Day 1:
What was I thinking? 21 days completely make-up free? In public? I mean, not even coloured lip gloss or a little mascara? What brand of crack was I smoking when I agreed to this?
Oh well, this is where we are, it seems. Less than a day into this challenge and already regretting it. Have to be bare faced and completely natural for three whole weeks. “Supernatural” is the clever label given to this experiment, pun completely intended. Will being “super-natural” make me feel supernatural?
In this world of filters and lighting, smoke and mirrors, natural is so unnatural that it has become increasingly important to specify #makeupfree and #nofilter when we share our beautifully staged lives with our social media family.
Don’t know when or how I became so attached to my “face.” All I know is, I’m about to head out into the world and I kind of feel alien, even to myself. Here goes nothing!
Day 3:
Never noticed until now that I don’t own a full set of eyebrows. Where did they go? Have I always been this way? Must question Mum. Have 18 more days of walking around looking like a half-browed extraterrestrial. My eyebrow pencil looks disapprovingly at me as I leave the house, reminding me that my “super-natural” is not the same as Alicia Keys’ “super-natural.”
Also, I knew my skin tone wasn’t perfectly even, but heavens above are you kidding me???
Day 7:
Made it through the week. Barely.
Pros: I can get ready to leave the house in less than half the time it usually takes.
Cons: The eyebrow thing.
Day 10:
Looked in the mirror and for one awkward second, my reflection made me smile. Don’t know if this is a coping mechanism, but I think my skin (all shades) is glowing! Found myself staring at the moles I inherited from Gran. They are…interesting. Still no glory for my eyebrows, but I’m not terribly concerned with them anymore. Should schedule a threading appointment though, for the four eyebrow hairs I do have. Can’t let self go completely. Am not a savage.
Day 11:
False alarm. The glow was temporary. As you were.
Day 14:
Can no longer trust my own eyes. I feel bleh one moment, and the next I feel like Mother Nature’s favourite sun-kissed daughter. Today’s forecast is sunny skies and a twinkle in my eye. Speaking of eyes, mine look different somehow. Wider, more awake.
Didn’t do my usual countdown to the end of this challenge today. Only just realized that I’ve clocked two weeks make up free and lived to tell the tale.
Day 21:
I made it! My conclusion is this. Not only do I not need make-up to look or feel beautiful, but I have also discovered that I can live with the thought of other people not being crazy about me or my ideas. I don’t know how much of what I thought everyone was thinking of me was real or imagined, but I am pleased to say I don’t really care.
I lived the #nofilter life for real and it was good interesting. No immediate plans to make it permanent, but will definitely spend more time appreciating my natural beauty and all the colours on my face.
Those eyebrows though…
