Now, for those of you who know me in real life, you know that I never wore much makeup to begin with, but within these last few months, I've really made the decision to stop wearing makeup. This has been a long-developing decision that I've been perfecting over several months (aka I've been too hesitant to just jump right in), but this summer break has really lent me some time to get used to the idea and get my confidence back. In fact, the whole reason why I decided to stop wearing makeup was to improve my self-confidence.

The whole idea started when I saw an interview online with Alicia Keys, a famous singer (I'm sure you know who she is) who decided to stop wearing make up a few years back. Needless to say but Alicia and I look quite different, but in her situation, where she is constantly bombarded with cameras and always looked at with a critical eye, I thought why not? Why couldn't I, your average college girl, not do the same?

Now when I say that I was inspired then (in April), I mean that I didn't actually start going natural until a few months later. Coming to the end of my first year of college, I thought that jumping into such a big development might not be the best for my stress levels. So I waited until summer rolled around and, even then, it took a few weeks for me to put down the foundation and walk out the door as I am. But let me tell you what; now, just a month and a half later, I feel fantastic.

I've always struggled with self-confidence and I think I've always used makeup as a crutch to find a way around that problem without ever really addressing it. I've never really liked my skin and the acne that came with growing up. I've also had trouble with my naturally redder skin, my light (almost invisible) eyelashes, and fuller cheeks.

It seems as young adults growing up, we are shown and told more and more that make up can be the thing that fixes all flaws and the thing that can give us the confidence we crave. While that might be true to an extent, we are still faced with knowing we might not be okay with yourself beneath all of what you put on our faces. And that's exactly what I had trouble with.

Ever since I've gone make up free, I've felt freer; I've even built confidence. I've learned to embrace my dark circles and take pride in my naturally rosier cheeks. Not only that, but I've started saving big bucks on makeup that I used to buy, and I've noticed that my skin is actually a lot happier without foundation or any of the other correcting makeup I used to wear. And, even better, I don't have to wake up so early in the morning to put it all on or waste all that time at night taking it off.

And to be clear, I'm not here to bash people who do wear makeup, and I'm not saying that people who do wear it lack self-confidence. I know so many people who rock their made up look and who actually find confidence in wearing makeup.

I think that's just as great! Hell, I still wear a little bit of mascara to work and I'm sure I will at school; but for me, makeup free makes me feel free.

If you're someone who is playing around with or struggling with the idea of wanting to go make up free, I encourage you do to it. If you feel uneasy about it, wait until a time when you feel comfortable going natural for a long period of time.

Don't force yourself into any big changes that might harm your feeling of self-worth. It's a long-term commitment that, in the end, is worth it. You just have to be determined.