Tuesday, May 1, 2012

"No {Makeup}, Beauty Comes From Within"

About a month ago I started thinking about how much time we Americans spend on getting ready for the day. I can spend anywhere from 1 to 1 /1/2 hours primping, ironing, plucking, brushing, drying, smearing, well you get it. I began to notice how the media and different stars really REALLY go way out to make themselves look better. (Personally, I don't think it does)  What I'm talking about is the real heavy, black eye liners and shadows. I don't hold it against them, I just don't like it for myself. 


At the same time I'm thinking through the {makeup} world and why we wear it, my 2 daughters began asking me when they could start wearing {makeup}. I told them that I didn't start wearing {Makeup} until I was 13 so that had to wait at least until then. However, I do allow them to wear lip gloss. (They are only 10 and 11). What I've discovered is that their friends are wearing it so it has perked their interest.


This really began to weigh heavy on my heart. I want my girls to value their character more than their looks. Don't get me wrong here, I do teach them to dress "commanding respect". About 5 weeks ago, we started reading "Beautiful Girlhood" by Karen Andeola. It covers topics that lead girls from being girls to ladies like, Character Building, Watching your Tongue, The Power of Purpose, Waking of the Love Nature, A Pure life and many many more topics. 

Whoa and behold yesterday's chapter 6 was about "Making Herself Beautiful - 'Charm is decietful, and beauty is vain; but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised'." It talks about making yourself beautiful on the inside and letting it shine through. Man, that was it. That's all I needed to give me the push to move forward with my idea. No more thinking about, now's the time to just do it. I have just loved this time that we have together reading and discussing this book. I highly recommend it.  Karen is an amazing homeschooling mom that stands out from the crowd. She has so much to offer homeschooling mothers and students. You can find her blog here... "Moments with Mother Culture"


You can get it at Amazon.com
You can find her book here...http://www.homeschoolhighlights.com/

When I started thinking about the possibility of maybe going 30 days without {makeup} I kinda freaked. I said to myself "What?" "What, no way, I'm not doing that". "Do you mean go out in public with NO {makeup}? Go to church with NO {makeup}? And the answer was always "Yes" Then I really had to have a discussion with myself. I said "Self, what would be the real reason you would do this?" The answer was easy..."For my girls."  Well, of course, it would be to put away what I wanted and to send a message through action to my girls that true beauty comes from within. So, with a month of struggling and thinking way TOO much about this, I decided it's just time to "JUST DO IT".


Ever since my children we very small, my husband would always ask them, "When are you the most beautiful/handsome?" Their answer was to be..."When I tell the truth".  Honesty is a character that shines from within making the most plain person absolutely beautiful because they are displaying the qualities of Jesus Christ.(This is not the only character we teach)


So from May 15 to June 14, I will go every where with "No {makeup}" Yep, even to church!  I don't have the most clear skin and would certainly like to hide my flaws. But I read in my leadership Bible recently that leaders lead by doing. Leaders lead by creating memories. I am creating a memory with my children. They will remember what I do more than what I say. I want my actions to speak louder than my words. 


During this time of {makeup} fasting, I'm going to be doing a self inspection. I'm anticipating that God will show me somethings about myself that need to change. I'm really looking forward to this. 

Also during this time, me and my girls will be focusing on skin care and hair care by eating/drinking right and taking vitamins. 


So, I'm asking who ever will to either participate with me or support me. If you already don't wear {makeup} then, join in with me. If you wear {makeup} then I want to ask you to consider participating with me to some degree. Even if it's just for a day, a week or the whole time. It doesn't matter how old you are. If you don't want to participate then please support me by commenting on my post as well as leaving words of encouragement here and on my Facebook page.  

The more that stands me to tell this generation of young ladies that "Beauty comes from within" the louder we will be. 

     Let's just don't talk about it, let's do it!

                              ~Dee Dee~





















1 comment:

SherilinR said...

i've had to process the concept of going without makeup some this year since i've been dealing with getting my acne cleared up. it got really bad for the past couple years & my parents paid for me to see a dermatologist & get it fixed as my christmas present this year. part of what i've had done has forced me to go without makeup quite a bit of the time & i've discovered that i can function without makeup on my face, even out in public. this was a realization to me because i've had mascara on my eyes everywhere i went since i was 12 years old.
kudos to you for living by example, my friend! i hope your girls remember your lesson well.
i think brooke is of the mindset to skip makeup forever. i'm glad she feels that way so far & i hope it lasts a good long time.

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"I count myself one of the number of those who write as they learn and learn as they write." -John Calvin