What Everyone’s Missing About the Whole Alicia Keys No Makeup Thing
Alicia Keys is making headlines again for new music and a new look. Her #NoMakeup makeunder is inspiring women everywhere to feel just as fab with makeup as they do without.
Why did she choose to go bare? Well it started with a raw photoshoot which led to an epiphany of sorts.
“I hope to God it’s a revolution,” Keys wrote. “’Cause I don’t want to cover up anymore. Not my face, not my mind, not my soul, not my thoughts, not my dreams, not my struggles, not my emotional growth. Nothing.”
Keys’ message is one that needs to be heard. I remember feeling like I absolutely could NOT leave the house without full coverage foundation, military-grade concealer, and this eyeliner situation I was so obsessed with that it took three different eyeliners to concoct.
When I started getting into writing about beauty I had a “come to Jesus” moment and realized that I was relying to heavily on my makeup bag. (The early AM writer shift will have you questioning EVERY part of your morning routine.)
Truth be told I was terribly under-qualified for my beauty writing gig, but it didn’t take long for me to step my knowledge up. Now I’m pretty much the annoying friend that asks the Sephora employee to point me in the direction of fragrance-free, noncomedogenic, silicone-based primers.
My stint without makeup was eye-opening. I was shocked to discover that without my makeup I wasn’t as productive. I didn’t feel as “together” and I certainly wasn’t in the mood to write about cream contours, brow gels, and highlighter duos. So I sacrificed that extra 20 minutes of sleep to get my “face” back.
With my newly acquired beauty knowledge I was able to find power in glam. Instead of slathering it on, I made it work for ME. I learned how to make my round face compliment my big eyes and turn my big forehead into a glowing halo.
Makeup was giving me the power to reassess my features and appreciate them. Even if I were to participate in the #NoMakeup movement, I would owe it all to what I learned about myself THROUGH MAKEUP.
I’m all for going bare and the subsequent hashtags like #NoMakeup, #IWokeUpLikeThis, and #IAmNotMyHair, but only if they come along with something like#ItsMyFaceAndImGonnaDoWhatIWant, #MakeupMakesMeFeelGreatSometimesAndThatsTotallyOkay, or #WhateverIsHappeningWithMyFaceIsMyBusiness.
If Alicia Keys has you throwing your Anastasia palettes out the window, great. But just keep in mind everyone’s journey to self-acceptance is different. Mine just so happened to be paved with Beauty Blenders, but hey, that’s just me.
About the author:
Jascmeen is a twenty-something style and beauty writer living in Los Angeles. You can find more of her babbling on Jascmeen.com and on her YouTube channel.
