To feel disgusting without makeup?

[PandaFox]

I realise this may sound a little dramatic, however, it would be nice to know if anyone else feels the same and what you have done to overcome it.

I wear makeup 365 days per year.
I will not leave the house without it on.
I've worn it since I was 15 and I am now 35.
I try to avoid my DH seeing me without makeup as much as possible.
I have thought about situations like a house fire/ if we had to evacuate in the middle of the night and all I can think about is the fear of being seen without makeup on. Which I know is utterly ridiculous.
I wear makeup when I'm at home alone (concealer, foundation, powder, blusher, mascara, and eyeliner).
I don't feel "myself" or "fully awake" without it. Similar to having a shower in the morning. It's just something I NEED to do.

Now that I'm mid thirties and TTC, I really don't want to have to worry about this anymore. And one day if I have a daughter I absolutely never want her to feel the way I do.

@LuckySantangelo35 absolutely. But it is true to say that as a mum, you can't always do everything you want to do, exactly when you want to do it.

Which clearly, the OP may struggle with when it comes to make up, hence me agreeing with her that now is a great time to try and address it, given that she will hopefully have a baby in the not too distant future.

Can you start small?

Go to get a parcel without makeup
Go to get petrol without makeup

I don't own any. I'm 44 and on the wrong side of plain. Nobody gives a shit, honestly.

I spend about 45 mins to an hour doing my makeup everyday.
I remember getting up at 6am for previous jobs just so I could have enough time to do my makeup.

Many comments here really make sense. I'm going to try and implement some of them tomorrow.

But freckles are lovely

Mate.

Nobody cares if you have freckles.

Actually if your make up obsession is to do with freckles you should seriously think about your mindset before you have a child.

I'm never one to suggest therapy but actually I think you might benefit from talking to someone to unpick why you feel the way you do about yourself.

I am just the same OP. In my late 30s and worn makeup since I was 15 too. Like yourself I don’t feel ‘me’ without it. I also enjoy the morning ritual/routine applying my makeup as I find it calming and it prepares me for the day. I have however managed to go makeup free on the days I don’t leave the house and try to give myself a day off at the weekend. During lockdown I would go makeup free most days and it was liberating. I think the hot weather helped that year as I had a nice glow!

I think having a baby might cure you then!
I have never worn make up but in the early days of my baby (nearly 1 now) I was lucky if I could find time for a 5min shower before my partner got home from work, let alone 45mins to do something so pointless.

If you've been wearing make up everyday for 20 years it will take time for your brain to adjust to seeing something different (different, not worse!) and to get used to new habit/routine. It might help to reframe negative thoughts around looking different when you have on less makeup to 'this is my brain adjusting', then over time that face will become 'normal' just like a made-up face feels now.

www.purewow.com/wellness/stop-wearing-makeup/amp

Agree with others, start small and work up to it. I literally never wear makeup and can't see me ever starting. A lot of my friends are the same. My mum thinks I'm mad, but I just think it's sad she doesn't think she's "adequate" without. She looks lovely!

Nothing to add really but I'm the same. I love my makeup - it's part of my persona - and I generally prefer a made up face on others too.

I think I'm one of those who's very conscious of appearances generally.

I have a daughter - 21 - who has never been interested in makeup or fashion. Not followed my example at all!

Just stop putting it on, you’ll eventually get used to your face again. You must be doing your skin so much damage 😦

I'd suggest counseling or CBT are your views and self image are extreme and, to an extent, controlling your life.

*as

@ReneBumsWombats

“Oh, once you have a baby you won't...“

not true. Not everyone automatically stops caring about how they look when they have a baby

I am exactly the same, OP!

@ShimmeringShirts

makeup would only be damaging if you didn’t take it off each night

and even then it would be nowhere near as damaging as not wearing spf everyday

I used to work in a job that sometimes started at 4am and would get up at 2am to do my face 😩.I still do this and have 3 DC but my current job doesnt start until 10 and I've managed to get ready in an hour. I've cut it back to save me time/energy by using magnetic lashes and no contouring or anything.

I also have loads of freckles and pale skin and hate it!

I'm 43 and would never leave the house without make up unless I'm going swimming and thenid apply it afterwards. I'm like you and usually wear it even when I'm just at home. I don't want to change though, I don't care if others don't wear make up and couldn't care less what other people think of me.

@Cuwins

not true.

Not everyone automatically stops caring about how they look when they have a baby.

@Polarbearyfairy has hit the nail on the head for me.

Nonsense! If anything it's a barrier for sun damage and pollution, as long as you take it off at night.

@LuckySantangelo35
I didn't say anything about caring- I certainly cared if I had a shower! I was just saying practically it will cure you as you simple wont have time for 45mins-1hr of something so pointless! If you manage to get that sort of time to yourself in the morning (I could only have done that when my partner was home) then I would be very surprised if make up was the first thing on your mind. And to be honest concerned that someone's life was so dominated by how they looked that they would use their time like that.

@PandaFox

as a previous poster said, there are some things you can do that will make your every day routine less

E.g brow tint/ lamination/ micro blading

eyelash extensions / LVL

Facial tanning drops mixed into your moisturiser

that kind of thing

@Cuwins

it might be pointless to you but it’s not pointless to op and to lots of other women on this thread