Let me explain.
I'm being brutally honest and vulnerable here by telling you this: When I don't wear makeup, people don't tell me that I'm beautiful. They ask me if I'm sick.
Every. Single. Time.
I have spent much of my life actually being sick, and I fight against that daily. The last thing I want is to look sick, especially if I'm feeling good.
I'm sure it's true that people who know me and love me see the essence of beauty in parts of my inner being (some of it though, is not so pretty), causing the outward appearance not to matter. I'm sure of this because when I see a friend without makeup, it changes nothing about the beauty I see in them. But I don't wear makeup for others. I wear it for me.
Some may think that women wear makeup to either draw attention to themselves or to hide behind a mask. Both I'm sure are true for some. But many of the people in my life, including myself, wear makeup because it enhances our features, giving us confidence and a satisfying view of our reflection in the mirror. I'm comfortable with that reason - as I know many of you are as well, since the majority of you who posted naked face pictures will also put makeup on one day soon.
It really doesn't matter to me whether you are more comfortable with or without makeup. You still are who you are. I commend you either way.
To be clear, I have no problem with all of you who posted your au-natural selves. As long as you felt no pressure, I say good for you. And if you were nominated, I'm sure it was with the best of motives, as I'm sure it was for me.
Could I have posted one? Sure. Are there pictures of me bare-faced on FB? Yes, there are. But in response to this challenge, I have declined to post one. Partially due to the fact that I was not comfortable nominating women that may not be comfortable with it and might feel public pressure, and partly because I do not want a list of comments telling me I'm a natural beauty. History has proven that is not the honest response to my naked face. Don't worry. I'm fine with that.
Just don't judge me for putting on makeup.
Why? Because I don't feel sick today.
