17 Women Share the Reasons They Stopped Wearing Makeup

When Pamela Anderson went to Paris Vogue Week with none make-up final October, the web freaked out. Seeing the sweetness icon forgo basis and eyeliner in entrance of so many cameras—with an enormous smile on her face—was refreshing, to say the least. You don’t see many bare-faced girls celebs usually, and particularly not ones over 50.

This minimalist perspective is making a buzz outdoors of Hollywood, too. On TikTok, for instance, #nomakeup has greater than 1.6M posts. After all, many of those movies (sarcastically) contain placing a variety of effort (and cash) into reaching the “no-makeup make-up” look or “clear lady aesthetic.” However there are additionally loads of posts from folks of all ages proudly exhibiting off their pure pores and skin—no mascara, no blush, no filters.

To put on—or not put on—make-up is totally as much as private desire and luxury, and the explanations behind both alternative are completely different for everybody. Right here, 17 former make-up fans inform SELF what impressed them to ditch their beloved cosmetics.

I bought so used to seeing myself with out make-up through the pandemic, that it simply turned the brand new regular.

I used to at all times put on make-up each time I went outdoors. However whereas I used to be quarantining throughout COVID, I didn’t must, since I wasn’t seeing anybody or going wherever. The extra I went about my day with my naked face, the extra I bought used to the best way I seemed with out basis, mascara, under-eye concealer, and eyeliner. —Katrina Huang, 24

Continuously worrying about how my face seemed added pointless stress.

It’s the identical cause I additionally stopped doing my hair: I simply don’t have time, nor do I think about it a precedence. After I did have make-up on, I’d always need to watch out about not touching my eyes in a approach that might smear my mascara, or not cleansing it off correctly on the finish of the evening. All that additional stress might be averted by merely not placing any on within the first place. —Jiamie Pyles, 44

My daughter impressed me to embrace my naked face.

I ended sporting make-up after admiring my daughter and her pure magnificence. I used to be form of in limbo on the time, as a result of I’d simply reduce my lengthy hair off and was combating my private picture. As soon as I seen that I turned depending on sporting make-up throughout this stage, I spotted that it didn’t really feel pure, so I began to give attention to what’s stunning to me. —Marissa Kelley, 32

It was so irritating for my eyes.

I by no means actually took to sporting correct make-up on a regular basis, however in the previous few years, I’ve given it up fully. My pores and skin (and my eyes specifically) are simply far too delicate. Plus, what am I making an attempt to cover? That is my true pores and skin, wrinkles and all. I’m 5 years youthful than Pamela Anderson, and I feel she seems to be superb. I applaud her for taking a stand and showing as herself. —Holly Ross, 52

Someplace alongside the best way, I spotted I shouldn’t put on make-up for exterior validation.

Rising up, I at all times cherished taking part in with make-up, and I wore at the very least slightly day-after-day from center college till my junior yr of faculty (when the pandemic began). Since I used to be staying residence for essentially the most half, I did not really feel the necessity to put on make-up, however as soon as I began seeing folks once more, I seen that I used to be motivated by exterior causes (specifically, to attraction to males).

My preliminary break from make-up jogged my memory that it was imagined to be enjoyable and for my very own enjoyment—to not impress others—and that wake-up name helped me really feel assured in my pores and skin once more. I nonetheless love a glam second for particular events like birthdays and Halloween, although, the place I can experiment and get again to the enjoyable of all of it! —Simone Afriye, 24

I wished to look—and really feel—like my genuine self.

I spotted I like the sensation of fresh, clear pores and skin versus sporting make-up. At this stage in my life, the primary thought is to look wholesome. And naturally, there are occasions after I really feel pressured to put on eye make-up with lipstick. However after I do, I remind myself that the purpose is to overwhelm others with my grace and mind. —Virginia Peacock, 65

I used to be sick of getting to put on a lot as a former dancer and cheerleader.

For thus a few years, I needed to put on tons of blush, eyeshadow, eyeliner, and basis for dance recitals and cheerleading competitions. The seems to be had been fairly dramatic—to the purpose the place I might barely acknowledge myself. So after I stopped doing dance and cheer years later, I used to be lastly in a position to embrace my naked face, which made me really feel extra comfy in my very own pores and skin. —Sydney Charles, 24

I didn’t need to adhere to sexist magnificence requirements.

For me, make-up isn’t any completely different than getting charged extra for pink razors catered to girls. It’s one thing society expects us to maintain paying for and placing up with, and I spotted males aren’t obligated to keep up their seems to be in the identical approach. That—and perhaps I’m too lazy for the maintenance that might be required. —Anna Shkolnikov, 46

To observe self-acceptance, I made a decision to cease protecting my pimples.

I initially bought into make-up as a result of I used to be insecure about my cystic pimples. I simply wished to cowl up the breakouts, however I spotted I used to be utilizing make-up as a crutch: I couldn’t go away the home with out it, and I didn’t really feel stunning both.