04 Jun 2012 11 Comments
Operation Fresh Face: Would you be able to go makeup free for one week?
You know those pics of celebs without makeup? I love them. It’s a bit of a guilty pleasure. Why? It makes the celebs seem more like us, regular people. Ironically, I tend to run at the sight of a camera when I’m not wearing makeup. I only get my pic taken sans makeup for very specific reasons, and usually, when it’s in my control, i.e. a before and after shot for the blog for example. I just prefer it that way.
It doesn’t mean that I’m never caught without makeup on. It actually happens quite frequently, and in all honesty, I’m okay with it.
It’s no wonder a Globe & Mail article this week about this very topic caught my attention. The writer decided to forego makeup for one week (link!)) as part of an Operation Fresh Face. I enjoyed the article. It was funny and did bring up some interesting and thought-provoking points about why we wear makeup.
Some stats in the article suggest makeup makes women more successful. For example, The American Economic Review suggests that women who wear makeup out-earn non-wearers by 30 per cent. Meanwhile, a study conducted a few years ago in Paris found that wearing makeup to a bar makes you 33-per-cent more likely to get approached by a man.
I don’t know about you but these stats aren’t that compelling.
I also don’t think this is what motivates us to wear it.
If push came to shove, I could go an entire week without makeup. No problem. I could probably even go an entire month.
But I would miss it. A lot.
Wearing makeup for me is fun. It’s creative. I enjoy it.
I’m okay with showing my fresh face to the world. But my world would feel just a little bit more…boring. That’s just me though.
Have a read of the article. Would love your thoughts!
Jun 04, 2012 @ 15:37:07
I don’t wear that much makeup but I do love the creativity of it too – whether its just doing eyeliner a new way or something small like that. I often go out without any makeup on me, probably not to a party or something, but day to day I’m okay! It kinda reminds me of an art (even if I’m a poor ‘artist’ of it, haha) I def don’t look like someone that loves makeup enough to read makeup blogs but it my little ‘creative’ passion and i would forgo clothes shopping to buy new MAC
Jun 04, 2012 @ 16:04:37
With makeup there is no ‘size’ to think about. It’s a bit of cliche but it’s true right? It’s one way I express some creativity too.
Jun 04, 2012 @ 15:58:49
To be honest, if I were not blogging about makeup, I can definitely go “fresh faced” every day. The only thing I absolutely have to do to get out of the house without feeling self-conscious is filling in my eyebrows, but most of the time that can really be it! A bit of BB cream and lip product wouldn’t hurt, but they’re not obligatory. I think you’re right. Makeup really should be fun, and everything else that comes with it is extra!
With that said however, I do have to get my photos taken when I’m bare-faced. I think the camera picks up a lot of things that human eyes don’t!
Jun 04, 2012 @ 16:03:27
Thanks Sunny. I think it boils down to self-confidence and as Diane points out below, surrounding yourself with supportive people. Makeup shouldn’t define us.
Jun 04, 2012 @ 15:59:32
Like you I like seeing celebrities without make-up on but not to rejoice and to make myself feel better that like us they don’t always look like their usual beautiful self. I like it because it shows us how normal they really are plus I admire those celebrities because they have the courage to step out of their house without an inch of make-up on. But I absolutely hate it when trashy magazines publish these photos and make snarky comments about the appearance of celebrities. It really annoys me when women rejoice over unflattering photos of celebrities . Whatever happened to sisterhood? It’s really sad that there are women out there who feel the need to bash other women to feel better about themselves. Instead of looking for the flaws of others how about we all focus on improving ourselves first? It would make the world a better place to live in. Agree?
As for my thoughts about going make-up free I love the idea. Despite being a beauty blogger and beauty addict myself I refuse to let make-up to define who I am. I can easily walk out the front door sans make-up. I don’t want the day to ever come when I feel like I can’t go anywhere, face the world without any make-up on. I’d like more women to put down their makeup once in awhile because as cliche as it may sound we’re all beautiful just the way we are. Yes we can all feel more beautiful without lipstick/mascara/lipgloss etc. My tip? Surround yourself with family/friends who accept you 100% undereye circles, acne and other flaws and all.
To sisterhood. Cheers
Jun 04, 2012 @ 16:02:06
100% agree Diane!! Well-said.
Jun 04, 2012 @ 16:11:02
I love makeup, but yes, I am fine going out without any makeup on, even doing the school run without any makeup on many days.
Jun 04, 2012 @ 22:11:19
I can live without wearing a make up. It allows my skin to take a break and breathe. Also, it brings out the true beauty in me.
Jun 05, 2012 @ 06:08:10
I could go without makeup—I often skip most of it on weekends or days that I work at home … except for lipstick, which I wear partly for a dash of color and partly for the lip balmy feel on my lips. Lipstick is the only cosmetic my mother ever wore, but she always wore it, and she looked beautiful with her, otherwise, natural face.
I am a late bloomer and wore ONLY mascara into my late 20s, when I discovered Prescriptives. So my first foray into makeup was to wear stuff that matched my skin tone, or if I wore more bold, red lipsticks, I wore no other makeup except maybe a spot of mascara.
With all that said, I wouldn’t want to skip makeup, not for a cause, anyway. I don’t feel the need to make a stand. Makeup doesn’t define me, and I certainly do not feel trapped by it or compelled to wear it, but *I* feel better when I wear it. I don’t much care what anyone else thinks, and I work in an industry where 95% of the women wear no cosmetics whatsoever, so going without wouldn’t even make me look different from anyone around me. But I like makeup. It’s pretty! And just a touch of it does really and truly make me look better.
I would never judge a woman who wanted to go without, and I admire celebrities who have to courage to go barefaced, but I just enjoy makeup too much, sitting down at my table, opening the compacts and bottles, the ritual of putting it on and seeing the very slight transformation. But it doesn’t take that much. My minimum face (minimum by my standards) requires only brows, a bit of mineral powder applied to the center of my face, and lipstick. I am a “summer” season, and we can tend to look washed out, especially as we get older, so nothing lifts the spirits and brightens the face like a bit of lipstick! ♥
Jun 05, 2012 @ 09:45:41
Great post! I actually go without any makeup around once a week at a minimum, because it’s really important to me that I be comfortable with how I look with no makeup at all. I want makeup to be a super-fun extra, not a necessity.
Jun 27, 2012 @ 11:53:35
Honestly, I’m not ok going without makeup. It’s not that I think I’m horrifically ugly or anything, but I want to look my best all the time. Going without makeup to me would be like going without jewelry, or perfume, or cute clothes — I just don’t see the point. Why would I not be as attractive as I can be, every day?