The Naked Face Project

Yesterday I read a post from Caitlin which really got me thinking. Starting February 1st, she is beginning on a 60-day journey which she titled The Naked Face Project, where she is giving up beauty habits such as wearing makeup, shaving, styling hair, and other "expected" beauty habits women sometimes believe they have to do to be accepted by peers.

She isn't trying to take any feminist/political statement or prove a point, but merely hit the "refresh" button on why she does the things she does. Caitlin puts it this way...

"I don't know if there is something inherently wrong or contradictory with my Beauty Habits, but I feel so dependent on the intention behind them, like if I don't wear makeup or shave, I'm not a 'real' woman. It has gotten to the point that I am not sure why I do it at all - or who I am doing it for. And trust me, I don't wear makeup, shave, pluck, or wax because it's 'fun.'"


Why do I put on make up every day? Yea, it makes me feel good, but mainly it's to hide my "imperfections". I look in the mirror each morning and am thankful for makeup to cover up all my flaws. While I don't wear a lot, I couldn't imagine going to work, church, or parties without it. I honestly admire women who daily go out into the world without covering up and I've always secretly wanted to be that confident.

That is why, starting February 1st, I am partaking in The Naked Face Project. I'm not going to the full extent of what the project is, but I do want to push myself. Therefore, I am not wearing makeup for 30 days. I am doing this so I can reexamine why I wear makeup. I am doing this because I want to feel more comfortable in my own skin. I am doing this because I truly believe God made me perfect and beautiful, and feeling the need to hide/change myself is saying He made a mistake. Again, I don't think that wearing makeup is wrong, but I do feel like I am wrongly dependent on it to 'accept' my beauty.

I have no expectations or assumptions at the end of this, I'm just excited to find out where I will be 60 days from now! Wish me luck!