Hey everyone! Today I’m doing something a little different and writing a more mind-health oriented post. It’s always been important to me to spread a message of positivity about beauty, especially on this blog. As a feminist who also loves beauty and makeup, I think I have a unique perspective on how we are affected by our culture and ideologies. Today I want to talk about the “no makeup selfie” and how it can be a positive experience. Read on for more!

As you can see, the picture above is one where I am wearing no makeup. I look this way a lot, especially when I work from home or on weekends. Disregarding the poor resolution of this photo, I think a selfie like this can be extremely beneficial. You don’t necessarily have to post it to social media, but I recommend taking a no makeup selfie every once and a while, just for yourself.

Snap the picture from your favorite angle and take a good look at it. Practice self love by finding the parts of your face that you absolutely love (for example, I like my eyelashes and my end of nose freckle!). Avoid bringing up the flaws we have been trained to see and appreciate the subtle elements of your face. The more you get used to seeing your face in its natural state, the more comfortable you will be with loving it.

This picture is a good example of a no makeup selfie because you can see blemishes, discoloration, and other supposed “flaws” quite clearly. I wanted to make sure you could see the red mark on my cheek because I’m don’t want to hide my imperfections (this is a huge bug bite by the way, which is ridiculous). I also wanted to show myself smiling because a frowning face creates a negative image in the mind. This no makeup version of Kate is happy, feeling good, and healthy!

I thought this post was important because as a lover of makeup, I know how pervasive the attitude is of “I have to cover my dark circles” or “look at my disgusting redness”. We need to treat ourselves with more kindness and consideration. Take a moment to snap a no makeup selfie to admire, or say “What’s up sexy?” to yourself in the mirror when you take off your makeup. It’ll do a world of good!

Let me know what you think of the no makeup selfie and this type of post in the comments! I hope you enjoyed my thoughts.

-Kate