Wednesday, April 30, 2014

FAQ: why I don't wear makeup

Besides the horrendous comments on my GMA interview, I did receive some inquisitive ones that I'd like to address.


1) Why wear a dress and heels and do your hair if you are not going to wear makeup? Isn't that hypocritical?

I'm not against looking my best. In fact, I love to dress up and be pretty! I don't think there is anything wrong with that, makeup is just not part of that process for me. The reason I choose not to wear makeup has nothing to do with being against looking good or primping myself.

2) So, why don't you wear makeup?

This is a hard question to answer. I touched on it a little bit in an old blog post, but I'll rehash it here.
  • Most makeup is chemicals. I don't want to put chemicals on my skin. 
  • I felt a big stigma TO wear it in order to feel pretty in college. I even put this pressure on myself, thinking I could never be seen as beautiful or sexy without wearing it.
  • After college, because of all the pressure I felt, I decided to stop wearing it completely. It became a kind of prideful thing for me that I didn't wear it. I thought that most people who choose to wear makeup did so because they felt uncomfortable with how they looked or had low self esteem. This was a complete 360 degree flip on how I felt about makeup in college.
  • Today I don't wear make up because it's my choice, its how I feel and it's what I best think represents who I am. It does not make me better then anyone else, nor worse. It is simply what makes me comfortable.  

3) What did your husband say when he saw you not wearing makeup at your wedding?

I don't think he noticed. We were getting married and I think both of us were just jittery as can be. I don't normally wear makeup so I think if he had seen me wearing some it would have been shocking to him!

4)  Would you let your kids wear makeup?

Yes, if they wanted to. The main thing is I don't want them to feel pressure to wear it. I just want them to wear it because its fun or new, not because they feel like they need it to be accepted or pretty. I'd also make sure the makeup they did wear was as natural as possible!

5) Do you regret not wearing makeup to your wedding?

Nope! Totally would do it all over again!

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Hope this helps answer any and all questions you may have about my choice! If I've missed one, leave a comment and I'll get right to it!

10 comments:

Rachel G said...

I can definitely relate to your college experience, but for me it was beauty school that made me start wearing makeup less than I ever had before, because of how attached I saw girls get to their makeup and how even though they were only 17 or 18 they wouldn't dare let anyone see them without it. And the chemical issue is definitely real. I like wearing something on my lips the most and I've had some success at least finding petroleum free lip products. I do break out my blue eyeliner on occasion and I'm sure it's not healthy, but it brings me a smile! :)

Angel G. said...

I believe it's very important not to apply chemicals on your body, especially the skin. If women apply makeup EVERYDAY that's constant exposure to those checmicals. I'm sure they affect the endocrine system of the human body.
I do however, am ok with make up application, but if anyone is to purchase any kind of make up it should be the best quality out there, perhaps the most expensive too :) I know I don't hold back on Rachel's make up because I know it goes a long way.

JM MacF said...

I don't wear make-up now either, but the funny thing is, I'm indebted to make-up for being the reason why I don't wear it! Before I started, I knew I was ugly. People didn't think I was pretty. I longed to be beautiful. By applying make-up I learned I had pretty features and started carrying myself differently. I *knew* I was pretty. One day when I was in a hurry and didn't put on make-up, one guy commented, "Are you wearing make-up today? I can never tell anymore" and I realized it was all in the way I carried myself. Bye-bye extra 10 minutes of primp time!



P.S. You're beautiful and being on GMA must have been such a fun experience! I wish I hadn't worn make-up on my wedding day.... it was the first time my husband had ever seen me with make-up! (He didn't even notice I had any until after the ceremony) But when your mother insists...threatens....haha

PopChampagne said...

nice post and I can definitely relate! I wear very minimal make up on daily basis because I feel that I'd rather people think I'm okay plainish looking and then the day I decide to actualyl dress up I wow people rather than like some of the other girls I know who dolls up every day and the one day they feel lazy that they decide not to wear make up people look at them and think... IS THIS THE SAME PERSON. for me it's a lazy thing and I am personally comfortable not "looking the best" everyday and it is not in others place to tell me how I ought to look

Carolynn said...

Have you heard of the EWG: http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/


This website breaks down the components of every makeup and beauty product from facewash to concealer and rates it by toxicity level. They also post everything contained in the product and explain what some of the unpronounceable ingredients are. It's kinda confusing to navigate at first, but I use it before I buy something. You'd be surprised what it says!

Sybil said...

Wearning make-up - or not wearing it - should be a no pressure thing. I don't ever want to feel like I have to wear it in order to look my best. There are many days when I make the choice not to wear make-up. I want my daughters to see that it is not a requirement, that it's something you choose.

Cody Doll said...

Yay for not wearing makeup. I am so sick of everyone (media) making girls feel they have to wear makeup. I don't wear it either.
I feel that girls that do are lying because it's not how they really look. Or like you said: have self-esteem issues. I don't care if girls do but that's my opinion and the biggest reason I don't.

Connie KittyBlog said...

I wish I understood why this is an issue.. by these questions alone it seems people equate drawing on your face to be the same as wearing clothing.. that's just weird.

I am allergic to make up, so I never got into it during those formative years when young girls learn to apply it.. when new hypoallergenic lines came out, I thought I'd try them, but by then it seemed like a complete and utter waste to me.. pretty much akin to washing drying and ironing your clothes every day before you wear them.. completely unnecessary and a waste of time.

I wore a wee bit of make up on my wedding for the simple fact that I knew photos would be taken of me, and I didn't want a shiny face and I wanted my eyebrows to show up (they are very light in color)

Belle Vierge said...

I love that you have actual reasons not to wear makeup. I don't wear it that often, but it's because I'm lazy, pure and simple. :)

Analyze A said...

You go girl! Btw, hypocrisy is telling someone else to do something that you yourself do not do...not at all relevant to your makeup choices :). It doesn't refer to holding any position you have to the degree of fanaticism or in 100% of every similar situation.

Thought I would share... I usually wear light makeup but on my wedding day it was done professionally and was heavy. My maid of honor thought I was the prettiest bride she had ever seen (in reality, that is what I have thought about every bride on their wedding day!)....but my husband hardly recognized me!!! Poor guy had to exchange vows with a stranger. LOL. In the photos, there is an orange glow to the foundation which I think ruined those photos. I think it is brilliant that you were yourself on your wedding day!