THE BENEFITS OF NOT WEARING MAKEUP

After Alicia Keys made a public announcement that she wasn’t going to be wearing makeup anymore, the world exploded. Some felt supportive, some went as far as saying she looked like a homeless person on the red carpet (yes, really). People felt it went against the norms of celebrities and others said it was an insult to people who did like to wear makeup. I personally think everyone -celebrity or not – should do whatever makes them feel comfortable. Still, I think everyone should go makeup-free every once in a while, and here is why:

1. Your eyelashes will grow thicker and longer

Not putting mascara on every day – and in particular not removing it every day – can have serious benefits for your lashes. After a week or two, they tend to grow thicker, longer and back to their natural state. After a while you might think you don’t even need that wand anymore.

2. Your skin will clear up

Covering your face in layers of foundation and concealer day in day out can clog up your pores, resulting in pimples and uneven skin. Try going without it for a few days. You’ll see your skin go smooth and soft. For the people who really can’t live without it: try a BB cream or mix your foundation with your day cream to make it feel less heavy on the skin.

3. You’ll get more confident

Okay, this might not be for everyone, but most people will realise that not wearing makeup isn’t such a big deal. Especially if you force yourself to stay away from mirrors and not scrutinize every little spot on your face. You will notice that other people don’t care if you are wearing makeup or not and that you actually look perfectly good without it. It’s important everyone learns how to love their naked face.

4. You’ll save money

Really, you will. Think of all the makeup remover you use every night, the cotton pads to use it with, not to mention ALL the makeup you are not using and thus not buying from Sephora. And if you have saved the money for a few weeks you can spend a little extra next time you’re going.

5. You’ll save time

How much time do you spend every morning putting on your makeup? And every night taking it of again? Think of how nice it will be to wake up a little later and to go to bed a little earlier because you don’t have to use your precious time for makeup. You can even use that time to put on face masks and exfoliate your skin, to make you feel yourself even better.

I’m definitely not saying everyone should pull an Alicia Keys and swear of makeup for the rest of their lives – God knows I’m not going to – but it can certainly help your skin and your soul to put the cosmetic products aside, and to let your skin be.