The Power of Makeup and Why I’m Wearing Less Makeup

I love wearing make up. I love it’s playfulness, it’s transformation, the high and it’s power. Mascara opens up your eyes wide, turns lashes longer and more voluminous. I love how shadow can bring out the different colours in your eyes and how a pop of colour on you lips can give you confidence and a little swagger. There’s a reason why make up artists are called artists.

Got a hair cut! No filter, no touch up, just scars and lines.

This year I’ve found myself wanting to wear less makeup. At the moment it’s for vanity which is ironic as makeup if we admit is all about vanity. In the summer I stopped wearing powder. I don’t mind now if there’s some shine going. I’m no longer patting on powder to diminish shine only to get blocked pores. Plus when it’s hot, I want my skin to breathe!

While I have a few spots going on, my skin’s improved so much using natural skin care, okay natural cruelty free Korean skincare. Korean skincare as many of you know is years ahead than it’s western counterparts. Bee venom and snail slime I’ll skip however the products I use are filled with aloe vera, rose oil, and heaps of other natural oils and plant extracts that help combat fatigued, acne prone, anti ageing (I know nothing will stop ageing in it’s tracks, it’s nice to give it a run for it’s money!) and promote skin brightening and better texture. I finally feel like my skin is looking the best it’s been in a while save scars thanks to me not being kind to cystic acne. I’m not one to wear a full face, just a cushion compact or BB cream in a compact, concealer, eyeshadow, mascara and maybe some brow product. Even then I feel some people think with her scars, she shouldn’t be wearing makeup.

Current favourite concealer. Lightweight, covers and doesn’t crease into fine lines.wrinkles under the eyes. If you’re a full coverage girl however this isn’t for you.

Some of my friends have beautiful skin and have the confidence in my eyes not to wear much or hardly any makeup. They’re also natural beauties whom makeup only enhances their features. I’m naughty, I workout with makeup on. For some like my friends makeup just enhances what you have. For others, like me, it’s an essential deceptive disguise. It gives me confidence covering scars and blemishes, I like how it pops my green hazel eyes. However I can go to the gym with nicely applied base only to sweat it out and it either creases or kinda disappears leaving tired looking skin. I also think makeup values come with what you grew up with. Monkey see, monkey do. I come a line of ladies who don’t leave the house other than the garden without makeup or a face on. I also believe many people know their attractiveness level. Tkay Maidza raps this perfectly in State Of Mind… ‘I’m an average girl until I put my face on’ .

Now it’s winter the heat inside plays with my skin and frown lines. Yep, I said it was for vanity! Those lines can be emphasised 10 fold at the end of the day. Without makeup they’re not so obvious. For the past 2 weeks and this is a huge deal for me, I’ve only been wearing concealer where needed, eyeshadow, skinny eyeliner and mascara. No BB cream/cushion compact, no highlight, no brows or eyelash culer. The sky didn’t fall in on the first day. My skin’s breathing and those lines at the gym or the end of the day, way less visible. One week on my skin feels a little happier. I’m not giving up makeup, I don’t think I ever will, it’s the confidence and transformation I get from it I like. After a workout I touch up still with a cushion compact or out shopping at the moment as my scarf rubs concealer off my chin or the harsh over head lights make my skin scream red. My skin can get red and oily in winter, it’s kinda nice for others to cover it up. One of my friend’s said, you don’t really need makeup. It’s all in your head. I’m meeting her half way. Yep, it’s all in my head, but I’m not prepared to give up that transformation and confidence boost or that I enjoy wearing makeup and love cosmetics. Wearing less however is equally as confident boosting in a different way, it’s a different type of empowerment. It’s more about you dealing with yourself internally and I’m liking wearing less. If people don’t like what they see, well they can go and f…….. just not look as my skin’s happier.

Do you wear makeup daily or glam it when you want to? Do you feel makeup empowers or takes away from empowerment by hiding? Makeup’s fun, it’s playful, you don’t like it, you can wash it off, if you’re happy wearing it, wear it, if you don’t like wearing it, don’t wear it!

Au natural to the max with a desperate need of a haircut. Now you can see why I like makeup’s power of transformation. Few people see me sans make up. Going makeup free’s not happening, wearing less is.