A few months ago, Melinda from Palindrome at Home wrote this post, where she proudly posted some self portraits of herself sans makeup. “Dang,” I thought, “she’s freakin brave.”
It got me thinking. Why is it that we (as women) feel the need to put on makeup and perfectly coif our hair each morning? I do kind of find it slightly unfair: my husband needs all of 10 minutes to get ready in the morning, yet it takes me about an hour.
I’ll admit: I wear makeup pretty much every single day in some form…and I do indeed feel relatively naked without it. I could live without some items, but there are certain things that I find myself desperately clinging to. For instance – my mascara and my eyebrow powder. If nothing else, I have to apply a quick swipe of mascara and fill in my eyebrows before leaving the house! Also, with fine/thin hair, it is absolutely necessary for me to wash my hair and style it every day in order for it to not look dirty. At least, this is what I tell myself.
Justin constantly tells me that he thinks I’m beautiful without makeup – even on the weekend mornings when my hair is disheveled and I have some mascara remnants smudged under my eyes. I always shush him and insist that he’s just saying that to make me feel nice. Come on now Katie, seriously? Why do I feel the need to pass off his compliments so quickly?
Although many of you already know this, I’ll say it again: I met Justin on the beach. On a Saturday morning…with dirty hair pulled back into a bun and barely a speck of makeup on my face. I wasn’t intending to meet my future husband on that day, so I hadn’t put much work into my appearance. Well, I guess it worked for me in the end, huh? Society and advertising clearly tell women that we need to wear makeup and change our appearance in order to attract men, to feel beautiful, and the like. But where is it getting us? I feel like it just perpetuates my own insecurity about my appearance. I don’t feel complete without makeup…I don’t feel beautiful with day old hair…people are going to judge me. It stinks.
Lately, I have decided to make an effort to become more comfortable in my own skin and embrace my “natural” appearance. I’m taking small steps, like walking the dog around the block with no makeup. I’ve now graduated to being comfortable with taking a trip to the grocery store sans makeup. Its kind of liberating…and you know what? I’m pretty positive that no one has judged me or made comments. I am my own worst enemy when it comes to this battle.
So, I’ll get off my soapbox for a minute and show you…me…without makeup and with day old hair. I took these photos on Saturday morning, and I only adjusted the brightness to the photos (the lighting in our apartment is not the best). And guess what: I don’t think I look half bad: I’m getting used to seeing Katie in this way.
Do you feel pressure to wear makeup/have perfect hair every day? How do you embrace your “natural” beauty? Would you be willing to post a photo of yourself sans makeup?
*If you feel compelled to write a similar post/display photos, I would love to link them up here! Please let me know- I’d love to read what you have to say about this!*
Read more from:
Kate at Marsh Mellow Goodness
Carly at The Less Than Domestic Goddess
Amanda at The Fix-Its
Natalie at Oh, For the Love of Blog
Kim at kimberlymichelle.com
Tiffany at Makes Me Blush
Cole at Adventures in Love and Happiness
Megan at Notes from the Bench
You look beautiful sans makeup! 🙂
Aw, you look beautiful in those pics! I actually hardly ever wear any makeup. Last time I wore any was back in August for a friends wedding that I was in. 🙂
You look amazing! But. You have great skin. Mine is hideous – worse than high school because now I have dark spots where pimples were, for some reason. I have blotchy skin, and sometimes, allergic dermatitis (to fake jewelry). As much as I’d love to not wear makeup and feel beautiful, unless my skin magically declares itself not volatile, it’s not going to happen.
Your so gorgeous, my dear 🙂
your skin looks amazing! (Justin is right)
I don’t wear a lot of makeup, but I really can’t skip it with my office job. I don’t look very put together!
I have been working to better my skin, though, so i can use less makeup.
You are gorgeous without makeup! I used to wear makeup on a daily basis, too. Now, I typically only wear it for special occasions or on random days when I feel like it (though I should probably wear it more often, because I’m a beauty consultant!). Confidence is more beautiful than a made-up face.
