Why I Stopped Wearing Make-up + The Love Your Face Challenge

Michelle Akin
Aug 25, 2017 · 3 min read

It was early June and I had just gotten out of the shower.

I wiped the foggy mirror and glanced at my reflection…

“Ugh, I look terrible.”

The words went through my head, and for the first time, I heard them. I heard my own voice saying this to myself and I paused amidst wrapping myself in a bath towel and thought, “That’s messed up.”

I looked back in the mirror, “This is what I look like.”

In that moment I realized that I had been relating to my non-made-up face as NOT ME.

“I’m not here, I don’t exist yet, let me put my face on.”

And my favorite:

“I’m not even a person yet, let me go do my make-up.”

Now I want to be clear, I’ve got no beef with make-up

In fact, I adore make up. I even tried to go to cosmetology school instead of a regular college, but my Mom wouldn’t allow it.

Make-up is amazingly transformative, fun, and luxurious.

AND I decided to stop wearing it almost three months ago.

It was a decision that shortly followed the scene above, and I’m surprised to report that it has changed my life.

Case in point…

The other day I looked in the mirror after a shower and thought “I look good.”

I got a warm sensation in my heart and smiled. It wasn’t an empty affirmation I re-posted to instagram in an effort to convince myself I believed it.

I believed it.

And I want as many people as possible to experience the same thing.

If you’re still reading, I have to imagine that this speaks to you. And if so… how about you take some action on it vs simply reading this and gaining a new insight.

I haven’t worn make-up in almost 3 months, but I started to notice changes in my self-talk after just a month. So how about we gather a bunch of women together to take a month off makeup?

Join me for 30-days of no make-up in the Love Your Face Challenge #LoveYourFace #LYFChallenge

Sign up to receive the daily challenge emails STARTING ON SEPTEMBER 1st here: http://eepurl.com/cZClkv

Look! I just made this all official and created an email list, some cool hashtags, and even found a make-up-less pic of myself and whipped this up in canva:

Will anyone sign up?

I HAVE NO IDEA!

But it’s worth a shot :) I’d be so thrilled if a lot of people resonated with this and we could get a little community going.

Sign up for the email list and every day you’ll receive a message from me with different things to consider, as well as some exercises and practices to take on. The idea is to get to a place where looking at yourself in the mirror just after the shower is a delightful experience.

You may need to do a few rounds of this challenge to get to the place of truly loving your face, but let’s take a huge step forward TOGETHER and get this started.

No matter where you’re going or what you’re doing, you aren’t going to wear any make-up for the next 30 days starting on September 1st 2017

Now before you freak out, there will be a taper-off period in the challenge. The first week will involve still using a few favorite essentials (cover up, mascara, brow pencil, whatever your pleasure). We’ll also get a “cheat-day” in there somewhere, but I think you’ll find you don’t want to use it.

And finally…

This isn’t a war on make-up, it’s a champion-ing of pure self-love. After this experience, make up will be a CHOICE, not a requirement.

You game?

Sign up and invite a friend or five. Let’s start a community of conscious, self-face-loving ladies.

XO

Michelle

PS- Hope this works!

)

Michelle Akin

Written by

Writer | Singer | Mom | Coach xYouTuber/Comedian/Video Producer/Minor Internet Personality

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