Would You Go a Week Without Makeup?
My personal makeup regime goes something like this: wash face, apply toner, and apply sunscreen. If it’s daytime, I’m done. If it’s nighttime, I’ll go for some lipstick and mascara, possibly cover up if I’m feeling all fancy-like. Nine times out of 10, I’m likely to walk out of the house wearing nothing more than sunscreen. (Specifically, this one.) I work from home, so this is an easy decision. Still, when I heard that September 20 to September 27 was No Makeup Week, I was intrigued.
I’m not saying I’m proud that I tend to forgo makeup in the day to day. It invokes all sorts of weird feelings – do I think I’m “too pretty” for makeup? I don’t – I just don’t feel like putting it on. Or am I just lazy? Why do I love to write about and research green makeup, but I can’t be bothered to put on cover up? Oh man, my skin really needs cover up! (Rushes to mirror to examine skin, and then uses cupcakes to fill the void.)
See all the weird feelings makeup can inspire in one woman?
Curated by Rachel Rabbit White of RabbitWrite.com, No Makeup Week is a week long blogosphere project exploring women’s use and expectations of makeup. From September 20 to September 27, women of the world are encouraged to go without makeup and write about how it makes them feel. As Rachel writes, “The philosophy is this. Make-up is great. It is a powerful tool, a way to express yourself, your mood and interior life. But, when you can’t go without something, it loses its spark.”
Rachel cites a study revealing “8 out of 10 women prefer their female colleagues to wear makeup and the same number of women said they would rather employ a woman who wore makeup than one who didn’t. So when the world seems to look at makeup like a necessary mask, how does that make us feel about wearing it?” This completely rings true with me. I once had a friend/colleague tell me that I really needed to put on some mascara if I wanted to be taken seriously at work. And no, we weren’t working a runway.
And just how is the No Makeup Week going? Judging from the No Makeup Gallery, the site has amassed quite a collection of gorgeous women sending in pictures of their happy, bare faces. But comments on blogs reveal some more complicated emotions. As “Flackette Goes Retro” on Jezebel expressed, “I feel that makeup wearing is used symbolically, to show that you are “on”. We don’t tend to wear power suits or traditional corporate wear in my office, but some makeup, along with neat and polished hair, seems to transmit the message that you are together, organized, and ready to take on projects.”
Others expressed anger that someone would tell them not to wear makeup, causing “Daradoodle” to comment “I’m surprised by the [negative] way this post has been received. I didn’t read it, in the slightest, as criticizing women who wear makeup, but people seem to be up in arms about a post telling them not to.” “Lucysnowe” shared that she looks at makeup as “war paint and fashion.” “Hiding in Canada”threw out a simple “What the f*** is wrong with everybody?”
It brings to mind Mae West, American actress and sass sex symbol extraordinaire. As she famously expressed, ”Kiss and make up – but too much makeup has ruined many a kiss.”
Which leads us to one, final question. How do you feel about makeup?
Image: littledebbie11
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The only makeup I own is a stick of eyeliner that I use maybe a couple of times every month or three. When I use it, it’s to try something different and have fun, which is what I think makeup should be – not something mandatory you need in order to be taken seriously! That’s crazy. And as for no makeup week, right on… I’ve seen pictures of people going without who normally are all covered up and it adds to my resolution to never wear all that goop on my face: it often looks like their pores are gasping for much-needed air (ie they look puffy, when I and others who normally don’t wear anything don’t look like we’re having an allergic reaction to air). It’s no wonder these women think they “need” their makeup. If they would only let their skin breathe more, they might find they are happy with their skin the natural way.
And for everyone who thinks you need to be really young to not wear makeup, I’m 32, and have never been a makeup-wearer, except for the occassional experiment, as with the eyeliner. I realize that 32 is still young in some people’s books, but it’s older than a lot of people who wear makeup every day!
