Do you wear makeup?

I've been asked this question so many times... In particular by makeup-heavy pupils.

The short answers is no.

The long one is the following.

I've resisted wearing makeup pretty much until my 18th birthday, bar a couple of occasions when I put mascara on. For a few years after my 18th birthday I struggled with putting makeup on, but persevered nonetheless. I wouldn't do it absolutely every day, but I would definitely make this effort if I was going out or meeting someone. This became a confidence thing. I could hide behind a layer of foundation and powder, and finally not worry about my excessively rosy cheeks, spots and whatever else I thought of as problematic.

And then I've started dating more seriously and, somewhat ironically, I've realised that the boys don't mind seeing me first thing in the morning without makeup but with wonderfully puffy face. They just liked being around me, they didn't care about the content of my cosmetic pouched being evenly spread on my face.

The thing is, the majority of people couldn't care less if you wear makeup or not, so why even bother? It takes up so much time in the morning and the last thing I want to do is to spend 10-15 minutes trying to get my face sorted.

I had a brief romance with mineral makeup products when I started working in London and didn't want to be completely makeup-free, but the prospects of loading potentially harmful substances onto my skin was not appealing at all. But again, it was a mental thing. I felt terribly insecure and thus found a way to hide myself being a (thin) layer of powder. See, if I need makeup to feel confident, it means that there is something wrong. I should feel good enough about myself to just be myself without any artificial improvements.

I hope that my students, seeing me every day without makeup, will take me as a positive role model. That it is not necessary for a woman to cover her natural beauty like that. That you can be confident, successful and liked without makeup. There is such a huge pressure on young girls these days to look perfect: and this has serious implications for their mental health.

No makeup for me then. Instead, just accepting the way I am. Liking the way I am.