Alicia Keys has always been such a huge inspiration to me and now she's more of one than ever.
The other day I heard that she is starting a new trend called the ‘#NOMAKEUPMOVEMENT’. The ‘In Common’ star has revealed the truths on why she doesn’t wear makeup anymore. She wrote an open letter stating the reasons on why she doesn’t want to wear makeup anymore. In the letter she wrote, “Before I started my new album, I wrote a list of all the things that I was sick of. And one was how much women are brainwashed into feeling like we have to be skinny, or sexy, or desirable, or perfect. One of the many things I was tired of was the constant judgment of women. The constant stereotyping through every medium that makes us feel like being a normal size is not normal, and heaven forbid if you’re plus-size. Or the constant message that being sexy means being naked.” This is beautiful. It has shown true and genuine feelings about how women perceive perfection. We don’t embrace what we are born with because we are too busy pretending to be something we are not.
During the photo shoot for the single’s cover art, Keys felt “the strongest, most empowered, most free, and most honestly beautiful that [she has] ever felt,” according to a personal essay for Lenny Letter’s May 31 edition. This is so inspiring because it shows that you don't have to wear makeup to be pretty. As for me, I don’t wear makeup to work or the gym. This movement could teach girls that natural beauty is something to be proud of. Alicia started the movement because of the constant judgment on her appearance. A photographer who took the photos of Keys for her upcoming album suggested that she just take the photos without the makeup. This showed her the way she really is, raw and real, like Keys’ music on her upcoming album, and it made her feel like she didn’t have to rush to look all glammed up. Keys explained not wearing makeup was a big insecurity for her and she was constantly fearful of being judged should she be seen without makeup on. Many other celebrities have joined this movement to prove that makeup shouldn’t rule how you look.
Women also tend to wear makeup to impress people. If that person can’t handle your flaws, then they can’t handle you as a whole. True beauty is what we were created with, so let’s flaunt it. This has been a problem for many decades because of society and the media. People judge you if your eyebrows aren’t right, if your eyeshadow doesn’t look good, if your contour isn’t “on fleek”. Women started to realize that this was a trend. They think makeup is the answer to all their blemishes. But in all reality, makeup causes clogged pores, wrinkles and pimples. Alicia didn’t want to feel like putting make up on was an obligation and feel self-conscious if she didn’t have it on. But, now, without putting any makeup on, she feels free and empowered. I feel like this when I have makeup on. I am always afraid if I did something wrong or if the concealer doesn’t match my skin tone, that people would look at this and judge me. It’s great that I wear glasses because I don’t have to worry about putting makeup on. When I do put makeup on, I always worry if I would mess it up because of rubbing my eye or sweating. So I support Alicia and her movement. When I don’t wear makeup, I feel great. I feel like I don’t have to worry about ruining it or keeping up with it throughout the day. I might have some faults here and there but putting makeup on all the time could add to those faults. Without makeup, I feel free. I feel like myself and I could care less on what people say. I feel once you get older, you start to realize that nothing matters but to love yourself.
