In the American culture, going out of your home without your full face on is a huge no-no. After all, everyone will be able to see your flaws.
However, this idea that you need a full face of makeup, including foundation, concealer, eyeshadow and even highlighter is not one that is embraced around the world. Instead, it is mostly an idea of modern culture, and not even all Western cultures accept this as the norm.
More and more people are liberating themselves from the confines of daily makeup applications and are finding that there is true freedom in feeling and looking more like themselves.
Whether you have been toying with the idea of embarking on a one-week no-makeup challenge or have never before considered the pros and cons of makeup vs. no makeup, you should learn more about exactly what you are putting on your skin, how it is helping or harming you and what the benefits of not wearing makeup are.
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Is Makeup Bad for Your Skin?
Whether or not you choose cheap drugstore makeup or more expensive versions that claim to be all-natural, every type of makeup sits on the top of your skin and clogs your pores.
Of course, cheaper types of makeup are often made with toxic chemicals that can cause inflammation, reactions, and breakouts. However, even the best makeup can eventually lead to clogged pores, blackheads, whiteheads, and redness.
Frequently wearing makeup can also lead to increased pore size, eye infections, dry skin, allergic reactions, and an increase in skin aging. Some dermatologists also admit that wearing makeup can lead to increased sun damage on the skin because these women often believe that their makeup is giving them sufficient SPF.
7 Reasons to Not Wear Makeup
Now that you know the down-and-dirty side of makeup, you will want to know more about the positives of going makeup-free, even for only a few days every week.
1. Going makeup-free is better for your skin.
After reading about all of the bad things that makeup can do to your skin, you can imagine how free it will be for your skin cells to go makeup-free, even for a day here and there. Many compare it to how too much hair straightener or blow dryer usage can cause heat-damaged hair.
When you leave your skin in all of its natural beauty, you give your skin cells a chance to breathe freely and renew themselves.
You may find that fine lines and wrinkles do not show up as visibly on your skin and that your breakouts disappear altogether. Over time, your oily skin may even out and start glowing healthfully.
2. Going makeup-free is better for your wallet.
It is estimated that the average woman spends approximately $15,000 on her makeup over her lifetime. Some of the biggest ticket items are eyeshadow and mascara, with lipstick coming in a close third.
Just imagine what you could do with that kind of money if you saved it for something else, such as a vacation or a Massage Envy membership!
3. Going makeup-free can save you an insane amount of time.
Besides the huge money savings you will score from going au natural, you can also gain back some of your daily time.
Many women spend 20 minutes or more getting their makeup on perfectly each morning and even more time touching it up throughout the day. Giving up your daily makeup could give you more time for sleeping or for hanging out with friends.
4. Going makeup-free can help you feel more confident in your own skin.
Although you may feel incredibly uncomfortable when you first step out sans makeup, you will grow to feel increasingly comfortable with your natural beauty over time and will not feel as if you have to cover up your supposed flaws or highlight your best features.
5. Going makeup-free is a smart minimalist move.
If you have been practicing minimalism in other areas of your life, cutting back on your makeup is a smart move. All of those tubes of lipstick and mascara and your dozens of palettes of eyeshadow can quickly clutter up your bathroom.
6. Going makeup-free is eco-friendly.
Most makeup is sold in plastic containers and surrounded by plastic, paper or cardboard packaging. When you consider the huge amount of makeup the average woman buys in her lifetime, stopping your consumption of these products can make a meaningful difference to the environment.
Read Also: Using Black Tea on Hair (7 Benefits)
7. Going makeup-free is animal-friendly.
Many makeups are made using animal testing. Hundreds of thousands of animals are used every single year to test new makeup products.
Although increasing numbers of makeup companies are going vegan, you can never be too careful, and going makeup-free is the easiest way to be sure that you are protecting animals.
How to Stop Wearing Makeup
If you have decided to give up makeup, you may be wondering how you should start. There are three great options that can give you the motivation to make this huge change.
- First, you could stop cold turkey. For some, this is the best method because it gets them to the goal immediately so that they can start reaping the benefits of makeup-free skin.
- Second, you could gradually decrease the number of makeup products you wear. For example, stop wearing foundation and concealer first before cutting lipstick and eyeshadow from your daily repertoire. This will create a more gradual change in the mirror.
- Third, you can enlist the help of a friend. Create a no-makeup challenge with one or more of your friends for one or two weeks, and see how you feel at the end of that time. You will probably find that going makeup-free with someone else feels less awkward when you are out in public.
Tip: As an added incentive, treat yourself to a relaxing facial at a good salon such as Hand and Stone or Massage Luxe before you make the transition to no makeup. Not only will your skin look gorgeous, it’ll make it easier to stay away from makeup.
Removing makeup from your life can be extremely liberating. You no longer have to worry about leaving foundation smears on your white shirts or getting lipstick on your toddler’s cheek. Instead, you can live freely as yourself, proud of who you are, while showing the world that you have incredible confidence.