Every winter, as the holiday seasons approach, I feel like my go-to makeup regimen isn’t working anymore. I get bored with my beauty products and feel uninspired by how I apply my makeup. This year, rather than running out to buy a whole new slew of cosmetics, I decided to go cold turkey, makeup-free for 10 days.
I was lucky enough to have no work or major social events to attend when I went makeup-free, and because it was winter, I could easily hide behind a hat, sunglasses and my mask.
But the real reason I decided to do the 10 day no-makeup challenge, was because I had gotten my eyebrows microbladed. During the recovery process, I had to keep my eyebrows completely dry and makeup-free for 10 days. It was hard to wash my hair and clean my face without getting my eyebrows wet. I usually remove my makeup with a cleansing balm, warm water and a washcloth. I had to forgo this routine, otherwise I would risk getting my eyebrows wet and disrupting the healing process. So I stopped wearing makeup until I could safely wash my face again.
I usually wear foundation and concealer to camouflage my brown spots and areas of discoloration. I also use a beige or peach eye primer to cover my eyelids, which have a lot of purple/reddish pigment. While my skin isn’t terribly dry, I always add a liquid or cream highlighter to make it look “dewy”. Without makeup, I felt like my skin looked uneven, dull and washed out. Day one was tough-I didn’t want anyone to see me, and I tried to avoid the mirrors.
On the plus side- I loved the fact that my nighttime cleansing routine was so simple. Since I had nothing on my face except for moisturizer and sunscreen, I only needed to clean it with a cotton pad and micellar solution. It was also nice to not worry for a change about my foundation flaking off from my retinoid use. After about 6 days, I began to get used to seeing my naked face, and it didn’t bother me as much. But the best part was when I finally put makeup on again. I had a new appreciation for how much prettier, and put together I felt.
Below are some of my suggestions for anyone who wants to try the no-makeup challenge.
Pick a time in your schedule where you aren’t planning to go to any big social or work events
Figure out how to use this time to treat your skin: For example, this would be the time to use your retinol, or skin-brightening hydroxy-acids, since your skin might begin to peel. If your issue is extreme dryness, you can slather on a heavy layer of cream or ointment and leave it on throughout the day.
To look less tired, use an ice pack wrapped in a washcloth to take down the swelling in puffy eyes. Wrapping the ice pack in a towel or washcloth is important to prevent unwanted redness and irritation from the extreme cold.
Moisturize your skin while it is still damp, to lock in hydration.
Use a physical sunscreen (formulated with Titanium dioxide) to protect your skin and blur skin imperfections. One of my favorites is the “Unseen Sunscreen” from Supergoop
Even if you aren’t wearing makeup, you can use a rich ointment such as CereVe, or Aquaphor to enhance your lashes, add moisture and shine to your lips and highlight the tops of your cheekbones.
When you are ready to begin using makeup again, toss out any foundations, concealers, mascara, creams, and lip products that have been in your stash for over a year. Replace them with a dupe of the original version, or experiment with something new. You may find a more flattering color or texture to make your beauty regimen more exciting.
As always, thank you for reading. Please feel free to leave comments and questions below.