I knew that when I got accepted into the WorldRace there was a few things I really wanted to do. I wanted to go to China and India, get a dress made in
Africa, go on a safari, see Mount Everest, walk the Great Wall of China, marvel at this amazing world we live on, and NOT PACK ANY MAKEUP!
Africa, go on a safari, see Mount Everest, walk the Great Wall of China, marvel at this amazing world we live on, and NOT PACK ANY MAKEUP!
Packing was a struggle enough as it is. I had to stay under 50 pounds and pack everything I would need for basically a year. With that being said, I had to cut out the excess. The unimportant things
that would weigh down my bag were not allowed to come. So I had to trim down to the essentials: underwear, clothing, basic toiletries— yaddayadda. Makeup was just excess to me. It was a no brainer. I said, "This is my year for me so I’m not going to worry
about what I look like!" AKA- I’m not trying to impress anyone! So I packed my chapsticks, favorite strawberry chubbystick, mascara, eyebrow brush, and a whole lotta confidence. I left my security blanket behind: foundation, powder, bronzer, highlight, blushes,
lipsticks, eye shadows, eyebrow pencil, eye liner…. etc! At that moment, I really didn’t think about how I would feel in just a few months. I have always been a confident person who was comfortable in my skin. I wore what made me feel good, I did crazy things
to my hair, I had fun with my makeup, I was free. I had no shame in my game! And I’m still very confident. But I’m not that way by my own strength. Being in Africa my first three months has started out by not being a beauty competition that’s for sure. I have
perpetual upper lip sweat, a red face from being hot and sunburned, preteen acne from being greasy due to constant sweating, heat rashes all over my body, armpit and leg hair I haven’t had time to shave all month, radical BO that no deodorant can put a dent
in, and consistently dirty feet. With all that even a confident person will begin to become weak. I had no make up to run to to hide my weakness either. I was becoming insecure and I was struggling. Especially when you are one of the only ones walking through
that journey. I chose this for myself, and I shouldn’t have had expectations that all the other women were going to do the same thing. So while I was sweating my butt off the girl next to me would have a full face of makeup on, looking like a beauty queen
and making me feel like a troll. It totally was no ones fault but mine. I was looking at myself through the worlds eyes. I was choosing to see myself for less than I really am and comparing myself to the people around me. I am more than a perfectly matte,
even skin tone with contouring, blush, and smokey eye shadows. My beauty starts on the inside and seeps out of my pores. My beauty starts by me believing that I am as beautiful as God intended and created me. I have learned that I can’t fill that hole with
make up or by people’s words of affirmation. This is something I am still struggling with even as I’m typing this. When we were at debrief in South Africa there was a mall that we went to. It was very much like an American mall. They had a Clinique counter,
a MAC store, and a body shop. All my favorite makeup stores. I had to remind myself of my goal. I stayed strong, I bought my bar of coconut soap, a piece of cake from Mugg and Bean, and got the heck outta that mall. I’m excited for this year of no makeup.
I am ready to keep learning more and more about myself, where my identity is and becoming so much more comfortable just being me. So, now I will apply my moisturizer with 30SPF, a smidge of mascara, my Natural Ice chapstick, a little dry shampoo and an ungodly
amount of deodorant all the while knowing I’m a gorgeous one-of-a-kind creation! No amount of makeup can change that!
that would weigh down my bag were not allowed to come. So I had to trim down to the essentials: underwear, clothing, basic toiletries— yaddayadda. Makeup was just excess to me. It was a no brainer. I said, "This is my year for me so I’m not going to worry
about what I look like!" AKA- I’m not trying to impress anyone! So I packed my chapsticks, favorite strawberry chubbystick, mascara, eyebrow brush, and a whole lotta confidence. I left my security blanket behind: foundation, powder, bronzer, highlight, blushes,
lipsticks, eye shadows, eyebrow pencil, eye liner…. etc! At that moment, I really didn’t think about how I would feel in just a few months. I have always been a confident person who was comfortable in my skin. I wore what made me feel good, I did crazy things
to my hair, I had fun with my makeup, I was free. I had no shame in my game! And I’m still very confident. But I’m not that way by my own strength. Being in Africa my first three months has started out by not being a beauty competition that’s for sure. I have
perpetual upper lip sweat, a red face from being hot and sunburned, preteen acne from being greasy due to constant sweating, heat rashes all over my body, armpit and leg hair I haven’t had time to shave all month, radical BO that no deodorant can put a dent
in, and consistently dirty feet. With all that even a confident person will begin to become weak. I had no make up to run to to hide my weakness either. I was becoming insecure and I was struggling. Especially when you are one of the only ones walking through
that journey. I chose this for myself, and I shouldn’t have had expectations that all the other women were going to do the same thing. So while I was sweating my butt off the girl next to me would have a full face of makeup on, looking like a beauty queen
and making me feel like a troll. It totally was no ones fault but mine. I was looking at myself through the worlds eyes. I was choosing to see myself for less than I really am and comparing myself to the people around me. I am more than a perfectly matte,
even skin tone with contouring, blush, and smokey eye shadows. My beauty starts on the inside and seeps out of my pores. My beauty starts by me believing that I am as beautiful as God intended and created me. I have learned that I can’t fill that hole with
make up or by people’s words of affirmation. This is something I am still struggling with even as I’m typing this. When we were at debrief in South Africa there was a mall that we went to. It was very much like an American mall. They had a Clinique counter,
a MAC store, and a body shop. All my favorite makeup stores. I had to remind myself of my goal. I stayed strong, I bought my bar of coconut soap, a piece of cake from Mugg and Bean, and got the heck outta that mall. I’m excited for this year of no makeup.
I am ready to keep learning more and more about myself, where my identity is and becoming so much more comfortable just being me. So, now I will apply my moisturizer with 30SPF, a smidge of mascara, my Natural Ice chapstick, a little dry shampoo and an ungodly
amount of deodorant all the while knowing I’m a gorgeous one-of-a-kind creation! No amount of makeup can change that!
Love yourselves my friends! If you’re reading this, maybe join me and go makeup-less for a week? Maybe even be a little vulnerable and post a makeup free
photo on social media?! If you do, please let me know your feelings of being makeup-free! #MakeUpFreeWR
photo on social media?! If you do, please let me know your feelings of being makeup-free! #MakeUpFreeWR
All my love to you beautiful people!
Xoxo,
Em
Here are a few photos of my make up free journey. Some are good, some are bad, but none are ugly.
{PHOTOS STARTING FROM TOP}
1. Typical look after working all day in the Mozambique heat painting the school. This was probably the hardest day. It was so extremely hot and I broke
out in 2 different varieties of heat rashes all over my body. It was great- NOT!
out in 2 different varieties of heat rashes all over my body. It was great- NOT!
2. This was a picture I took when we went to Naser De Sol beach in Mozambique. I was fresh off the beach, I had spent the day in the water, I had a light
sun burn, sand in all of the places, and I felt so relaxed and beautiful for the first time since I left America.
sun burn, sand in all of the places, and I felt so relaxed and beautiful for the first time since I left America.
3. Photo shoot pic taken on the beach! Went straight from the shower with wet hair and no make up! Learning to love the natural me!
4. Just me "stirring the pot" (hehe). I got to help make lunch at school one day! I wore this outfit almost everyday for the entire month. I bought it
off the street just for painting purposes. It was great.
off the street just for painting purposes. It was great.
5. This is Naomi and I on the safari in South Africa!
6. This is most of my team mates at our beach photo shoot! I love these pretty ladies! (Lauren, Mariah, me, Britt, and Naomi.)
