Blog #1

No Makeup challenge

3 March 2016

Olyvia Ruiz

Responding to: “I Didn't Wear Makeup for a Week and My Skin Has Never Looked Better” by Brooke Shunatona

http://www.cosmopolitan.com/style-beauty/beauty/a42263/no-makeup-challenge/

In society today there is a pressure for women to be “presentable”. For Brooke Shunatona, a worker in the fashion industry, it was hard to even think about going to work, or anywhere for that matter, without wearing makeup. She challenged herself to go a week without applying makeup. This test started by her running late and not being able to do her makeup at home. She was going to touch up her face when she got to work when a male co worker approached her, saying "[she] look so fresh-faced." after she explained he followed up with, "You should just stop wearing makeup then.” Brooke started to wonder.

She took the challenge, although “[she] always felt like if [she was] going to work, an event, or any occasion other than bumming around watching Netflix, [she] need[ed] to look presentable.” Brooke Shunatona described her first day “as a dream”, the one that involves people laughing at you because you went to school/work naked. She realized though no one was laughing at her and she more confident, until she went to a new foundation launch. The representative (whom she has never met before) told her, "You have really uneven skin. Have you been in the sun? You have spots on your face.” Little did the representative know that Brooke has melasma. Her insecurity has been confirmed in her mind, but played it off as if it didn't bother her even though it hit her hard. Experiencing a week without makeup was a struggle for her. She did wear makeup two of the 7 days though, but it did not make her feel any better. She realized that the compliments she received while wearing makeup made her feel like a fraud.

To me, the courage Brooke had to move past her insecurities is inspirational. Being vulnerable is a difficult task in our judgemental world. To some this challenge may seem like a simple task, but to others it is an impossible feat. Makeup creates a shield for some people and gives them courage that they would not have if they went out bare faced. Others, including myself, think twice before posting an “ugly” selfie, but with makeup a it can be transformed. Brooke Shunatona may just give a push to other females that wear makeup to take the challenge and allow the world to see the real them. I will be taking this challenge along with other peers to gain a better perspective of how people are treated when they go from a full face of makeup to none, as well as no makeup to all “dolled up”. Do you dare to take the challenge?