Have you ever thought about ditching makeup for a month? Renee Moore is a skin therapist and beauty CEO by trade is doing just that. We talked to her about why she is going makeup free in the month of May – and the interesting impacts it has had on her mindset, her attitude to beauty and her self esteem.
Hi Renee! Can you tell us a little bit about what the Makefree May Project is about, and what it aims to achieve?
Makefree May is a project that invites us all to go makeup free in the month of May to raise money for the Human Kind Project, empowering women and transforming lives around the world. If the idea of going completely makeup free is not for you, there are a couple of different options so that everyone can get involved!
Apart from the very important part – which is raising money, the main aim of Makefree May is to help shift beauty standards, to celebrate the diversity of women’s true faces, and to remind our kids that who we are and what we do with our lives is what makes us beautiful.
Going makeup free for a month sounds like it could be pretty intimidating for some! Especially for women who work in the beauty industry. What has your experience been like so far?
YES! Terrifying. I was makeup free at an event the other day. I met these two lovely women and we were chatting about what we did. You can imagine how I felt when I had to tell them I had a skincare business. I felt like immediately saying – please don’t judge my skin. I’m doing this for a good cause!
I love makeup and have worked in this industry for nearly 20 years. For some, makeup is a great form of self-expression and genuinely makes them feel great. But everyone will have a different story to tell.
I do feel that the industry as a whole is changing (both negatively and positively). More than ever there is this pressure for us to conform to a certain type of beauty and even make changes to ourselves to fit the mould. Women are often criticized for not conforming but then are also criticized when we conform. It’s just a no win situation. We need to teach our kids (and remind ourselves) that beauty has nothing to do with the way we look and everything to do with the way we act. On the positive we have some individuals and companies leading the charge to celebrate diversity and individuality, which is also great.
Do you have any tips for women struggling to feel comfortable in their own skin?
To be honest, I am still not comfortable in my own skin. I am a work in progress.
The number one thing I am concentrating on at the moment is trying to overcome negative thoughts and self doubt that I create in my head. I’m retraining my brain after years of low self-esteem. The brain is so powerful and I already notice such a big shift in my confidence. It’s exciting to see a different person in the mirror.
Ultimately investing in yourself and backing yourself is going to lead to self worth, which I guess is the gateway to feeling comfortable in your own skin! Take time to do things for yourself and don’t ever feel guilty.
Do you feel going makeup free has helped with your self confidence?
Yes, which has absolutely surprised me.
I have worn makeup pretty much everyday since I was 13. I had significant acne right up until my late 20’s. I was bullied continuously, even as an adult; mainly for my acne and sometimes for the amount of makeup I wore. The comments really wore me down and ultimately led to poor self-esteem.
The idea of going makeup free absolutely terrified me – which some people will find incredible hard to understand.
When I ripped the band-aid off and my face was out there for the world to see I was surprised. No one told me I looked tired. No one asked me if I was sick. Everyone just got on with life.
I think the confidence I have gained has come from being brave enough to go for it and doing something completely different.
Will I be excited on June 1st to reach for my makeup again – yep; I think I absolutely will, because it is such a big part of me. I love makeup. But I know I will have a completely different mindset, which is fantastic!
