How Freeing Myself From Makeup, Freed Me

We're honored to welcome Guest Writer Caitlin to the GoddessCeremony Blog with this powerful blog post on self acceptance and recognizing our beauty. We were blessed to meet Caitlin at the YogaByCandace marketing retreat last year, and have seen her business and offerings blossom in the last year. Enjoy her fabulous blog below! 

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Being raised in California you become accustomed to a society saying that you need to look the best, dress in the latest fashion, and always be photo-ready. This puts pressure on a woman and can make you uncomfortable in your skin. I always was matching my outfits to my purses and making sure that I was always looking my best. When I was little, even before I could use a flat-iron, my sister would wake up early with me to help me style my hair. Then, as I got older, I slowly developed my beauty skills little by little.

Flashback to 2016 and my morning routine consisted of a full face of make-up and a curling-iron. I would wake up and spend an hour in my bathroom listening to music while I passed the time it took for me to get ready every day. I had this same morning routine for as long as I could remember. On the rare occasion that I went out of the house without my morning hour of beautification, it was only to go to the gym and then straight back home to go through the process before I went anywhere else.

One morning my boyfriend and I woke up and decided to head out for breakfast. We live in a small town with a tiny breakfast diner, and if you are there past 8 am, you get to wait outside for 45 minutes with the rest of the town until a table is free. I head for my typical morning hour of pampering, my boyfriend looks at me and says “Don’t put on makeup, you look better without it and we’re going to have to wait if we don’t leave now”. Appalled by his words, but also near the edge of hangry, I decided to listen. Neither he nor I realized how much that sentence would impact the rest of my life. I hesitated to the thought of going out with my big natural hair, and a fresh face, but I did. I was extremely uncomfortable with the thought of not looking my best, even if it was just to eat some pancakes. By the time breakfast was over I hardly even remembered that I left the house au naturel.

As time went on, occasionally on a weekend when we went for breakfast I would apply only a quick coat of mascara and out the door, I went. Little did I know, a few years later that would become my new normal. As more time went on, I found myself slowly wearing less and less makeup until someone was lucky if they saw me with my single coat of mascara. I became more comfortable with less makeup on. I became unbothered by people seeing at my voluminous, long untamed hair. I started to love myself in my more natural form. No one cared that I didn't have makeup on, or that I wasn't at my very best. They cared about what I had to say, and how I treated them. My self-confidence was becoming stronger than it ever was before. I became more committed to the health of my skin instead of just covering up its imperfections.

Drinking more water, and natural skincare products replaced my hour-long mornings. Everything in my life became easier. I didn't have to worry about hugging someone with a white shirt and seeing the transfer of my face on them. I had more time in the mornings to cook breakfast, play with my dog, or even practice yoga. My life became freer. Free of time, free of worry, free of other people's judgment. For a special occasion or a day and I want a little more, I will go back to my old ways of a full face for the day. But having the confidence to be able to make that decision, is something that I never thought I would have. I feel comfortable to be myself in the way that I was meant to be seen. Nourishing my body properly to keep my skin healthy is now at the forefront of my mind. Instead of treating my face like it is something to hide, I now see the beauty in every inch. I'm delighted when I see people around me doing the same, knowing how hard it is to go against what is most common and be bare. Feeling beautiful in the light that I was meant to be seen is something I will be forever grateful for.

The next time that you are running to the store, can you do the same? Can you go out with a freshly washed face and feel just as confident and as beautiful as you should be?

I think you can, and I think you should. Set yourself free, goddess. Let people see past what is on the surface and they will see your beautiful soul.

About Caitlin ~

Caitlin is a Bay Area native and she found yoga ten years ago after a severe back injury.

After finding how helpful the practice could be for both mind and body, she decided to become an instructor herself. After graduating from her YTT, she immediately started teaching and became drawn to instructing restorative yoga. Shortly after, she decided it was time to make her yoga title official. In March 2019, she created her yoga business Lavender Yoga. A mobile business that specializes in corporate, small group, and event yoga. She also teaches in the south bay at multiple studio locations. When she isn't working on the mat, you can find her and her dog Dixie most weekends at the race track watching her boyfriend race.

To keep up with Caitlin, follow her on Facebook and Instagram for her schedule and events.