Let's get real about going naked-faced in today's world.

IT'S SCARY AND AWKWARD AT FIRST.

I started playing with makeup at a really young age when my aunt bought me a Barbie makeup set with a billion colors of eye shadow. In today's world, makeup is pushed onto girls (and sometimes boys) from the minute they leave the baby stage. With shows like Toddlers and Tiaras, makeup is being shown on children with more frequency than ever before.

BUT WHY? They are little kids!

Growing up with makeup in every magazine, advertisement, and pushed by media industries has created a whole new revolution of how we treat our faces. More than that, it has changed the way that we treat ourselves and others based on their makeup.

So, I quit wearing makeup. I honestly can't remember the last time I wore a full face of makeup (I occasionally cave and wear mascara) and it's taught me A LOT.

1. The beginning is the worst

At the beginning of my makeup-free trial, I felt awful about myself. I constantly was asked if I had just woken up or was sick and it made me feel even worse! What I, and everyone else, quickly realized is that we needed to adjust to being makeup-free. As the days went by, fewer people questioned my choice to be makeup-free, and it became a lot less awful. The beginning is the worst.

2. Compliments changed

When I did wear makeup, it was generally the most complimented aspect of my looks. Which is ironic because it is the one look that isn't actually mine. When you stop wearing makeup other people have to find other ways to compliment you. The compliments changed from "I love your eyeliner today," to things like, "Your eyes are especially bright today." At first, the change was subtle, but I soon realized that the way I complimented people was also changing. My compliments became more genuine and thoughtful rather than just about people's surface look.

3. Skin care is important

I used to spend hours on my face making it look the way that I wanted it to, but I rarely actually cared for my skin. Makeup is harsh on our skin and we need to take care of it. When you don't wear makeup, the little imperfections are no longer hidden so you spend more time making sure your skin is clean. This became super helpful for me and instead of searching for new makeup products I love, I looked for new face washes (the more organic the better).

4. I am more productive

What a weird one, right? But it's the truth! Instead of spending my mornings or nights putting on my makeup I do lots of other things. I get to sleep in at least a half hour longer than I used to or I use that time to get organized for the day. I really had no idea how much time I spent doing my makeup or buying makeup until it became valuable free time.

5. Saving Money

If you have ever purchased makeup you know how expensive it really is. Even cheap makeup can still add up quickly, depending on how much you wear. By reducing my makeup bag to one mascara and some blush I have been saving hundreds of dollars, no joke! The amount of money I have saved has gone to food, traveling, and being able to FUN things.

6. I am more confident

Like I said before, the beginning is the worst. It really sucked for the first week or two because I wasn't used to people looking at me bare-faced. I constantly asked my friends if my skin looked OK, I overdressed to compensate, and worried what people thought. As I met more people bare-faced, I became more confident. I realized that people stopped thinking about my makeup (or lack thereof) and focused on my thoughts, actions, words, and personality. Because of this, I became more comfortable with my own capabilities.

Going makeup-free has changed my life in ways that I never thought it would. Being bare-faced started out as a little break from the makeup industry, and I've never been able to fully return. Finding an inner confidence in my looks and learning to look past other's makeup has be an invaluable lesson. Wearing makeup isn't bad, but believing that you HAVE to is.

Be bare-faced and proud.