No Makeup May 2013!!!!!

It is the eve of May 1^st.  Just another month?  For some.  For me? It means facing the world bare faced and bold….at least that’s what I’d like to be.

As the date has been looming, I have seriously debated whether or not I wanted to do this again.  The message still rings true for me; for women living in full permission to be their amazing authentic selves. 

No Make Up May started for me, when I watched a documentary called MissRepresentation.  It’s a brilliant exploration of how media portrays women.  Though we have come so far in earning recognition as human beings (this was at the heart of the feminist movement), in so many ways we are still viewed as the weaker sex and our roles are relegated to sex toy, eye candy and servants and woe to you if you don’t fit into any of those categories.

As much as we want to blame men and media for putting us in this position, there is a responsibility we must own.  This is where No Makeup May comes in.

See, I’m not against makeup. I’m against the message we are potentially sending ourselves when we put it on – I am not good enough without my makeup.  I’m hideous, I wouldn’t dare be seen in public.  It is a symptom of putting more importance and worth on our looks than on who we are and our impact in the world.

I’m tired of the commercials telling me that my teeth need to be whiter, my skin needs to be wrinkle free, my eyelashes need to be fuller and longer.  Yet we are mortified when we hear of young girls starving themselves to look like models in the magazines, 25 year olds using botox, 18 year olds getting implants for their birthdays.  If we’re buying the products we are agreeing that this is the way it should be.

So for one month I challenged all of us to find out what lies beneath the makeup.  What I found?  Freedom, acceptance, more time in the morning and a deeper appreciation for myself.   But 11 months later I am back in full faced make up – not as much as this time last year but enough to make me shudder at the thought of what tomorrow is.

Where I find my courage, however, is in knowing that I am one voice that will not accept that I am my looks.  I refuse to accept that it is innate for a woman to be insecure.  I call forth the greatness in all women – the beauty, creativity and strength that is found in the feminine that has the power to transform our world. 

So with the fear of being judged I go forth into May sans makeup. I will let the radiance of my humor, intelligence, compassion, authenticity and enthusiasm be my makeup and I will continue to be another current that will turn this Titanic around of where true self worth is found.

Will you join me for the month?  For a week? For a day?  Will you explore what lies beneath your mask?  I hope you will share what you find as we go through this month together .