Going Makeupless

For some reason we are infatuated with celebrities either getting 'caught' by the paparazzi without makeup or by stars posing purposely without makeup. This phenomenon is evidenced by all of the magazines, websites, youtube videos, etc. that advertise Stars Without Makeup! What's the deal? Why the infatuation? I think part of it is if we see an ugly celebrity we somehow feel better about our own looks.

It is a reality that stars do not look perfect 24/7. Did we actually think that they did? After all, they are ordinary people who just happen to make a living by being a celebrity. Unfortunately it is us who puts them on a pedestal, idolizes them and compares ourselves with them. This is a sad reality, especially when our tweens and teens look up to those like Britney Spears whose life is a complete mess.

Okay, so I'm done ranting about stars without makeup. I want to get to talking about us women. Why do we wear makeup? To look good? To feel better about ourselves? To impress others of the opposite sex?

Personally, I started wearing makeup in junior high when all of the others girls began wearing makeup. But mostly I remember wanting to wear makeup to cover up my freckles. I wore makeup all through high school and through college and when I began working. It wasn't after until I became a mother that I started to wear makeup less and less. Mostly because I barely had time to jump in the shower, let alone put on makeup and actually do something with my hair.

When my husband and I moved to Bismarck/Mandan in 2004, I had to be at work every morning at 7:00. With a daughter who didn't sleep well, sleep became a huge priority - and soon I wasn't wearing any makeup to work, not doing my hair and somedays even wearing glasses instead of my contacts. It's amazing how your priorities change when you become a mother! I didn't care about how I looked, all I did care about was getting sleep, making sure my husband got fed and taking care of my daughter.

I do feel I am more attractive when I wear makeup so I wondered what my husband thought about me going makeupless. He said it didn't matter to him whether I wore makeup or not. I know he's not one to say something just to be nice so I figured it wasn't really a huge concern with him. There were times though, I felt a little guilty for not looking my best for him.

I used to listen to a Christian radio program called "Family Life" with Dennis and Barbra Rainey. One day, Barbara was talking about how women should always look their best for their husband. She went on to say that when she was a stay-at-home mom with six kids, she still did her hair and makeup so that she looked good for Dennis when he came home from work. Part of the point she was trying to make was that if wives did not look good to their husbands, the fire in their relationship would eventually begin to fade. I'm not sure if wives just letting themselves go is the reason for our high divorce rate, but does Barbara Rainey have a point?

While living in North Carolina for a couple of years, my pastor's wife preached to the women in the congregation that it was important to look our best at all times because we were witnesses for Jesus, which was part of having a spirit of excellence. At this particular church, the men wore suits and the women always had their Sunday best on, hats and all.

The pastor's wife warned us about not going out wearing slippers or curlers in our hair, even if we were just driving our kids to school. She said we always had to look our best because we were Jesus with skin on and what would people think if we were trying to lead them to Jesus looking all disheveled.

Besides this teaching, there are women evangelists who go over and beyond trying to look good for Jesus - lots of makeup and lots of hairspray. Personally, I find it more distracting than anything. Then there is Joyce Meyer who felt she needed a facelift. I'm not sure why having a facelift would make her a more effective servant of the Lord but I know she too believes in having that spirit of excellence.

I'm not saying that what my pastor's wife taught or how Joyce Meyer lives is necessarily wrong but the Bible says it's not our outward appearance that's important, it's the condition of our hearts. I'm not sure if God cares about how we look while serving Him. He after all, created us and the Bible says we were fearfully and wonderfully made.

Nowadays, I do wear makeup more often than I used to when my daughter was a baby. But even though I think I look better wearing makeup, (I have pale skin due to my Scandinavian heritage) there is a sort of freedom to be able to go makeupless and not care what others think. Which brings up the point, is not caring what others think a good or a bad thing? I think it depends on what state of mind you're in. If you're in a depressed state and don't care what others think, it may be a bad thing. But if you are confident in who you are and don't care what others think, that can be a good thing.

I mainly wear makeup when I go to church, when I have some sort meeting and when I know I'm going to meet someone for the first time. I also try to wear makeup when I know I'm going to have to deal with a male - like when I take the car in for service. I guess I want to make a good impression and I do think that wearing makeup can be a confidence booster when you need it. But when I'm just taking my daughter to school or running to Wal-mart, I'm just fine going makeupless.