1 No Make-up Week runs through September 27.
The Naked Truth: No Make-up Week
Would you go without make-up for a week? This blogger is, and she's asking women internet-wide to join in
By Jordan Young
Published: September 24th, 2010 | 10:10am
Starting this past Monday, September 20, Rachel Rabbit White—a freelance writer-editor who specializes in what she calls "sex journalism"—put on a brave face and decided to go sans make-up for an entire week, posting pictures, and sharing anecdotes on her blog Rabbit Write in a project called No Make-up Week. She's also encouraging others to cleanse their palettes and uncover the real reasons we spend so much time in front of the mirror everyday.
VZ: What brought about the idea of going without make-up?
RRW: I used to be a big make-up person. Lots of eye shadows, layering on the lipgloss. But for the past six months, I'd been weaning myself off make-up. I often went without during the day, and for night I opted for natural tones. But, I realized, when friends came over or when I ran out for coffee, I still found myself scrambling to cake on some eyebrows or red lips. I've always liked make-up because it's fun—but this wasn't fun! I had started feeling like I needed make-up. When something starts to feel like it's not a choice, that is not okay. I thought that was something to explore.
VZ: When did you decide to carry out the no make-up experiment and blog about it?
RRW: I came up with the idea about a month beforehand, and wanted to do it immediately. After sitting on it for a few hours, I decided it might be better to wait so I could organize the thing better. I had a month to decide on the tone, run the idea by bloggers I admired, and ask them to participate.
VZ: Is there something specific about cosmetics that you're trying to make people aware of?
RRW: For me, it's the lack of a feeling of choice. But it might be different for everyone. There are very strong cultural pressures—and often familial pressures—for all women regarding make-up (and looking good). Because of this, it's hard for any woman to have a healthy relationship with cosmetics. And whether you wear make-up or not, there's a story there. So, the project is sort of about digging into your own past with make-up and exploring your own relationship to cosmetics.
VZ: How has this influenced your idea of beauty as well as others around you?
RRW: This is interesting because it's changed how important "beauty" is to me. Obviously, we live in a culture that is obsessed with beauty. And the standards are ridiculous. But beauty is shallow. Beauty is fleeting. Beauty really has nothing to do with what I have to offer as a person at all. And the phrase, "beautiful on the inside"—what does that even mean? Maybe instead of focusing on beauty we should focus on qualities that run deeper within ourselves.
VZ: What reactions have you seen to No Make-Up Week online and in real life so far?
RRW: What I've learned from reactions is that it's all about confidence. When I've been out, I've been so excited about No Make-up Week that I've been really confident with wearing a naked face. And I've been turning heads—I've been getting attention! Obviously, it's because I am feeling good about myself. Too often, when we don't wear make-up, we feel bad about ourselves. And when you feel bad about about yourself, you fade into the background.
Online, I've only seen a few negative reactions. Some people have posted blogs about why they aren't taking part, and that is okay, too.
VZ: I've noticed from the pictures posted that all the women look great without make-up and have normal skin. What about people with acne or other facial flaws that rely on wearing make-up to feel comfortable in public?
RRW: I would love to address the acne issue and hope someone writes about it. It's sad, because make-up can perpetuate a cycle, making acne worse. I know from friends how much of a rumination and well of low self esteem acne can cause. What I want to stress here is that No Make-up Week isn't about being a "natural beauty" or showing how good you can look without. It's about accepting yourself—your face, as it is. Whether other people find it "beautiful" or not.
VZ: Also it seems a lot of women are either told or expected to wear make-up at work. Why do you think that is, and what are your thoughts?
RRW: I think this is leftover from an era of sexist era, when women were just entering the work-force, like, "We've got women here now but they will still look and act like women, damn it!" This notion remains largely unchallenged, even today—and I can't believe it. My mom is gathering a group of older women at her office who are vowing not to wear make-up. I think this is awesome, especially getting a bunch of women together because it will just shift that energy, even a little bit. They're addressing a silent rule directly.
VZ: In vowing to go without make-up, has anyone tried to write you off as a "silly feminist"?
RRW: Yeah, a few girls came out with posts saying how they love make-up and wouldn't participate in "something like this." When Jezebel covered No Make-up Week a lot of women wrote it off like I was on some high horse without make-up, judging them. Like I was saying not wearing make-up was feminist and so anyone who wears it should feel bad. Obviously, I think make-up wearers can be feminist, but make-up is also a feminist issue—one to be explored.
VZ: Why do you feel there is so much negativity even from women surrounding "the f-word"?
RRW: I've always considered myself a feminist. I think that we have these over generalized cultural images of what being a feminist means, which are painted often by the media. And these are often negative. When women write off feminism, or write someone off for being a feminist, I think it's just another case of girl-on-girl hate. Which is so prevalent in our culture and even in Internet feminism. I think being a feminist is about being curious, and if a girl is shies away from this label, I would suggest that she get curious as to why—and curious as to what feminism is really about.
VZ: What have you learned about the relationship women have with their make-up?
RRW: My thoughts when I started No Make-up Week were that because of the cultural expectations we have with make-up, that it's hard for any woman to have a good relationship with her make-up. And it seems that is the case. From what I've seen, our relationships to cosmetics are intense. No Make-up Week sounds like a light topic—but it's proved to have been very emotional. These women just keep coming forward with amazing, heart-wrenching stories about their views of themselves, their self esteem, their beliefs about their faces, and it's all really deep, really raw stuff. But from what I can tell, the project is doing it's job because these girls are exploring those feelings and coming to terms with them. It has incited a lot of thought, and I think it's been a positive thing.
VZ: Are you going to continue without make-up after the week ends?
RRW: I feel really good without make-up, but I don't think I'll give it up entirely. But I will certainly be more conscious when putting it on, asking myself, Do I need this? What chemicals am I slathering my face with? And that is freeing, because it allows make-up to become fun again. It becomes a tool again, something I don't need but can wield to my advantage, whenever I want.
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For more information on No Make-up Week, visit Rachel's Blog.
Issue #13
Comments
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Amanda (about 1 year)
This is a great article. I've felt compelled to wear foundation and make-up since age 13 due to dark under-eye circles. On days that I don't have time for make-up before work, I go without it. These are usually the days that my dark circles are the worst also. I'd rather be on time than look pretty. Today was one of those days. Occasionally I have a coworker ask me if I am okay because I look as though I'm ill without make-up. They don't mean any harm by it. Life isn't perfect and neither is my face. I have come to accept that and go on with my day.
Deidra (about 1 year)
I like this project, but Ms. Write is obviously a beautiful woman, and I'm sorry her going for a week without make-up is like Conan O’Brien going for a week without lift shoes. What about some women who need make-up not to 'tart it up', but just to function as normal members of society. Some women have horrid skin due to surgery, acne, or hormonal imbalances, and for them, make-up is not a luxury, it is a necessary component to their daily lives. A life raft of normalcy. I just think it's a little contrived for a beautiful woman to think she is breaking the system by showing off her pretty face. Write has got to know she is lovely, just as a short person knows they are short, or an Asian knows she is Asian, or an Irish woman knows she is Irish. I just think the boldness of this experiment is lost on the beautiful. It's easy for a beauty to say, "look to the beauty on the inside", but it's a lot harder for a homely women to hope that people do.