Bare Skin.

No matter where I was, I was wearing makeup. I would even go to the gym with an extra layer of foundation. It felt a little ridiculous I’m sure but for whatever the reason I did not want to bare my skin to the public in that way. I suppose my confidence relied on a heavy hand applying bronzer and wearing a foundation that was a little too far from my actual skin tone to ever look natural. I recoil when I think of the itchy feeling at the end of the day when the makeup had been on for just a little too long and I’d have to spend way too long washing off waterproof mascara. As many girls are as this age, I was told I did not need to wear so much makeup and I would argue that this remains a valid thing to say to young people in some ways. I’ll assume its an experience I needed to have to become more confident with my bare-faced appearance but I still wish that I hadn’t so often looked the same shade as my favourite guilty cheat snack — the Dorito.

The more time I spend working out the less reason I see to wear as much makeup. YouTube culture created a society with maximalist makeup collections with maximized makeup routines to boot. I bow at the feet of people who can paint pretty colours onto their eyelids but I have never possessed the patience. While still being fascinated by the global community of beauty and skincare gurus I decided that I would take up interest in the latter. Lathered in Origins hydrating face masks and drinking a minimum of 2.5L of water a day I made the personal decision to minimize my makeup. Trading in my thick foundations for lightweight skin tints and dewy highlighters that smoothed on without much thought was one of the best decisions I made. Eventually I had a bubble gum pink makeup pouch full of primarily Glossier products that were as easy taking off as they were going off and suddenly I was no longer thinking about leaving the house without a lick of makeup. I can only wish that this was a sponsored post but alas, no. Pretty quickly all the products that I use were from this brand that supports the ideology of “skincare first, makeup second” and this was one of the biggest transitions of my life. A lot of big statements being made in this post. Not buying all Glossier but the feeling of comfort and confidence that I found in myself and the shift of focus from my appearance but to my wellness. Throughout the day I’m certain a fair deal of this makeup melts away yet it does not give away this secret it merely vanishes rather than leaving me looking more fatigued and disheveled than when I applied it at 7:00am. It is not an easy transition and it is best paired with self love and sending your focus towards a healthy goal.

When I think about not wearing makeup, I think of the beach that clean feeling of the sun attempting to break through the sunscreen barrier and leave a big peachy kiss across your face. Rubbing your eyes and not pulling your fingers away to reveal dark smudges. Belly laughs and big hugs where you don’t fear leaving an imprint of your cheek on a crisp white tee. Walking home in the rain and opening your face to the drops and opening your mouth into a wide grin, eyes closed.