Cosmetics Addiction 

Do you feel comfortable leaving your home without makeup?  

Do you know exactly what you need from a makeup?

How much time to you spend watching makeup tutorials?  

When you visit a make-up store, do you get the item you need, or get sucked in by glittering palates with chocolate aroma, and coconut misting sprays that promise all night perfection?

Self-check your answers to the above questions.  You may have a make-up addiction.  

Recently, (and make-up free,) I had the opportunity to meet several young women at an outing at the lake.  All of them were ages 18 to 20, and their youthful, glorious skin radiated a full life not yet lived.  Then we got to talking.  The average time each one spent on YouTube perfecting their next “look,” per week, was 10-20 hours. The average amount of money they spent on make-up was in one case $200 per week, or “whatever I can afford.”  And sadly not one of them felt comfortable leaving the house without makeup.  Individually they expressed how much anxiety they felt if they couldn’t have “their face on,” and how angry they got with friends and family if they were rushed. In short their worlds literally revolved around makeup.  I didn’t say much during our short hour and a half conversation, I just listened, while my mind spun.  

The term behavioral addiction correctly refers to a compulsion to engage in a natural reward – which is a behavior that is inherently rewarding (i.e., desirable or appealing) – despite adverse consequences. Repetitive and excessive exposure to a natural reward induces the same behavioral effects and neuroplasticity as occurs in a drug addiction.  

Before I started Impact for Purpose, I too wore a full face of makeup. I also spent obscene amounts of money on products trying to “fix,” my skin problems.  And every time I walked out of a store with my branded bag, looking forward to each one of the goodies inside, knowing it was just temporary and that good feeling would soon be over.  

So let’s rewind a bit to when I was still wearing a full face of make-up and the lab called to tell me my product was ready.  The formulation for Impact for Purpose, The World Traveled Collection was genius.  Within weeks, my skin had never looked better, felt better, or been blemish free.  I was ecstatic.  The videoing for product began.  It was then my story began to change.  During one video we both sat back.  It was like we were having the same thought.  “I look better without makeup,” I blurted.  “I totally agree,” he said leaning further into his chair.  I almost couldn’t watch the rest of the video.  It was in this moment that my relationship with my skin, the earth and my money began to change.  While the Impact for Purpose, World Traveled Collection product line continued improving my skin, I desperately clung to my makeup routine (addiciton).  I tried “foundationless foundations,” “sheer coverage,” “no makeup tutorials,” (which btw used just as much makeup if not more than I was using before,) I gimmicked the hell out of myself. Meanwhile my skin was getting better and better, and putting something on top of it just plain felt wrong.  Then the day arrived, I scrounged up the courage and went without make-up, the first few hours were rough, but by the end of the day I’d forgotten I didn’t have make-up on, and because my skin was so gorgeous, felt a little more empowered than I did with a full face.  Days without make-up soon turned to weeks, (just like any addiction there were some rough patches and relapses in between) but it wasn’t long before my makeup routine went from15 – 30 products, (yes, seriously 30 products) and 30-45 minutes, to 3 products and 4 minutes, while my skin looked more incredible than ever.  I am now  6 months into my makeup free skin, and realize more and more that my skin really did need repaired from the makeup.  Just like any addiction, I sometimes lament over the makeup life I once lived and wish that it actually looked good on my face, but sadly it doesn’t… As a reminder, I still have all my expensive foundations and potions that have now separated in the bottles, looking nothing like their “use twice daily, or as needed selves,” but my skin, the earth, pocket book, and self are all happier. Feel the love, free your face, no make-up required. 

Ways to tell you may have a makeup addiction:

*You get moody or irritable when your makeup routine is interrupted

*You obsess over products, especially new products coming out. 

*You spend 5 or more hours a week taking selfies or watching you tube tutorials 

*You feel guilty about the money you spend on products, or have acquired debt related to product spending

*You don’t feel comfortable leaving the house, until your makeup is just right.  

*Your friends tell you, that you look better without makeup, but you don’t believe them.  

Impacts of cosmetic addiction:  

*All that plastic has to go somewhere

*Personal Debt

*Damage to your skin over time

*Damage to relationships (both with self and others.

What you can do:

*Separate your “self-care,” routine from your “make-up” routine.  Self-care is about focusing on long-term body and mind healing results, such as massages, facials, yoga, good nutrition, (but be mindful, if you find yourself hitting the spa three days a week, we have simply transferred our addiction in the name of “self-care.”)

*Once a week, have a make-up free girls night out. There is safety in numbers, and support is everything.  

*Give the money you would spend on product to your favorite charity.  Yes, literally walk through the door and had a check to your local Food Bank, or cancer organization.  The reward of caring and doing great things in the world lasts so much longer than the newest contour and highlighting kit.  

*Write a letter to yourself about who you are without make-up.  Not only will you be surprised, but in our journey it is important to take time for honest self-reflection.  

*Compliment a woman that doesn’t wear make-up.  It might be her first make-up free day, and for some of us, that takes courage.  

*Use those 10-20 hours a week you used to spend on youtube, shopping, or applying make-up to take a hike or volunteer.  We need as many powerful and empowered women as possible out there in the world making a difference.  

*Find something you are passionate about and start a movement!