I Stopped Wearing Makeup and the Earth is Still Spinning
I started wearing makeup when I was in middle school. Realistically, a twelve-year-old does not need makeup, but I enjoyed it and it made me feel special. I started with a drug-store eyeshadow shimmer, tinted moisturizer, and clear mascara. It was exciting– it felt powerful. Then, as I got older, the tinted moisturizer turned into foundation and the clear mascara turned into liquid eyeliner and mascara. Pretty soon, I was baking and contouring the sh*t out of my face and hoping to sculpt a new one with a brush. If I happened to go a day without a full beat and lashes, I would get questions like “are you okay?” or “are you sick?” which reinforced the idea that I needed makeup to be pretty.
It is not like wearing a lot of makeup is shameful, or means that you are insecure. For a lot of people, myself included, makeup is an art and a chance to experiment with your self-image while boosting confidence. But there is a thin line we do not talk about enough– and I was treading it. I started to wonder, was I doing all of this makeup for myself like I said I was? Or was I doing it out of insecurity?
Image Courtesy: Instagram
When I first saw the pictures of iconic Pamela Anderson going makeup-free on the red carpet, I was in awe of her beauty and her confidence. She looked so refreshed and happy. I remember thinking that I wanted to try going natural, but the next morning in the mirror, I found myself beating my beauty blender into my skin and curling my lashes again. It was almost as if I had no choice– as if I could not leave until all my freckles were covered and my eyes were black.
Don’t get me wrong, I love makeup. I love a full face and I love seeing other people's creative side through their makeup. But it got to a point for me where it was not fun anymore and it became a grueling chore.
Image Courtesy: Instagram
For the past couple of months, I have not been wearing makeup. I do not necessarily remember how I stopped. It happened very slowly, where I began only covering up imperfections instead of my whole face. I relaxed on the eye makeup. Then, I stopped completely. I think it mostly happened because I got exhausted from school and work and I could not be bothered to do my usual makeup routine. I stopped wearing makeup to places I could not imagine going to with a bare face, but when I did, I realized the world did not end.
Makeup has become an art for me again. I do my full face routine for special events and I take the space to enjoy the process and experiment. I love having so much extra time in the morning that is not dedicated to staring at and nitpicking my face. I am learning to place less of my self-worth on my appearance. I think a lot of people have been so exposed to social media that we feel the need to present ourselves in a very particular and curated way, but keeping up that image can be draining. Pamela Anderson, one of the many celebrities embracing the natural look in the media recently, says, “I'm not trying to be the prettiest girl in the room. I feel like it's just freedom. It's a relief.”
Image Courtesy: Instagram
Embracing my face without makeup, albeit unintentionally at first, has granted me newfound freedom and authenticity. It is not just about makeup, it is's about reclaiming agency over our identities and embracing the beauty that lies beneath the layers.
Strike Out,
Indigo Carter
Editor: Maya Kayyal
Indigo Carter is a writer for Strike Magazine. She is an English major with a deranged love for Hello Kitty. You can reach her at @indigocarterr@gmail.com or on Instagram @prettypretty.princesss
