BSB Nature Made Us Beautiful-Who Needs Makeup?

If you go back a bit, you'll see me talk about British Style Blogger's campaign Nature Made Us Beautiful (click!). Their first blogger challenge was called "This Is Me" and challenged blog owners all over the 'net to create a collage, or piece that represented them, and talk about all the things that you like, hate and love about yourself, the things that make you the unique little snowflake that you are. I loved the honesty and genuinely enjoyed taking a look and getting to know everyone just that little bit more, and it provided a great platform for discussion.

Their second blogger challenge is called "Who Needs Makeup?" and the task is to post a picture of yourself without makeup or a video of you removing it. For some, this requires a fair bit of bravery.

"We want to prove that natural is beautiful, and part of our master plan is to hold a national no-make-up day - but for now, we want to see what you look like au naturel!" - BSB

Naturally, i'm game. I don't and have never had a problem with posting pictures of myself bare-faced. But a no makeup day? I will run a mile and then some.

I first started experimenting with makeup when i was ten or eleven, and by fifteen i was wearing a full face of slap to school every day. And not just normal makeup, we're talking outrageous neon colours, glitter, the more eccentric the better. Sufficed to say i got sent home whenever i refused to take it off, which was almost every day. I would stand my ground and argue the exasperated teachers silly about it. There were other girls in my school that wore TONS more makeup than i did; they plastered their faces in drippy lipgloss, fake eyelashes, fake tan and bronzer. Their white uniform shirt collars were constantly stained orange and you could see their tidemarks a mile off. I just had a penchant for wild eye makeup. But they NEVER were berated for their, ahhh, beauty choices, let's say.

Simpler days. 3 years old!

The staff would continually tell me that the reason they never asked these pre-pubescent pornstar clones to scrub their faces was because they were sure that their makeup was more of a self-esteem issue for them. They tried to appeal to my better nature by saying that i should sympathize with them, because these girls quite clearly used their layers of makeup to hide behind and for confidence. Whereas i, clearly, just did it to piss everyone off. Reverse psychology failure 101. Excuse me, but who the hell were they to say who did and didn't have self-esteem issues? 

As a vaguely "alternative" and severely overweight teenager (i.e your bog standard fat goth), there was no way i could have self-esteem issues according to them. I made an effort to stand out. I wore a Metallica tee under my school shirt. I wore my school skirt below the knee and my tie long, unlike the other girls. But i never got into serious trouble at school and was always the loud, sarcastic, funny girl in class, so it seemed outrageous that i could have confidence issues. Education system failure 101. These skinny, cement-faced girls, while i'm sure had personal or confidence issues of their own, spent their time going out drinking, hanging out with boys, not doing their homework, going out at night. I spent a lot of time experimenting with makeup because it was the only way i could express myself. I spent my time at home playing Playstation with my brothers or in the library because i liked to read and boys couldn't even comprehend the idea of ever asking me out on a date. And that's about the point that my eating problems started. But we'll save that story for another day.

I hid behind the makeup just like every other girl at school did, but instead of telling me that i was beautiful without it or that i didn't need it, i was told that i looked stupid and that i was embarassing. Who knows, a couple of words of kindness could have saved years of torment. I get so angry when the education system fails to fulfill it's duty. Teachers are educators, yes, but they also have a welfare duty. I've met too many teachers in my school years that i just knew didn't really care, and that teaching was just a job. Go in, talk at students, throw out a few detentions, go home. It's rare nowdays to find teachers that aren't completely disillusoned by the job and still care about children. Growing up is difficult enough as it is, and girls especially need guidence that doesn't necessarily come from family. There is so much pressure to look and act certain ways in our current society. They need people to talk to, and to tell them that they are wonderful the way they are. I wasn't lucky enough to get that sort of attention, but many are and i hope to God more will.

Bare faced.

Obviously older now, and a little wiser (or so i like to pretend) i know that beauty is a farce. But why can't i still go out without makeup on? I guess it's just a sort of security blanket that i'm used to, a bit like my many facial piercings. When i take them out, i don't feel like me. I don't feel complete. But last week i took most of them out for good (left one nose piercing and the monroe in though) and i'm wearing less eye and skin makeup than i normally do. I'm trying to learn to appreciate the way i look, because i've got this face for as long as i'm alive and life is far too short, and actually far too long to stay miserable.

I AM FIERCE, AND SO ARE YOU. Whether you wear makeup or don't, just know that we were all born bare faced, and who's going to be judging you when you're dead? Underneath, we're all the same, you just have to hold your head aloft and your middle finger high. And if people try and bring you down, it just means that you're above them. Try and take a step towards appreciating yourself, because if you don't, you're giving other people permission to not too. Turn your swag on, it's easy.

Lot's of love,