A Month Without Makeup: How I Learned To Love Myself And Accept Others

I grew up in a loving home with a very loving father and mother. My father always told me that I was beautiful just the way I was, for it was what I was on the inside is what mattered the most.

His line of reasoning was that I didn’t need any makeup. That makeup was a sham and that a real man would love me just the way I was. Besides, he said, makeup makes your skin age faster.

Tell that to a pimply, acne ridden teenager without a single spot of clear skin on her face. Yes, that was me, and while my father’s words were comforting, I had a hard time accepting them as truth.

After a lot of wheedling, nagging, and whining, I finally got my mom to purchase some makeup for me. I still remember the first time I dabbed some foundation and concealer on my skin. I would slather on the foundation, and cover-up, and concealer. Anything to hide the monstrosity underneath.

The effect I achieved, of course, was less than ideal. My inexperience with makeup and the severity of my acne only served to frustrate me. You want to talk about low self-esteem? I’m your gal. Makeup became a mask; I couldn’t leave the house without it.

As I got older, my skin healed and recovered, and that’s when I discovered how fun makeup could be on my clean skin. It wasn’t just for hiding flaws. It could highlight my features, bring out my eyes, actually give me eyebrows! It amazed me how a bit of mascara could make my eyes stand out.

Makeup was art, I realized, and my face a blank canvas. It was colorful. I could express myself and show my personality. I could match my mood with the myriad of colors available.

I realized that I didn’t need an excuse to wear makeup. And that wearing makeup didn’t negate what my father told me in my pre-teens. I could be beautiful and wear makeup. The two didn’t exclude each other. Likewise, me wearing makeup didn’t mean I thought any less of myself.

So, don’t judge girls who wear makeup. Wearing makeup doesn’t always mean women are vain or hate the way they look naturally. Like me, they’ve probably been on a journey with makeup and find that it gives them a boost of confidence, provides an outlet for creativity, and highlights their best features.

Makeup, or lack of it, isn’t what makes someone beautiful. As my dad always told me, a person is beautiful the way they are if all is well with their heart. Wearing makeup doesn’t make you look more beautiful, in fact, it’s just a creative outlet that enhances your features. Your personality that defines you, not the makeup.

So make sure putting your makeup on is fun for you, not something you dread. Don’t let it become a chore. We need to stop judging each other for the amount of makeup we each choose to wear. Far too many instantly assume that a woman is too fake or thinks too highly of herself simply because she is wearing makeup.

Regardless of the why behind the makeup, let’s celebrate each other’s beauty and individually. Unless you’re a twin, there is no one out there on the entire planet that shares the same exact features as you. So, go out there and boldly show the world your face. With or without makeup, I know I will, for sure, won’t judge you.

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Featured Image Courtesy: EM Ford via YouTube