What happens if I don’t… 16 things I noticed in my year without make-up
What happens if I don’t… 16 things I noticed in my year without make-up
What happens if I don’t Wednesday’s are a look into behavior modifications that improved my symptoms. With 9 disorders I never expect myself to be “fixed” but, looking at my life before and after these modifications I can easily see how they’ve helped me keep going beyond coping into thriving and loving my life, so I want to share in the hopes that others can find their way there too.
This will be done up into a video on my YouTube channel if you’d rather watch, either way if you’d be so kind as to SUBSCRIBE to my channel – that would help me get my message of coping out to those who need it. Click here to do that: GoingBeyondCoping YouTube
One of my 9 is Sjögren’s, which is an autoimmune disease that attacks your moisture producing glands. Hearing that one might think Sjögren’s is all about dry mouth but, a lot of things cause dry mouth (especially prescription medication). Sjögren’s wreaks all sorts of havoc on the body. Although the hallmark symptoms are dry eyes and dry mouth, Sjögren’s also may cause dysfunction of other organs, affecting the kidneys, gastrointestinal system, blood vessels, lungs, liver, pancreas, and the nervous system. If you want to learn more about it, you can click here to read more: https://www.sjogrens.org/files/brochures/WhatisSjogrensSyndrome.pdf
The reason I share this with you is because that is the #1 reason for my no make-up experience. I’m not out to start a movement lol, not trying to make a statement or pass judgement, not trying to discourage anyone for wearing make-up… YOU DO YOU. I was initially sad about giving up make-up. In many ways it felt like I was “giving in” to my disorder, “giving up” something of value that other people get to enjoy. I gave up foundation and concealer years ago – could never make it look right lol so I didn’t mind so much that my skin would revolt when I wore it, it was easy to let go. Then it turned into certain brands of eye shadow or eye liner irritated my eyes. Then, everything irritated my eyes, even just a little mascara.
Last October I had a major health event involving my skin that took 5 specialists and 5 months to sort out. It turned out to be a combo of aggressive contact dermatitis, along with my thyroid going subclinical hypo, along with my lady hormones being a little whack, a bit of mast cell activation, and some insect bites leading to my body looking deep fried on about 70% of my skin… it was so horrific Google turned off ads on the blog post for “shocking content.” If you’re interested in reading about that journey, you can do that here: Urticaria (hives) By that January I was starting to recover but was sooooo scared to put anything on my skin and relapse, so I swore off make-up indefinitely.
In the year since I made some interesting discoveries that I want to share with you. Again, not trying to tell you not to wear make-up lol, just sharing my experience.
16 things I noticed
1. I had more emotional stability with my appearance. Being someone who wore make-up regularly, it was almost like I saw two different people in the mirror. Sometimes I would look in the mirror and it would surprise me, to be one way or the other. It wasn’t good or bad, it’s hard to describe. I guess the best way to say it is, if I looked one way I would think about looking the other way – making me never really pleased with what I saw. I still get it a little, especially if my hair is crazy, but it’s a lot more stable now.
2. Got more life for me! This is kind of a wrap up of several of the below things but as people with chronic illness are already limited with the time they get to spend enjoying life, it was important enough to keep separate. In terms of worrying about what other people thought, I used to say about my acne (which cleared up going on autoimmune paleo – if you want to read about that, you can do that here: Tips for staying on an elimination type diet), “I don’t care about my acne, you’re the one who has to look at it, not me.”
3. A year later, I don’t miss any of it, except maybe glitter eye shadow lol. When I see other people in make-up, I have no judgment but I do see the time invested more easily now.
4. Time saved applying and removing make-up – more time for me! Woot!!
5. Time saved learning about, shopping for and testing out make-up – again more time for me 🙂
6. Saved loads of money on make-up, removers, equipment, etc.
7. I’m always ready to leave, take a picture, or answer the door.
8. Can always participate in “no make-up selfies.”
9. Never worrying about my make-up being “perfect,” if it’s mussed or done poorly.
10. No more time spent wondering if they’d like the “real me” instead of made-up me (I live just outside LA and we invented superficial lol)
11. Can exercise (not that I would lol jk), dance, swim, wash your hair, SLEEP (that’s a big one!), walk in the rain (yes, I love that) without messing up your make-up.
12. I have cleaner skin and pores.
13. Not putting chemicals on my face daily, I even gave up nail polish. But, I do still color my hair with Naturtint, a plant-based hair color (click there << to read my review), I’m overdo for that now and writing this instead of doing that so… hat it is lol.
14. Never get make-up on my clothes, his clothes, the furniture, pillows or anywhere!
15. The sheer effort and energy saved applying and removing make-up. It used to take a lot out of me.
16. This is probably the most important for me but I saved it for last… LESS SYMPTOMS!!! That’s the whole point of all my efforts in this life, to reduce my symptoms so I can squeeze out more joy. I had less eye irritation, acne, oily skin, HEADACHES and no more pain in my hands, wrists and arms from applying/removing.
All wins for me!! There is no down-side to this for me. At almost 50 I care a lot less about what people think about me and a whole lot more what I think about myself. I don’t feel jealous that I can’t, I feel joyous about the entire experience. Comfortable, finally, in my own skin.
That’s it warriors! If you’ve been thinking about taking a break from make-up, even just every now and again, you have 16 reasons why it might be a good idea for you. Either way, like I said, YOU DO YOU! You’re really good at it, and as Seuss famously said, “there is no one alive who is more youier than you!”
Make it a great day warriors, the choice is always yours!!
Warmly,
Dawn Super
