“Allison, when are you going to do your makeup? The bathroom is clear now, if you want to go ahead.”
I replied, “Oh, that’s okay, I already finished.”
She inspected me closer.
“Wait, really? What are you going to wear for your lips?”
My bridesmaids, as I explained that I didn’t want to wear anything on my lips, began to look for options. One handed me some (very lovely) colors that would “just help even out my natural color.” I took them to the bathroom, put one of the colors on, spent a few seconds looking at myself, and wiped the color back off.
“Thanks! I think it really helped,” I insisted.
It appeased everyone, or if it didn’t, at least nobody argued further. Throughout the day, they would remind me to reapply, and I would go pretend to put some on. It seemed like a strange dance to me, but I went along with it. And I love every picture I’ve gotten back of my face. Every single picture of my glowing, happy, almost makeup-free face.
On a day to day basis, my make up routine is: wake up. The end.
Seriously, no, that’s it. When I’m feeling sassy, I’ll do my brows, dab on a little foundation here and there to even out some redness, and swipe on a bit of mascara. But in general, I’m happiest when I’m make-up free. Foundation always makes me a little itchy. I touch my face more often than I should, and constantly worry about smudging things. Technically, on my wedding day, I wore clear eyebrow gel and a bit of waterproof mascara on the top lashes. That was it.
More than one person asked me on my road to my wedding day what I was going to do about make-up on the big day. My answer seemed to bother more people way more than I realized it would.
“Oh, I’m just going to do my own make-up.”
The more I think about it all, the more it bugs me. Nobody asked the groom what he was going to do with HIS make up. “You have to wear make up to look right in the pictures!” they often told me. So, how will the (makeup-less) groom and groomsmen look; will they look terrible?
Why hasn’t anybody thought to warn them?
It’s such a frustrating, deeply-embedded standard – you’re female, thus you have to wear makeup to look [beautiful, professional, normal, lovely, like a bride.]
I don’t hate the concept of makeup altogether, I really don’t. I understand that some people LOVE doing their makeup. Sometimes I even love doing my makeup. The problem was – is – the inherent expectation, and I’m at a loss for how to correct that issue for other women. I guess I started by taking a tiny, quiet stand against obligation, in my own pictures.
I know I had a hard time putting into words and defending my choice to pass on makeup on my big day. Maybe someone needs to hear this. You don’t have to wear makeup for your big day if you don’t like wearing makeup. Your face is beautiful, and it will be beautiful in your pictures, no matter how much makeup you choose to wear.
Guest Submission
Bride Allison, gorgeous – with no wedding makeup.
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