In today’s society women are expected to go out with several layers of makeup on every day. There’s even a trend of “natural look” makeup, where you put on makeup to look like you’re not wearing makeup. It’s crazy, right? Well, you can save you skin, your money and your sanity by embracing the fact that you can be beautiful without any makeup at all.

We’ve been taught to look for all of our “imperfections” and to cover them up with makeup. Make your skin look smooth like a mannequin, plump your lips, extend your lashes, and the list goes on and on. You don’t need any of that though. Your natural face is beautiful just the way it is, and you should never be ashamed to show it off. Let the real you shine through!

The key to looking good without makeup is taking care of your skin. And guess what? You don’t need to buy a ton of products to do that. I know, the beauty magazines say that you do, but they’re wrong. I have a very simple regimen that I use to keep my skin looking and feeling great.

Every morning take a dry wash cloth and rub it in gentle circles all over your face and neck. This releases some of the dead skin and increases softness. Next, rinse your face with cool or cold water. It tightens the pores and makes skin look smoother. If you need to wash your face, I recommend a gentle, natural soap like Georgia’s Lavender Organic soap, which is what I buy. I only wash my face with soap a few times a week or if I’ve worn makeup.

To keep your skin bright and soft, use a sugar scrub once a week. I sugar scrub from my forehead to me toes, and it’s amazing. Just mix 1/2 cup white or brown sugar with 1/4 cup grapeseed oil. (Grapeseed oil won’t clog your pores and cause breakouts like other oils will.) You can add powdered herbs if you like, but those two ingredients are all you actually need. One batch will do your whole body 2-3 times.

If you’re experiencing some shine on your face, arrowroot powder is your best friend. Just use a makeup brush to dust a small amount of it over your face and the shine will be gone. I rarely ever need to apply a second time in a day unless it’s really hot.

Stay hydrated and try to get enough sleep. Sleeping well will reduce or eliminate dark under-eye circles in most people. The cool rinse in the morning will help with that too. Staying hydrated will keep your skin soft and elastic.

You see? Having soft, beautiful skin is easy and inexpensive. Take care of yourself and you can be proud to go out in public without anything on your face. Natural is beautiful, no matter what the cosmetic companies tell you. Just remember, they tell you that you need the products not because you actually do, but because they want to make money. You can save yourself a lot of money and stress by learning to be happy without.

Briana Blair

Briana Blair is an author and artisan. She has published more then 30 books and thousands of articles across multiple sites. After practicing Paganism and witchcraft for 25 years, she's now on a journey as an atheist and skeptic. She's eclectic, unpredictable, and always evolving. Facebook - Twitter