A Month Without Makeup

Long time, no read, my sweet readers!  I took a hiatus last year.  I'm back, maybe only temporarily, but I'm back.  To begin this new year, I am challenging myself with a month of no makeup.  What does that mean, you ask??  It means that for the entire month of January, I will not wear any makeup.  Chapstick is allowed.  Have to keep the lips moisturized.  I'm still deciding if I will allow myself to wear gloss?  I'll get back with you.

Why, you ask?  Several reasons.  This year has been a particularly tough year for my self-esteem. I don't particularly like what I see in the mirror.  Having babies is awesome, but it does a number on my skin.  I've never struggled with acne or breakouts...except after I've had a baby.  It happened after Petite, and it's happening now, after Bean.  Only this time, with Bean, it's much worse.  Perhaps, it's because we are breastfeeding longer (I am READY to be done!!) and my hormones are all sorts of whacked out, or perhaps it's because I get way less sleep.  My toddler is 0-90 from eyes opened to eyes closed. ALL.DAY.LONG. She is up by 5:30am every morning.  I digress...

I usually don't feel "pretty" without some makeup on, and even then struggle to feel an ounce of attractive.  I have become the worst version of myself, and often cut myself down in front of my girls.  How can I expect them to have good self-esteem, when I model the opposite?  I have to grow more comfortable in my own skin.  So, I'm challenging myself to just be me, in only my skin, for the next month.  No make up.  Not even to special events. I'll be the one under all the sparkly jewelry. *wink* 

Secondly, I'm hoping this gives my skin a chance to breath and repair.  Not that I wear a ton of makeup to begin with, but I'm sort of looking at this as a cleanse for my skin.  A chance to clean the epidermal slate.

So wish me luck.  My family likes me best sans makeup.  Petite is so excited, she is always asking me to go au naturale. I hope in the next 30 days I can start to see what they see. I will also bravely post a picture each day. *cringes*

Here we go (keep in mind that today I have a raging case of strep throat).  Justifying, I know...