I’m 22 years old, and I stopped wearing makeup at 16 (I had started at 14). When I was wearing the awful stuff, I felt terribly un-pretty whenever I went without. It dried out my skin and clogged my pores, causing acne. I now have a clear face–free of makeup, too. I don’t tweeze/wax/thread/shave/alter my eyebrows in any way, nor do I touch my charming upper lip hair (a.k.a. “mustache”, but it’s really the most pathetic excuse for one I’ve ever seen). I have never felt more confident nor more beautiful, and my husband agrees. You don’t need to feel down on yourselves, ladies, for not submitting to the deplorable “standards”. Take control of your own lives–enough is enough! I’m through being bullied into altering my natural form just to be seen as “presentable” or “ladylike”–it’s all a load of hogwash! We don’t have to listen to them! Be yourself and your true gorgeousness shall shine through, stronger than any artificial manifestation of “beauty” ever could!
I pretty much always wear blush, eyeliner and mascara and have been since I was 15, but in the last two years I’ve started doing a little concealer and eyeshadow, too – but there are plenty of times I go without it. I do wear more makeup if I’m going out at night. At least one day a week I give myself a break from anything on my face except moisturizer and sunscreen. No lipstick. Can’t do it. Ick. Sometimes a gloss.
I wear make up everyday. I wake up in the morning, take a shower, wash my face, moisturize and then I put on Eyeliner and eyebrow filler. Maybe some lip balm. Mascara for special occasions. It has been the same way ever since I was 16. Now I am 24, I’ve never went out without filling my brows. I don’t feel guilty for filling my brows or lining my eyes, it makes me feel pretty and happy. And I am proud to say, no way I’m leaving home without it.
I’m still young (and beautiful!) so most of the time decide to go without make up, mostly because it’s a hassle to apply and later on to properly take off.
But at most customer service jobs that I’ve had it has been a requirement to wear make-up while on duty. If I see a girl at a counter that has to provide service to me with a plain washed face, or men with an un-groomed appearance, I gives me a negative image either about them or the people running the business for not caring about them looking presentable on the job.
I never use make-up, maybe a bit of mascara or lipstick every now or then because I like to add somee colour to the day… but that’s not really make-up, right?
I think it’s disgusting to plaster your pores with some coloured cream just to make our sick society happy!
I just wear makeup when I leave the house, and then it’s just coverup and some loose powder (all eco). I only started because I got tired of seeing my face covered in very red blemishes, and sought to conceal them while the swelling went down and my nightly routine worked its magic.
Years later, I’m still waiting for my skin to clear completely, but the areas that are blemish-free (or mostly blemish-free) just have a bit of powder dusted over them. Why put cover up on bits that don’t need covering?
Hopefully, I’ll get to the point where I don’t need it, because there will be no red spots to cover up!
And Jenn, totally agree, though I’d love to see what Steven Colbert looks like in a little eyeliner…
Rock on Lynne!
I go months without wearing makeup.
This article perfectly outlines why I find it hard to have female friends. Stuff like:
I’m not saying I’m proud that I tend to forgo makeup in the day to day. It invokes all sorts of weird feelings – do I think I’m “too pretty” for makeup? I don’t – I just don’t feel like putting it on. Or am I just lazy?
The only weird feeling you should have is that you have too much time to think! Wear makeup, don’t wear makeup – big deal!
I have started using tinted spf moisturiser, blusher and mascara only last year, age 34. My weird feeling was people who see me everyday weren’t used to it and asked all sort of awkward questions.
I know now I should have replied: “I was feeling too pretty yesterday, but not pretty enough today”.
And why do we even need “No Make-up week”? I would only understand it if it was in aid of charity, but I can’t find anything like that on the website.
You’re definitely too pretty for make-up. Most of us are! Glad to see going make-up free is being encouraged. When I think of how much time, energy and $$ my 17-year-old sis spends on making herself up, I think she does enough for the rest of us!
As for that colleague who told you you needed make-up… that’s the strangest thing I’ve ever heard. I’ve never seen a male co worker need make up to be taken seriously. I’m sure it would be quite the opposite!
I don’t wear much makeup to begin with. If I’m at home by myself all day I don’t wear any (okay maybe some bright red lipstick, but who’s noticing
). I must say, it’d be hard to go an entire week without some cover-up, blush and berry lip gloss – my makeup staples!