Admittedly, it was hard for me to scroll through my social media feed without feeling the pressure to look a certain way. Nearly every girl I see has shiny hair and flawless skin, which certainly didn't help. I used to look in the mirror and only see what I’ve come to believe are flaws—pores, lines, and acne scars—only because I’m my own worst critic.
Makeup was my security blanket. I needed to wear it every day. I felt like a different person without it. But while my painted face is what I wanted everyone to be accustomed to, my bare face is what I’m met with at the start and end of each day. I used to wonder sometimes, “Why don’t I feel beautiful without makeup on?”
That is until I found out about this thing called No Makeup Day. Celebrated every April 25, this occasion was created for people like me who want to flaunt their makeup-free face for once.
Even Hollywood celebrities post bare-faced and unfiltered selfies as a way of promoting natural beauty. Instead of worrying about the potential backlash, they use their platforms to address something that’s much more important than their reputation.
Through them, I was able to see that it’s not just about whether you look beautiful with or without makeup. It’s about being comfortable in your own skin and loving the face that's staring back at you in the mirror.
This year, I’m celebrating No Makeup Day because I believe that this is the first step in allowing myself to be proud of my natural face. If you have an experience that's similar to mine, please join me—it’s our chance to show that even when we choose to keep our looks simple, we're beautiful just the same.
- Lorena Leonen