Can You Face the World Without Your Makeup?

Did you know more than two thirds of women say they would be too scared to face the world without their makeup? And a staggering 91 percent of women would cancel a first date rather than turn up barefaced.

Now there are many reasons women choose to wear makeup, to enhance their natural beauty and be more physically alluring but did you know some women wear makeup because they want to look different from themselves.

For many women wearing makeup has the same feel as when men put on tailored suits; the wearer exudes a more confident persona. This helps them put their best foot forward and let's face it, the first thing a person usually notices is a woman's face. If it has been enhanced with skillfully applied makeup, a woman will have an instant boost of self-confidence.

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Bare-faced and With Makeup

And some women wear makeup to hide or to cover something up. Like a night of poor sleep, camouflage blemishes, visible pores, uneven coloring, and even some scars. For some women, makeup is a mask to hide behind.

The truth is women have been told since we were teenagers that many of us only look better with makeup products layered on our skin, but a movement is starting.  In March 2013, 1000 female students at Plano Senior High in Texas came to school bare-faced, scrubbed clean of all traces of makeup for International Women’s Day. (Learn about their Operation Beautiful right here.)

I believe the older I get, the less makeup I need. At age 42, I only wear tinted moisturizer, concealer (to hide my under-eye darkness), eye & eyebrow makeup and lip gloss. My whole process takes five minutes and I’m out the door.  I’m not a maverick in showing the world my face without makeup (a herculean feat because you can see I need thicker eyebrows) but I’m a mother of two college-aged daughters and I feel it’s my duty to show them how to embrace their authentic selves. Let's Go Girls!!

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So ladies, if you want to join me and take a photo for the world without makeup remember to exfoliate dead skin cells, hydrate your body (inside and out), get plenty of rest, then snap away.

If a photo posted to your Facebook or Twitter is too much then take baby steps and just let your skin breathe for a day and go about a normal day. (Not hiding in your home like a recluse.) And to my male readers, please be supportive because this is a very scary process for some women.  I know many of you will be surprised to see your loved ones leaving the house without makeup but just remember all that war paint doesn't change the heart of woman you know. You were just use to seeing a 'dolled up' version of your girl. So let's continue the movement, shall we?

Ladies, be brave and let the world see the real you more often.

You’re more beautiful than you think.

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