Would you QUIT Make-Up for $30,000 & a Healthier Planet?

Have you ever thought about what your life would be like without makeup?

Honestly, up until a few years ago I hadn’t. I mean let’s be real, the main benefit of makeup is fantastic – it boosts self-confidence! Beyond that, people have found themselves through makeup and have created careers out of it (and amazing ones, at that).

I was somebody that wore the ~natural~ basics everyday – foundation, mascara, a light eye shadow and some blush. I never felt confident enough to leave the house with AT LEAST some foundation on to cover up my blemishes. I mean, while I’m at it I might as well put some mascara on too…you get the point.

This was primarily driven by my constant annoyance with the appearance of my bare skin. Every girl knows the vicious cycle – you wear makeup to cover your blemishes, get more blemishes from wearing the makeup, and the clogged pores from the makeup give you more blemishes. I can assure you too, I was purchasing expensive, non-comedogenic/non pore-clogging product.

I was absolutely fed up – It was becoming necessary that I spend at least 15 minutes in the morning applying makeup because I was unhappy with my natural appearance. The extra time I was spending in the morning to “look” good was essentially making me (and my skin) feel worse. On top of that, I was realizing how much unnecessary waste I was producing all while practically making my skin WORSE. WTF?!

Long story short, I made a promise to myself to heal my skin and live a life that was aligned to my environmentally friendly, cruelty-free values. So, after tons of failed attempts with topical treatments/face washes, I decided to heal my skin from the inside out – I went vegan. A few months later, I decided to quit the foundation and face powder cold turkey and confront my fear of ridicule for crappy skin.

 It has been 5 months since I have stopped wearing face makeup daily & about 9 months as a vegan. I must admit, this is the best my skin has looked in a very long time. Here are some of the Personal, Environmental and Financial takeaways and life lessons I’ve uncovered:

source: shape.com

Personal benefits of NOT wearing makeup:

1. TIME. For the past 5 months I have saved 20 minutes on average everyday by not applying makeup in the morning. That equates to about 50 hours in total, or TWO WHOLE DAYS worth of time that I have gained by not applying makeup in the mornings. 20 minutes might seem small but you can accomplish a lot in that time; go on a run, meditate, make an amazing breakfast. For me, all of that additional time has been spent on sleeping. So yes I feel great.  

2. SELF-ACCEPTANCE & GRATITUDE. It is incredible how much we get worked up over something on our faces that literally no one notices. At first it was seriously difficult to look at myself on bathroom breaks and not cringe, but I knew this was an important step to take in order to heal my skin. After overcoming the first few weeks of insecurities, people were used to it. My coworkers didn’t know the difference between me with or without makeup anymore. If you feel as though someone is going to judge you based on what your skin looks like, you probably wouldn’t want to be friends with that person anyway. Besides, I found that I was the only one judging myself. You begin to look past the vanity that encompasses our society. You begin to understand that your skin is beautiful and you really don’t have it so bad after all.

3. BETTER SKIN. I can attest that this little experiment I’ve undergone has truly benefitted my skin. Without product, my skin is much less oily. There isn’t any bacterium on my face anymore from my brushes or applicators. I’m never worried about what my makeup looks like or anxiously touching my skin to make sure it looks ok. I go to sleep at night knowing everything is off of my face. ALSO, this has led me to invest in better treatments for my skin. For instance, with the money saved on make-up, I have treated myself to microdermabrasion treatments, facials & peels instead which help the problem at its root instead of covering it up completely.

4. BETTER HEALTH. Cosmetic companies do not need to go through any pre-market approval before selling. Cosmetic companies do not need to report any adverse health problems due to their product to the FDA. A lot of the chemicals in makeup would normally go into you, so you’re ultimately becoming healthier (on both the inside and out) without makeup. Be on the lookout for some of these chemicals, and make sure to avoid the products containing these: Parabens, Synthetic colors, Fragrance, Phthalates, Triclosan, Sodium lauryl Sulfate, Formaldehyde, Tolune, & Propylene glycol. 

5. EVEN BETTER PRODUCTIVITY. After ditching the makeup, I’ve noticed a mindset shift within myself. I am no longer consumed by the hottest new cosmetic product or worried about my makeup or face throughout the day. This experiment has allowed me to focus more on the task I have at hand, and worry a lot less about the way I look.

Environmental impacts of NOT wearing makeup:

1. HAPPY ANIMALS. Did you know that in the US, there is absolutely no ban on testing cosmetics or household products on animals? Big businesses have no issues with testing on animals either. This can lead to permanent disfigurement and consistent pain and torture in animals, for hardly any reason. Why are we making cosmetics that we have to test on animals?? is there something in it we could be negative affected by....??? When you purchase products from companies that inhumanely test on animals, you are directly funding them to do so. Check out PETA for comprehensive lists of cosmetic companies that do NOT test on animals.

2. HAPPIER ENVIRONMENT. All of the toxins I previously mentioned that are entering our bodies are also ending up in our waterways/oceans when washed off. Also, just think of all the packaging these products come in. Sure, you can recycle the cardboard box your foundation comes in, but all of your glass bottles will end up in landfills, INCLUDING the chemicals that are inside the bottles. Not cool. Educate yourselves on sustainable ingredients and brands; Look for easily renewed ingredients such as aloe or coconut oil, or packaging with recyclable containers or reusable bottles.

Financial impacts of NOT wearing makeup:

So, since I majored in Finance I HAD to understand exactly how much money I was giving to the beauty industry, and how much I could have if I didn’t. Hypothetically if you said, “screw it” to makeup, you could potentially pay off your children’s college tuition with the savings in ~25 years.

Hear me out:

Below is a table I created that shows about how much people spend on makeup in a year. I split it out between “Basic Cosmetics” and “Additional Cosmetics” because, well, everybody is different. I would fall under the “Basic Cosmetics” category, spending roughly ~$200 a year, where as somebody might purchase all of the “Basics” and “Additionals” in a year, putting them at around ~$500 spent per year on makeup.

I put in an average price for each product and I also figured out the frequency of that purchase in a year. For instance, for my friends and me I know that we typically only purchase ~1 bottle of foundation a year. I know this definitely varies between people & usage. Again, this is just an estimate.

Now, imagine if you took that $523 dollars spent on makeup in a year and instead of spending it on something else, put it in an index fund that pays you off 7% annually. All you literally have to do is put the ~$500 you would normally spend on makeup into this savings mechanism YEARLY.

After putting ~$2,500 (500 * 5) into this fund after five years, you’ll have ~$3,000.

After putting ~$5,000 (500 * 10) into this fund after 10 years, you’ll have ~$7,000.

After putting ~$12,500 (500*25) into this fund after 25 years, you’ll have ~$32,000.

And it will just compound exponentially for you, year after year…again...WTF?!

In short, I have totally convinced myself (again) that makeup is not necessary in my life. In the process I have cleared my skin, come to peaceful terms with my natural beauty, saved a few animals and have literally MADE money by doing it all strategically. Hopefully this helps you on your journey for clearer skin, better mental health, or for a happier & healthier planet.