30 Days of No Make-up

Yes. I have decided to join in on the fun challenge? I guess only the next 30 days will tell. As most of you know I am a huge fan of Darling Magazine. I found out yesterday on their online blog they are sponsoring a campaign. You can learn more about the 30DaysNoMakeup here.

The founders write, We are launching an open invitation to a bigger, personal conversation about identity and worth. It’s an experiment. It’s a curious, vulnerable, courageous offer to anyone anywhere who is brave enough to face themselves and the outside world for 30 days without anything on their face. It’s about observing what comes up for us, and remembering that who we are is enough. It’s an act of self-love"

The campaign lasts from November 15th-December 15th. Anyone can join at any time. You can follow them on Instagram (#30daysnomakeup) or on their online blog as well. I first saw the picture on Instagram yesterday and commented and tagged a friend telling her to do it with me! Literally 5 minutes later, to my surprise, one of the founders replied and told me to join them! 

I was totally called out. 

I rationalized a lot of things to myself such as I don't wear THAT much make-up. I don't want to look tired everyday. I don't want to be look unprofessional at work. I don't want to look younger than my age. I have definitely been addressed as a student walking the high school halls. It is WEIRD. I had other thoughts too like I am creative! I like art. I like to paint anything with or without a canvas. I paint my toes and nails. I will paint a purse or a drawer. I love color. And I love my make-up. I am a big Clinique fan. I adore the way it smells and the way it feels on my skin. I am OBSESSED with their chubby stick moisturizing color lip balm. 

Also I am not anti-girly or anti-make-up. I have nothing against it. But do I have something against NOT wearing make-up? (hmmm double negative there…) I didn't think so… As I pondered this I thought about how awesome social experiments are and if anything they teach you more about yourself and those around you. Doing brave things isn't about doing the most comfortable things. When I am most brave I am usually my most anxious. Brave looks different for everyone too. So for some people make-up might not be where it's at. 

I thought about my creativity and how it flows out of a place of freedom, desire and choice. I thought about putting on make-up 6 days out of 7. Some days it flows from a place of creativity and passion and my artistic heart. Other days I literally feel like I HAVE TO wear make-up. I feel like "shoulds" and "have tos  and "must or else" REALLY stunt creativity. Some days I just wear make-up so no one asks why I look so tired/sick/pale/16. I don't want that to be my reason for wearing make-up.

I decided to do it and to simply observe and not judge myself or others in this nerve wracking process. I will try not to read minds and guess what others are thinking. I will be gentle and tender with myself during this time. These are my mantras.  I will try to blog so you too can observe my observations and hopefully find encouragement through it as well! Who we are is enough. Always enough.