The other day I was preparing for work, and even though I was on the verge of running late, I still wanted to wear make-up. There is a certain look I wanted to achieve. Eyes brightened from my eyeliner. My skin, that perfect finish that foundation and powder give. Then a nice defined arc for my brows. I love it all, but on this day, when I sat in front of my mirror to apply make-up, I remembered feeling the pressure of other concerns, I realized that makeup did not have to feature in my everyday life. So I applied my sunscreen, moisturized my lips and went about my day.
This May Never Have Happened Before
It hasn’t always been this way. There was a time I wouldn’t let anyone see me without at least a thin layer of makeup. I hated how my bare face looked without the effects of make-up. But how did I get so dependent on how powder and foundation made me look? It was simple: the media. People created problems where there were none.
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They advertised certain looks, and so, we all had to buy foundations and loose powders, eyeliners and eyebrow fillers, primers, lipsticks, brushes, serums, eye creams, scrubs, masks, and all sorts of oils. These days, with social media it is even more difficult for women to embrace their own face without make-up. Everyone wants to look picture-perfect, the downside of the trend is a deep self-loathing or even an addiction to make-up. According to Business insider, the make-up industry is worth $532 billion! So, it is obvious that there are people who are making a ton of profit from creating insecurities in women.
Honestly, I’m Not Hating
Now, I have nothing against makeup. I own a good kit but over time, I have had to wean myself off make-up and I tell you; it was hard to like my own face. I asked myself: what is “wrong” with my face? Why do I want to look a certain way? Was it for myself or because of what other people thought of me? Do I want to look “pretty” because I wanted approval from people? Being sincere with myself led me to the freedom I now enjoy from make-up.
I still wear make-up when I feel like it, but if I don’t want to, or I don’t even have the time, I go about my day with my bare face fully confident of the person I am. If you are still in that prison of compulsory daily make-up, only you can free yourself. Try it, rock your bare face because with or without make-up, you are beautiful.