9 Things That Happened When I Stopped Wearing Makeup

Wearing makeup every day was a pain in the butt so one day, I just stopped doing it. I decided to go makeup-free and I’ve never looked back.

  1. The earth did not stop turning. People say it all the time but it’s true: nobody cares if you don’t wear makeup. In western society, most people are so caught up with worrying about what they look like but it’s pressure we put on ourselves and it takes up a lot of mental space. If you’re wrapped up in what you look like, you don’t have time to care about what other people look like.
  2. My boyfriend was super supportive. We often hear that guys don’t actually appreciate the time and effort we girls put into our face painting. It smudges off on their clothes, it takes us too long to get ready, and they think it’s unnecessary. My boyfriend is no different. He complained about all of that too, but this time I really listened. Working from home, I have to agree that there’s absolutely no need for me to spend time putting on my face when I don’t have an audience—except for my dog, and he never judges me!
  3. It’s saved me so much money. Because I’m not using my products every day, my makeup seems to last a lifetime. I have a tube of eyebrow filler I bought a thousand years ago and it’s still going strong. I can also afford to buy quality products now that I buy them so much less often, giving me access to many more exciting products I would never have been able to afford before I cut my usage down.
  4. I actually pay attention to what my skin is telling me. When I wore makeup every day, I didn’t pay much attention to my skin. If I had a breakout, I just covered the problem instead of fixing the source. Now if I have a ton of pimples, I consider my diet, whether I’m drinking enough water, if I’m getting sick, etc. Tackling my skin issues at the source instead of lavishly applying concealer means I’m listening to my body and building better foundations rather than papering the cracks.
  5. I feel like I’m living a double life. People who only see me without makeup like our local shop assistants and the man in the bread shop don’t recognize me when I occasionally pop in with a full face on. It’s kind of awkward and actually makes me feel bad about myself, obviously, I look very different when laid bare but I’m trying to find peace with that.
  6. I stopped taking as many selfies too. Before my break up with makeup, I was always photo-op ready. Now that I’m not, I find I don’t take as many photos as I used to. There are pros and cons to both. I like to have photos to look back on, but it’s equally as nice just to live in the moment. I don’t need to document everything!
  7. I’ve realized how self-conscious my friends are. Many of my friends are makeup-obsessed and some I’ve actually never seen with a bare face, even first thing in the morning after a big night out. It’s really drawn my attention to how much time and energy they put into something I now consider quite frivolous. I hope they’re wearing makeup because they want to and not because they feel they have to.
  8. My skin now freaks out when I do wear it. When I head back to my hometown and I know I’m going to meet up with people who only see me twice a year, I make more of an effort with my appearance. Aside from feeling mentally exhausted from applying makeup every day, my skin practically screams at me. I always break out, my foundation never sits smoothly, and it actually feels like there’s a film over my skin. It feels horrible and seriously unnatural! It also makes me think about what’s in my makeup products. If my skin is repelling them, surely I shouldn’t be using them?
  9. I didn’t get that amazing French girl glow I hoped I would. Living in France, I’m always very jealous of the amazing skin I see on all the French girls. Culturally, they start wearing makeup significantly later in life and I believe that plays a large part in the quality of their skin. I haven’t managed to obtain that coveted skin of the French yet but I’m crossing my fingers it’s only a matter of time. A girl can dream!
Originally from Northen Ireland, I love to travel and I'm currently based in Paris, France. I'm a full time freelance writer and designer for my brand K Alexandra and a self confessed Paris addict! There's nowhere I'd rather be than the city of light and love with my little Boston terrier always by my side. I adore fashion and keeping up with the latest trends as well as appreciating a perfectly made dirty martini at the end of a productive day!
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