This is such a great post! I struggled with bad skin for a few years and it really took a toll on my self esteem. Of course, my FI tells me I’m more beautiful without makeup than with but it’s one thing to hear him and another to actually believe it. Thanks for posting your natural beauty.
I think you are quite gorg without make-up dear! I wear make-up when I feel I need to. And, I’m with you on the hair – although I have thick hair (and use no product). It looks greasy all the time).
Happy to see you embrace your natural beauty!
You rock sans makeup! Listen to your man. This so random but you have like a perfect hairline … is that the weirdest comment you’ve ever received? Probably. Regardless, great post. 🙂
Get it girl! Love the profile shots!
Beautiful, Katie!! I am so inspired by you and other women posting pictures of themselves sans make-up. I think I might jump on the train and write my own post 🙂
Thank you for sharing a bit of your gorgeous self with us.
Guuuurrrrl, you look so pur-tee!!!!
I am a no-makeup kind of girl…don’t applaud me…it’s not out of any liberating stench, but more out of pure laziness. 🙂 It’s a real occasion to see with make-up on and my hair did.
You look fantastic without makeup! I usually just wear foundation and mascara, so I think the only difference in my ‘bare’ photos would be splotchier skin 🙂 You have great skin!
See now, if I was as naturally gorgeous as you, I wouldn’t need makeup! You look beautiful!
Personally, I can’t go out without at least eyeliner and mascara, and my eyelashes curled. I’m the type that takes off my pressed powder (I don’t wear foundation or anything else on my skin) at night, but leaves on my eye makeup. I don’t look like myself without it! And I feel like I look really young without eye makeup too, so although I COULD go to the grocery store without it, it would be a pain because I’m always buying wine!
You’re beautiful as always. 🙂 Your camera also takes way better pictures than my Mac. I shouldn’t have been so lazy. Hooray for owning natural beauty! 🙂
You’re gorgeous! I’m pretty sure I’ve posted photos of me sans makeup on my blog before. (I hope I didn’t apologize for them!)Really great idea for a post, and I hope more beautiful ladies follow suit!
You have amazing skin and should be proud of the way you look, you’re gorgeous! Us women have so many stereotypes that we THINK we have to live up to, we should be ourselves! If I have time in the morning, I’m thinking of posting sans makeup as well. Doubt I’ll look as fierce as you though. Rock on girl. 😉
Gorgeous, darling!!
I think you look fabulous, as always! (And, I’m super jealous of your cheekbones!)
you are so beautiful! seriously – i really like your hair in that somewhat messy bun. 🙂
You are lovely! Thank you for your brave words. I’m a natural girl myself, and hardly ever wear makeup beyond lip balm. Here I am, sans makeup: http://flic.kr/p/9atK65
Thank you again, and have wonderful day!
Fantastic post! You look beautiful.
You are gorgeous! Now you can stop wearing makeup and get away with it. hehe
I’m probably going to do this (with a twist, if I’m brave enough). The only time I feel ok going sans make up is when I’m tan. But even then I like to wear at least mascara. You, my dear, have beautiful skin. Me? Not so much.
For one.. this is SO. NOT. FAIR. You darling are stunning. Secondly, a man who truly loves you sees all your beauty.. sounds like you found that guy. Now I’m off to spackle my mug w/Dior Skinflash because I care about my fellow humans 🙂
Your skin looks GREAT sans makeup. Own it! And thanks for the link!
This was such a timely post for me, because lately I’ve been thinking about how overly important it is to me to always look “my personal best” when i leave the house. But I got to thinking, why does that always have to include a full face of makeup, styled do, and a cute outfit. FI and I leave at the same time every morning, but I have to get up 45 minutes before him just to have enough time to get ready!
This morning I decided to just use concealer, blush, and mascara. You know what? It doesn’t look too bad, we may be on to something here
oh, i totally feel the pressure to wear make up and look “perfect” or at least reasonably put together. if i was one of those woman that could get away without wearing makeup i would!
Love, love, love! My husband tells me the same thing (“Jenna, you don’t need make up! I like how you look better without it!”) and I find it so hard to just accept what he’s saying. You look so beautiful sans makeup–you have stunning eyes and great skin–I agree with your hubby and I don’t see what’s not to love! =)