
3.) The news elements involved were human interest and conflict (internal). This article is appealing to many people of all ages, but specifically in high school. It also can appeal to people who wear makeup on a daily basis. It shows internal conflict because it seems as if she struggled early on with deciding on whether she felt comfortable with wearing makeup or not.