Looking “put together” is a trendy topic nowadays, and the process toward looking “put together” usually includes makeup. The other big trend is the “no makeup makeup look”. What if I told you that the best way to achieve a “no makeup” look was to wear… absolutely not makeup? You would probably tell me that no one can, in such a day and age, spend a whole day at work without any makeup on, right? I used to believe that as well, and let me tell you that I used to wear far too much makeup (to the point it was not pretty at all anymore), especially when my acne was at its worse. Know that I have been there too.
That post is not dedicated to everyone as many women love the process of applying makeup: it makes them feel good, and that is perfectly fine. Nonetheless, many other women feel forced into wearing makeup because of societal pressure and thus, I want that post to be a gentle reminder that makeup is neither necessary nor the only way you can achieve a “put together” look.
Let me share with you my views on makeup, my experience turning “makeup free” (is that even a word?) and the ways I achieve a “put together” look without it.
Quitting makeup: a hard choice to make (but a choice worth the difficulty)
When I turned eighteen (that is to say, two years ago), I decided that I would go on that journey. It was hard, really hard. At the time, my skin was highly damaged by acne and when I first tried going “makeup free”, it was a complete failure and lasted less than a week. I want that post to be honest, so I am not going to tell you that the process is easy; that is hard.
However, I tried going “makeup free” again a year later, and I was finally ready. What had changed? Honestly, accutane. I consider writing a whole post on that topic as it deserves to be discussed, but for today, I will be short and concise: I got rid of my acne thanks to accutane. Nonetheless, and even without acne, “going makeup-free” was still hard. I think that comes from the fact we are so used to seeing ourselves with makeup on that at some point, we do not even feel like ourselves when we do not wear any. That may seem exaggerated, but that is the way I used to feel.
I would say that the first week is the hardest. After a month, I already felt far better in my own skin and to be honest, I did not even think about wearing makeup at all anymore. A month is what you will need to create the habit of not wearing makeup. Let me tell you it was all worth the effort.
What changed after I stopped wearing makeup?
I had more money
Did you ever think about the amount of money you spend on makeup every month? I could never have imagined I would save hundreds of euros by simply stopping purchasing that stuff, but I did! That is money you may invest in what really matters to you, rather than in a product you feel forced into buying to feel “normal”.
I started feeling even more minimalist
As you guys may now, I consider myself a “minimalist”. However, when I still wore a full face of makeup everyday, I noticed a little “pang” in my chest, just as if I was a “scam”. I am not saying that people who wear makeup can’t be minimalist, do not get me wrong, but each and everyone of us has his or her own definition of minimalism and to me, wearing makeup felt just wrong. That may come from the fact that I never really enjoyed wearing it anyway and that thus, I was investing time and energy into something that did not bring any value to my life. Thus, I would say that quitting makeup helped me reconnect with a morning routine more aligned with my goals as I can now spend more time reading or writing rather than putting mascara on.
I felt less “sticky”
Am I the only person who always feels “sticky” with makeup on? The products I used were high-quality so I tend to believe that if I used to feel sticky, I may not be the only one! Sometimes, my mascara would just feel “hard” at the end of the day or my foundation would start “melting” (quite disgusting). I think it was all due to the fact I was far too self-conscious when it came to makeup, I would always feel like I must regularly have a look in the mirror “just in case”. Now, that is one less thing I have to think about, and that is a complete relief!
How do I mange to look “put together” without makeup?
The products I actually put on my skin
Not wearing makeup does not mean I do no put anything on my skin. Nevertheless, as a minimalist, I like to keep that as simple as possible.
- A soap
I use a gentle organic soap to wash my skin twice a day. That’s it.
- Shea butter
For hydratation, I keep it simple: I apply shea butter twice a day after I washed my face. I also apply it on my lips as I feel more hydrated with shea butter than with a regular lip balm. The product may seem “pricy” (even though it is “cheap” compared to fancy serums) but you can actually use it for your body, face, lips and, apparently hair (even though I did not try it yet) so the many uses are worth the price!
- DIY face-mask
Do not think I do anything crazy: I simply mix coffee grounds with honey and apply it on my face once a week. Then, I rince gently.
That is ALL! It may seem very little, but that is all I actually wear. The only thing that may vary is a little touch of tinted lip balm when I go out and feel like it but otherwise, I stick to that minimalist routine.
Tips to look “put together” without makeup
- Make sure your skin is clean
Not wearing makeup does not means being “dirty”. I know you know it, but it is worth reminding as the less makeup you wear, the cleaner your skin must be. There is nothing that will be there to “hide” it so make sure the quality of your skin is on point. If possible, do not smoke, reduce alcohol, drink a lot of water, exercise and eat well. The quality of your skin depends on the quality of your life more than on the products you apply on it.
- Focus on your hair
That tip is especially true for those of you who just got started on that journey. You can absolutely look feminine without makeup and the thing that can help is focusing on the quality of your hair. Hair and skin go hand in hand in my eyes, so the tips I gave for a good-quality skin are exactly the same when it comes to your hair. Moreover, I would advice you not to use heat on your hair as natural hair will match perfectly your natural skin. Then, you may reduce the amount of products you put on them just to make sure they do not get “heavy”. I personally think my hair look better when I wash them with a simple baby-soap but that depends on your own hair type, obviously. You may ask your hairdresser for that if you are not sure, but do not hesisate going as natural as possible for the hair as well.
Those tips, even though they seem “too simple” will be enough to make a huge difference between your “I just woke up” face and your “I am heading to work” face.
I hope that post helped you feel less alone in your journey toward a more “natural” beauty routine,
Lots of love,
TABOULOT Camille
The English-speaking Frenchie 