Tag: women

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Makeup Free Month Day 18: A night out!

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(My vintage look without the makeup!)

After my Street Art video being ready and shared yesterday (including on the gorgeous The Mother Magazine website!) I was able to celebrate when I went out for a friend’s birthday last night.

We were a small group of women (all in our 30’s and early 40’s) and we all wear makeup for nights out. We had much discussion about makeup, with me not wearing any, and about what we felt about makeup and why/when each of us wear it. One of my friends has been reading this blog (Hi Rach :)) and she herself has realised she has often assumed women who look barefaced have probably got ‘natural looking’ makeup on.

Through the night I saw a vast range of women, of different ages, styles and with varying amounts of makeup on. I hold my hand up and say I did still covet a woman who had on quite strong retro makeup, but in general, I felt quite good! My skin looked clear, fresh and smooth. After a few drinks and a little dance I didn’t have to worry about makeup streaking down my face or even taking it off when I got home.

I will however be quite excited to wear eye makeup again when I go out. Whilst I was dancing in the bar last night I missed my mask. Not because of my skin, or because I want to hide, but because I like to look different in a night out, and I also did feel more vulnerable without makeup.

Yes, Vulnerable…. And I’m not quite sure why. Was it because of confidence? I held my head and shoulders high and felt good, but probably being an older women in a younger crowd, having a makeup free face possibly made me feel that my age was exposed. Even if my skin looked better… Internally I couldn’t get passed what I looked like.

Hmm so age is definitely a big element in my makeup wearing now. So what’s my excuse for when I was younger! Have I wasted years of applying makeup on my younger face when I should have been enjoying young skin?? Do you know what? No. For whatever reasons, my confidence needed the makeup and mask.

So for now, I will give myself a break for worrying about age, put on some more coconut oil, and enjoy the freedom of the rest of my make up free month. And hopefully enjoy some long term changes too!

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If you haven’t seen my street art video already, check it out here
http://youtu.be/2Mj1rQduYKM

If you would like to donate to Macmillan Cancer Support please do so via my Just giving page or via text as described below. xxxxxx http://www.justgiving.com/Susan-Merrick

or text MMFM £1 to 70070

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Makeup Free Month Day 17 My Street Art!

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I’m jumping up and down with excitement as I introduce my finished Street Art video project that inspired me to go Makeup Free!

Huge thanks to Ashley Meneely and Starr Meneely for your fabulous efforts in getting this done, to The Glass Child for your beautiful song, to Ann Marie Black for babysitting (so I could do this in one sitting!) and to the women of the Red Thread group who supported me on the day! Speech over, enjoy the video! Xxxx

The Glass Child has a youtube channel here https://www.youtube.com/user/aGlassChild and her music is available o itunes and from her website www.charlotteeriksson.com

If you would like to donate to Macmillan Cancer Support please do so via my Just giving page or via text as described below. xxxxxx http://www.justgiving.com/Susan-Merrick

or text MMFM £1 to 70070

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Makeup Free Month Day 15: Pretty much halfway!

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Well I’m pretty much halfway through my month without makeup. I’ve looked at what cosmetics I use, why I use them, some history of makeup and a bit about feminism and makeup. I’ve discussed makeup with relation to professionalism, confidence and self esteem, and where these assumptions/ideas come from. I’ve talked about some reactions I’ve had and also how I’ve felt in myself. I’ve touched a little on homemade and natural skin products and towards the end of the month I want to consider some alternative cosmetic products or even homemade ones to try once my month is up. Seeing how good my skin looks and feels I’m reluctant to slap rubbish back onto my skin!

I’m feeling very excited today (jumping up and down a little) as the video of my Street Art, that inspired me to go makeup free, is almost finished. The fabulous Ashley Meneely has worked so hard to create a beautiful piece of film that captures not only the artwork that I created but the feel of the day and what I was trying to achieve. It’s also come together by us being allowed to use a gorgeous track by singer songwriter Charlotte Eriksson. The lyrics are truly perfect for drawing out all of the ideals and issues that I wanted to question with regard to what we use on our skin. But I will discuss this more once the video is up for viewing 🙂

We are hopeful that this will be finished over the next few days and when it is put up on The Mother Magazine website (thank you so much Editor-in-chief Starr Meneely for agreeing to showcase it) I will shout! Loudly!

