What Three Years Of Wearing No Makeup Taught Me

This post is all about wearing no makeup

I don’t really remember when I first started wearing makeup. I was probably 14 and getting ready to start high school. But even before I started wearing makeup, I was taught that looks are important. And you don’t go out without making sure you look your best. 

There were a lot of rules to ‘looking your best’ in my life. T-shirts and jeans were considered sloppy. And don’t even think about going out in sweats or pajamas. Hair and makeup should always be done. There was even a point when I was scolded for wearing leggings and a comfy shirt too much.

When I moved to Colorado I learned a lot of things. One of them is that looks aren’t that important. And to be honest, I am still trying to learn that lesson. Just last week I showed up to an outdoor work event dressed nicely because I thought no one would be in jeans. Spoiler alert, I was the only one not in jeans. 

So of course, I eventually stopped wearing makeup. I was a tired college student and decided it wasn’t worth my time. Eventually, that meant going to other things without makeup. The idea of wearing makeup just didn’t sound appealing. 

I just recently started wearing a little bit of makeup again. But the years of not wearing it had taught me several things.

Here is what I learned from wearing no makeup

No one actually notices 

I was taught to make sure I looked perfect before going out. So naturally I assumed everyone else was too. I grew up surrounded by women who would make remarks about how someone looked. It created this fear that someone was always noticing the bad parts of me. And while I shouldn’t care, it is hard not to.

But really, no one cares or notices. If you go out and look around, you will notice how many people are not actually wearing makeup. I see it all over TikTok too. There are so many viral videos of people who aren’t wearing makeup. Just last night I watched a movie where Leighton Meester wasn’t wearing any makeup. 

Most people are too focused on other things to care about how you look. If they are noticing, it really means they have nothing better to do. 

I have more time for other things

Have you ever sat and considered how much time it takes you to get ready? I remember waking up 2 hours before I had to be at work. Most of this time was spent putting on makeup. Then I would go to work exhausted and still frustrated with how I looked.

Now I can just roll out of bed 45 minutes before I need to be somewhere. The extra sleep has made me feel better than the makeup did. I am not constantly concerned about touching my face or running to the bathroom to make sure my makeup looks good.

I also don’t freak out anytime I have to randomly go somewhere. Because I was always worried about my looks, I felt I had to be ready to go out. Even if that meant to the grocery store. There was always “I need 15 minutes’ request. Just to make sure I looked decent.

It also prevented me from going places on a whim because I didn’t feel ready. I missed out on opportunities that would’ve been fun. 

My skin is happier without wearing makeup 

I have always had bad acne. And makeup products can be full of things my skin hates. Over the years I have tried countless products, but most of them don’t work.

Even when I found something that didn’t break me out, it still looked bad. I had dry skin or pores that the product would sink into. It was never a good mix. It just made me focus more on how I looked and what I could do to fix it.

My skin has become slightly happier without the extra product. I don’t have as many flare-ups. I am not constantly self-conscious about how my makeup is sitting. 

I have more money for other things

Makeup is expensive! Even if you go and get drugstore makeup you will be spending at least $50. And most of that stuff isn’t good for your face. A good foundation can cost you $70 and there is a chance you might not like it.

We all spend money on things that others feel are dumb. Now that I am spending less on makeup, I am spending it more on other things I enjoy, such as shoes or clothes.

But it is all about what you want to spend your money on. And makeup might be that thing!

So why did I go back to wearing makeup?

I still don’t wear makeup every day. But there is a large part of me that misses getting ready. It’s nice to have a morning routine where I sit and do something for myself. 

Makeup is an art. And sometimes we need to practice being creative. 

It also boosts my confidence on days I don’t feel great about myself. 

I never thought I would be wearing no makeup

I love how I can now feel confident with or without makeup. It has made me focus less on how I look and more on how I feel. If you are someone who feels makeup is harming your mental health, then I suggest taking a break. Even if it is for a week or a month. You might end up feeling so much better about yourself.