Beauty enthusiasts everywhere can confirm that bare is one of the biggest buzzwords surrounding the industry right now. This isn’t the first time we’ve heard of the trend–major runway shows have been utilizing minimal makeup and the “no makeup” makeup look for a few seasons now; but the trend escalated to new heights once Alicia Keys was spotted on the red carpet sans makeup.
Let’s backtrack a minute before panicking, though. The idea of being bare started to get special attention after Keys penned an essay for Lena Dunham’s Lenny Letter. She discussed her struggles of trying to be perfect in the public eye and the importance she placed on public judgement. Keys linked the lack of makeup she was wearing to a greater sense of empowerment that came from her choice. When looking at it from that angle, it’s starting to make a bit more sense now.
So what does mean for the rest of us makeup lovers? Do we need to stop wearing makeup? Should we show up on the first date wearing no mascara? Not necessarily. This comes down to a topic we’re all familiar with: body image. Keys, like others before her (and hopefully after her) is paving the way for those that feel as though they don’t have a choice; that women are conditioned to wear makeup when they go to work or on a date because of an ideal image they should reflect. The takeaway with going bare-faced, then, is all centralized on choice.
Keeping that in mind, it’s important to first figure out what you want to personally take away from this trend (for a lack of a better word) and decide if you even want to try it. If your the type that loves everything about makeup and what it has to offer, embrace that. Wear and do what works for you. For those that are intrigued by the idea and want to explore the bare face, here’s a few tips.
Start small
Take away one piece of makeup from your routine. For example, do you always feel the need to wear foundation? Skip it. Keep your mascara, lipstick and dabs of concealer on, but see how you feel without the foundation. Or, get crafty and replace it with a tinted moisturizer. Baby steps, people.
Pick a scene
Maybe you’d prefer to cover up the bags under your eyes for work meetings. We get that. Consider different locations where you’d feel more comfortable with minimal makeup and try them instead, such as brunch with your girlfriends.
Be confident
Makeup is for fun and added enhancement anyways, right? Use this as an opportunity to show off all the other qualities people love about you. Maybe you’re outgoing, funny or witty. Now’s the perfect time to show it. Once you get comfortable with the fact that you and your personality are more than good enough for both yourself and this world–a new type of confidence shines through.
Dig deeper
Look at the bigger picture of your makeup use. Do you wear it for fun or are you concealing something? Do you want an even skin tone or to hide blemishes? Use the lack of makeup to your advantage and think about the holistic ways to treat any skin issues. Try to drink more water to flush out blemishes or get extra sleep to soothe tired skin. Stick to your regular beauty regimen and take care of your skin from the inside out!
Have fun
Enjoy the process of self-discovery! At the end of the day, you are who you are, not the makeup you do (or don’t) choose to wear.