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Lucy Meadmore: Like a Virgin...
In a campaign spearheaded by Rachel of Rabbit Write, lady bloggers everywhere have declared this No Makeup Week. Sound like a lot of pressure? Siobhan O'Connor and Alexandra Spunt, the intrepid co-authors of "No More Dirty Looks: The Truth About Your Beauty Products -- And the Ultimate Guide to Safe and Clean Cosmetics," say even going a day without making is a worthy social experiment (as long as, yes, you actually do leave the house).
If you're wondering what the point of going cold turkey on your cosmetics bag might be, Alexandra and Siobhan had this to say:
Well, it all sounds very "liberating," for sure. It would be great to live in a world where some of us didn't feel compelled to spend 20-plus minutes in front of a well-lit mirror every morning so we felt presentable enough to brave our co-workers (especially given that most guys don't have to suffer the indignities of the perfect lid-line) ... And one where we didn't feel pressured to drop thousands of dollars a year on cosmetics to achieve "natural" beauty."A recent British study found that 70 percent of women wouldn't leave the house without their makeup tools. Half of those said they wore makeup 24/7, and 40 percent said they'd be embarrassed to be seen without makeup in front of friends and co-workers.
"We know it's a bit scary, but you'll be surprised -- it's kinda liberating, and may make you rethink how you apply makeup ... And once you've ditched it all, that kind of experiment won't be so intimidating."
Want in? Here's how.
Sometime between now and Sunday, Sept. 27, go out barefaced. They're allowing a tiny bit of concealer for hiding zits, but you're stronger than that.
Just snap a picture of yourself doing it and email it here. They'll be posting the results next week, and they'll be back on Lemondrop to give us the exclusive scoop about how it all went down, so stay tuned.
Personally, we're predicting a mass breakup with pore-clogging foundation. (Enough already!) And the idea of letting natural beauty trump a more high-school-cheer-squad look is certainly refreshing. But the thought of no mascara and no powder is another matter for some of us entirely -- like those without visible eyelashes or with excessively shiny foreheads.
What product do you think you would miss the most? The least? Let us know in the comments.
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Thursday 23 September
By KAR
I have sensitive skin so I only wear makeup when I go out with my husband and on special occasions. I do not wear makeup daily. Although he thinks I am beautiful either way (or so he says) I think most guys like less rather than more makup. (Cover up for blemished excluded of course). I think the real problem is when some women feel compelled to wear a complete "mask" of make-up rather than using make-up to highlight their natural strengths (ie if you have great lips..lipstick, eyes.. perfect color shadow etcc) I know he hates lipstick, and I can't blame him, kissing without is so much more intimate.
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Saturday 25 September
By Rachael Halpert
Most guys I've talked to like less makeup on their women than a full makeup covered face. I go without makeup most days and maybe 2 or 3 a week put on some for an outing or something, but minimally even then. If I could choose only 1 makeup product to use, I would like mascara. I feel like even if you only put mascara on, you're whole face looks perkier - eyes more open. There are some free makeup samples to try. Just Bing search " save creatively key to free ". Their free stuff page is great for letting you try out products without even having to pay shipping. No makeup is always best though!! Remember, a smile alone can make you beautiful!
Thursday 23 September
By Julie
Interesting how this is a "Challenge" for some people. I haven't worn makeup in 3 days. My favorite part is that I can rub my eyes whenever I want.
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Thursday 23 September
By Jenn
Honestly, the majority of days I go makeup-less but I think I'm beyond the point in my life where I should be. I have never been a big makeup wearer and always just thought I looked more made-up with it on, not necessarily better. But now I think I actually look better with it. Blame old age, less than consistent skin tone, and the beautiful gift of permanent dark circles under my eyes thanks to my Italian olive skin.
Every day this week so far I've been makeup-less. However, I agree that if I were doing something like going to an event or party or an interview I would DEFINITELY feel weird not wearing makeup.
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Thursday 23 September
By danisha
I almost never wear makeup, and it feels great! my future husband to be tells me im beautiful everyday (hes so sweet). The only time ill wear any is if we're going out to a nice restaurant or somthing. Even then i only wear blush and a little bit of mascara. Stop hiding your faces girls, your beautiful! each and every one of you!
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Thursday 23 September
By Sherri
I have a strict rule - no make-up whatsoever on the weekends. I love it. I only wear it during the week because it is expected.
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Thursday 23 September
By Amanda
My eyes are usually too tired in the morning for me to fuss with shadow and mascara, but I usually always wear foundation. It's nice to have an off day from eye make-up: I'm able to sleep in an extra five minutes, I feel more relaxed at work when I'm not wiping away mascara from under my eyes and my eyes aren't as tired or irritated by the end of the day.
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Thursday 23 September
By Julianna
I did this for 2 days (even before I read the article) and I think I'm more likely to put less makeup on for an every day wear.
