It was in Class XI that I first started using makeup. Initially, it was just some kajal and I immediately fell in love with my new look. I would never step out of the house without wearing makeup. What started with just kajal, became kajal and eye-liner in college, and then came a time when applying concealer, lipstick and eye makeup became part of my beauty routine every morning. And of course, when I went out for parties and weddings, contouring along with the makeup became a must.
So much makeup surely made my face look super attractive and photogenic. At the same time, all those products burnt a huge hole in my pocket every time I replenished my makeup kit. Sephora, Dior, Mac and Bobbi Brown became my new best friends, and I just couldn’t do without them! The ugly truth behind all this was that the more I was falling in love with the caked up version of myself, the more I was drifting away from my natural self. Inadvertently, I had subjected my skin to six years of synthetic and chemical-laden products. It had come to a point when I became morose, just by looking at my real self in the mirror in the mornings.
Feeling that negativity seep into my life, one day I decided to give up on makeup altogether, I went cold turkey (just for a month, to start with, I’d decided). It was one of the most difficult things that I had ever done. It was so bad that during the first few days I didn’t dare look at myself in the mirror or muster the confidence to look at anyone in the eye. I had my colleagues and friends constantly asking me if I was ill or depressed, and that made me feel even worse.
I refused to give up, and continued my battle against the use of makeup. Believe it or not, by the second week, I started feeling more confident to walk without any makeup on. My family, especially my younger brother was very supportive of me in this process. They paid a compliment to me every now and then, knowing that compliments work like magic with me! Another pleasant change – I started looking at myself in the mirror, and that too, lovingly. Surprisingly, by the end of my no-makeup-for-a-month challenge with myself, my skin had cleared up and had a glow like never before. I realised that all the breakouts and scars had been a result of the harmful chemicals present in makeup products.
I am proud of myself and also very glad to have taken up this challenge which changed me for the better, in more ways than one. It made me more confident as a person, and ever since i stopped using makeup, I’ve started looking at myself with a smile, and loving myself for what I really am. The feeling is truly wonderful!
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