The beauty of getting naked.

I'm a bit nervous about tonight's post because it's really personal. I have yet to post anything this emotionally revealing. I usually keep my blog to fun, frivolous things but today I'm laying it all out. I'm getting naked.

It's not what you think. (Don't worry Mom!)

Those of you who know me, know that I am a very low maintenance girl when it comes to my beauty routine. If you can even call it that. I rarely ever blowdry my hair and only occasionally straighten it. I usually wear mascara/curl the lashes and rub on my eye roller but even then, sometimes I just don't have time... Who else is going to walk the puppy-dog?

I'm getting to the point soon. Promise.

When reading Deanna's blog Delirious Rhapsody, I came across her Naked Face Challenge. She asked her readers to take one photo of themselves without any makeup (no editing) and post it on their blog. For some this is no biggie because they never wear makeup anyway, but for a lot of people this is unthinkable. It makes me sad that some people don't think they're pretty enough without makeup, even though this feeling has often crept its way into my thoughts.

For this reason, participating in activities that promote "real beauty", that show actual women in all of their natural, un-retouched and un-edited glory, is really important to me. It sickens me to consider the constant stream of false images that young girls and women are being bombarded with everyday. Women and girls measure themselves against an ideal that is calculated, created and manipulated. This unrealistic pressure to be beautiful and thin is one of the biggest worries I have about having a girl in the (far away) future. I'm trying to make a conscious effort to be more confident in how I look and to accept my so-called physical flaws. I have to say that it actually is getting easier with time.

On a related note, the one thing I find tricky about blogging is that it does cause people to compare themselves to others. But it's activities/events like this challenge that remind us, even for a minute, that we all look different and that that's okay. I truly believe that we are all beautiful BUT not in a Miss America-I love everyone, kind of way. In a way that we all have a little something that makes us unique and pretty.

Here's my naked face with no makeup & natural hair texture:

So I took 2 photos only because (get this) I didn't think the darkness showed the true rough texture of my skin enough. Haha. It doesn't get more real than this. 10 pm. Rockin' the toothbrush. Lovely cowlick. I even went to work like this that day.

This is me.

If you take the challenge be sure to email Deanna your entry here!

* Just to be clear, I have no problem with people who wear makeup everyday or every time they take a photo. I am not here to judge anyone. Just stating my thoughts on the standards of beauty.