Beware though.. the amount of times people said, "oh you look different today" due to the lack of make up made me questioning if I really looked different, or if it was a nice way of telling me I look worse. I have blonde eyelashes and believe me, the mascara makes all the difference. I can't leave the house without covering up my dark circles either!
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Thursday 23 September
By Mari
Yeah I also rarely wear makeup, and when I do (for special occasions) it's generally a line of eyeliner and/or some mascara. I'm surprised so many women are so dependent on it. I've never worn full face foundation--maybe I'd be prettier if I did but it sounds suffocating!
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Thursday 23 September
By siobhan
That's me in the pic on the right, and I have to say, I missed mascara a LOT. Even if you don't ever wear makeup, we want to see your face so please send a pic! It's inspiring to the rest of us to see naked faces :) and may get more of us to do it more often!
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Thursday 23 September
By lulu
I wear make up almost every day. I don't wear alot and only spend about 5-10 minutes putting it on.
I didn't think not wearing makeup was a big deal till I slept late one day and went to work with no makeup on. I didn't even think about it until people started asking me what was wrong or if I was sick. Yup apparently when I don't wear makeup I look depressed or ill.
So I'll be keeping my foundation, lipstick, blush and mascara. Its not that I'm bothered by not wearing any, I'm bothered by nosy people.
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Thursday 23 September
By Jen
I didn't know that NOT wearing makeup was a challenge. For me, the challenge is finding time to put makeup on! When I'm trying to wrangle my daughter and get to work on time, it doesn't happen.
If I had to go without makeup for long enough to miss it (two weeks? a month, maybe?), I'd miss my lip stuff the most. My lips are very light colored. They look a little better when they're darker colored.
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Thursday 23 September
By Lindsay
Yea, not really a challenge. I do it pretty often.
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Thursday 23 September
By Wendy
OMG I'm a makeup freak. I HaVE to wear makeup. whenever I don't wear any ppl ask me if im sick or havent slept. If anything I would miss my foundation the most because it evens out my complexion. After that it's a debate bc I'm big on eyeliner, mascara and blush. I have gone without makeup b4 but I feel better with it on. I might try it one of these days but not when I'm at work bc I am required to wear makeup at work =\
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Thursday 23 September
By Jackie
Wow, um am I the only one who wears make-up religiously? I like the idea behind this, I might take on this challenge. But I can definitely live without foundation. But mascara is my life.
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Thursday 23 September
By Alle Malice
Sorry ladies, but you're screwing up your sources here. Rabbit White is actually the person who BEGAN this, and I know, because we talked and plotted and planned it for weeks ahead of time. She's put more work than you can imagine into this project; please give her the credit she deserves.
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Thursday 23 September
By Bethany
Sorry to tell you, but Rabbit White is already doing this, and has been. She started this challenge! Please don't steal her idea and call it our own, saying she's getting in on it...
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Friday 24 September
By lavender
I never wear makeup. Not at school, not at work, not during the evenings. I mean, I'll wear it if I have a reason to care more than normal about my appearance. But, I just looked in the mirror one day and just decided that - this is it. This is what I've been given and I will learn to love and accept it. I think if you have confidence, you wear that, and it shows in your skin too. You can't fake confidence and acceptance of yourself with make-up forever.
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Friday 24 September
By CC
I've been going without make for 10+ years. I only wear if for special special events, about 5 times a year. I love not spending 20 to 30 doing my hair and makeup. I have crazy curly hair and I have learned to love it too. It is very liberating and maybe this sounds arrogant. But I love standing next to a women that did go through all the trouble and believe it or not I get the most attention. I think men do like us in our natural states, it's a sign of self-confidence. And no, it didn't come from the first time I took it all off, it took a while for me to accept myself. But no one treated me any different; almost like no one noticed.
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Saturday 25 September
By rah
I haven't worn make-up regularly since I was in 8th grade (I'm now 28). For me, it wasn't this great revelation, and it wasn't because I'm so confident I feel I don't need it. Actually, quite the opposite. I have always had low self esteem, and a horrible self image but I realized at a young age that wearing make-up wasn't helping. If anything it made me feel worse, because I was putting this stuff on my face that was supposed to make me feel pretty, but I still didn't like what I saw. So I stopped wearing it. Though my self esteem didn't improve right away, I became more comfortable in my own skin. Now I feel ridiculous when I do wear make-up, so I only break it out for extra special occasions (like my wedding), and because it is so rare for people to see me wearing it I get a lot of comments ("You're wearing make-up...that's weird" was a comment I got at my rehearsal dinner). I'm realizing as I'm writing this that the real reason I don't wear make-up is so I won't get noticed, so I blend in with the crowd, cuz let me tell you...I hate being the center of attention! Thanks for letting me rant on your site...I just learned something about myself.
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