17 Women share the reasons they stopped wearing makeup

Internet went into a frenzy when Pamela Anderson attended Paris Fashion Week last October without makeup. Seeing the beauty icon forgo foundation and eyeliner in front of so many cameras—with a huge smile on her face—was refreshing, to say the least. You don’t see many barefaced women celebs in general, and especially not ones over 50.

This minimalist approach is causing a stir outside Hollywood as well. #nomakeup, for instance, has over 1.6M TikTok posts. Of course, many of these videos (ironically) involve putting a lot of effort (and money) into achieving the “no-makeup makeup” look or “clean girl aesthetic.” But there are also plenty of posts from people of all ages proudly showing off their natural skin—no mascara, no blush, no filters.

To wear—or not wear—makeup is completely up to personal preference and comfort, and the reasons behind either choice are different for everyone. Here, 17 former cosmetics lovers tell SELF how they decided to give up their favorite products.

I became so used to not wearing makeup that it was the new norm.

When I was outside, I always wore makeup. But while I was quarantining during COVID I didn’t need to, since I wasn’t seeing anyone or going anywhere. The more I wore my face bare, the more comfortable I became with the way I look without foundation, eyeliner, concealer under my eyes, or mascara. —Katrina Huang, 24

Stress is added by worrying constantly about my appearance.

It’s the same reason I also stopped doing my hair: I just don’t have time, nor do I consider it a priority. When I did have makeup on, I’d constantly have to be careful about not touching my eyes in a way that would smear my mascara or not cleaning it off properly at the end of the night. It would be easier to avoid the stress of wearing makeup by simply not applying any. —Jiamie Pyles, 44

My daughter has inspired me to embrace the barefaced look.

I stopped using makeup after admiring the natural beauty of my daughter. I was sort of in limbo at the time, because I’d just cut my long hair off and was struggling with my personal image. Once I noticed that I became dependent on wearing makeup during this stage, I realized that it didn’t feel natural, so I started to focus on what’s beautiful to me. —Marissa Kelley, 32

My eyes were so irritated.

I used to wear makeup every day, but I stopped doing it completely in the last couple of years. I have sensitive skin (and eyes, in particular). Plus, what am I trying hide? This is me, with wrinkles and all. I’m five years younger than Pamela Anderson, and I think she looks amazing. I commend her for standing up and being herself. —Holly Ross, 52

Somewhere along the way, I realized I shouldn’t wear makeup for external validation.

As a child, I loved to play with makeup. I wore a bit every day, from middle school through my junior year in college (when pandemic began). Since I was staying home for the most part, I didn’t feel the need to wear makeup, but once I started seeing people again I noticed that I was motivated by external reasons (namely, to appeal to men).

My initial break from makeup reminded me that it was supposed to be fun and for my own enjoyment—not to impress others—and that wake-up call helped me feel confident in my skin again. But I love to experiment with makeup for special occasions, like Halloween and birthdays, so I can get back to having fun! —Simone Afriye, 24

I wanted to look—and feel—like my authentic self.

I have realized that I prefer to feel clean and clear without makeup. In this phase of my life, I am primarily concerned with looking healthy. Of course, there are times that I feel pressured into wearing eye makeup and lipstick. When I do this, I try to remind myself of the goal: I want others to be overwhelmed by my intellect and grace. —Virginia Peacock, 65

As a former cheerleader and dancer, I was tired of wearing so much.

For cheerleading and dance competitions, I wore a lot of eyeliner, blush, eyeshadow and foundation. The looks were pretty dramatic—to the point where I could barely recognize myself. When I stopped dancing and cheering years later, my face was bare, which helped me feel more confident in my skin. —Sydney Charles, 24

I didn’t want to adhere to sexist beauty standards.

I don’t see the difference between makeup and being charged more to buy pink razors that are marketed towards women. It’s something society expects us to keep paying for and putting up with, and I realized men aren’t obligated to maintain their looks in the same way. That and maybe I’m too lazy for the upkeep that would be required. —Anna Shkolnikov, 46

I stopped covering my acne to practice self-acceptance.

I started wearing makeup because of my cystic acne. I just wanted to cover up the breakouts, but I realized I was using makeup as a crutch: I couldn’t leave the house without it, and I didn’t feel beautiful either.