If you would like to donate to Macmillan Cancer Support please do so via my Just giving page or via text as described below. xxxxxx http://www.justgiving.com/Susan-Merrick

or text MMFM £1 to 70070

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Makeup Free Month Day 14: Recap of benefits and drawbacks

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#Makeupfreemonth

I recap on the benefits and drawbacks of being makeup free as I reach almost halfway!

It’s much easier 🙂 yep, this is definitely the case.

My bedroom floor is currently not littered with my half emptied out makeup bag from rushing to get ready….. But it is still littered with shoes and clothes (note to self, tidy bedroom).

I am very exposed :() but I feel less so now I’m halfway through the month.

Feeling more confident about a night out (actually out in a restaurant and bars) on Saturday sans makeup!

If I walk tall and confidently then I feel more confident about how I look (high shoes help as long as wobbling is kept to a minimum).

I appear to have developed my very first cold sore (wasn’t a cold sore just dry patch of skin), and I’ve hardly had any spots… Yet 😉

I AM getting ready quicker in the morn and for bed in the eve 🙂 although I’m not sure how efficiently I am using my extra time 🙂

I feel very pale…. Hmm yes I do, but my skin looks in better condition!

My eyes look small and tired…. Hmm fact. This morning felt really good, liked my reflection a lot until I took my sunglasses off ….

My skin feels fresher 🙂 and looks it- I’m getting complimented on it too!
In terms of what I’ve been using I’ve changed a little this week. I’ve started using the SUTI products that I was given, which feel great, but the facial oil I may need to change as I’m not a fan of the oils used in terms of smell. Bit musty.

I’ve also started using some grapeseed oil every morning along with coconut oil on my hands and face. My face feels great, and my body suits the shower scrub I use but my hands still feel like they need something a bit heavier. After several years of very frequent nappy changes, hand washing, general house stuff and painting my hands are looking like they belong to someone twice my age. They also feel a bit rough and dry so I may look into some homemade hand creams, to at least stop my little angels commenting on mummy’s ‘rough hands’!

I got a great personal tip this week from a woman who is very knowledgable in good skin. Star Khechara recommended using regular clay masks for glowing skin when going makeup free. I will be trying this over the weekend! Her site has lots of other good tips so take a look.
http://www.starkhechara.com/

Star has also got some recommendations for organic makeup products.

Right, where are those sunglasses?
If you would like to donate to Macmillan Cancer Support please do so via my Just giving page or via text as described below. xxxxxx http://www.justgiving.com/Susan-Merrick

or text MMFM £1 to 70070

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Makeup Free Month Day 13: My 3 yr old role model.

imageMy priorities have been put into question a bit this month and today I realised that my 3 year old daughter has life right!

If she feels fed up, she gets cuddles. If I feel fed up I stomp about a bit. When she feels happy she dances, when I feel happy I want to dance but rarely do. She spends her time playing, scooting, biking, drawing and dancing. She loves to dance, asks us to watch and sometimes join her. She is so free!

Looks wise I stare at her (and her brother) admiringly. A lot. (Yes I’m their mum so I’m probably/definitely biased). My daughter’s hair is red, and set off by the most amazing creamy skin. She has huge eyes and a gorgeous pout. She wakes up and her hair just bounces into curls, some days she will have ‘just got out of bed’ tousled curls or she may let me run a wet hand through it which creates amazing ringlets, it rarely tangles and she doesn’t ever want anything doing to it.

If she wakes early, she starts playing, singing or chatting to her teddies. If we have to wake her she rubs her face and then grins asking if it’s breakfast time.

Getting dressed she decides what she wants and throws it together not caring in the least what may go well with what. An average combination is her strawberry dress, jeans cut into shorts, star leggings, pink fleece and wellies. If she senses I want to ‘dress’ her she will stare sternly at me and tell me she will not wear that, or simply put a fancy dress outfit over the top.

Some days I try to be like this. But not often. Mostly I’m led too much by how I look, what others may think (or what I think others may think) and trying to get too much ‘done’.

Along with going without makeup this month I will try to let go a bit more, wear wellies with dresses and certainly do a bit more spontaneous dancing. At least before the children are too embarrassed for me to do so anyway!

If you would like to donate to Macmillan Cancer Support please do so via my Just giving page or via text as described below. xxxxxx http://www.justgiving.com/Susan-Merrick

or text MMFM £1 to 70070