When I went to sleep the night before I told myself “Tomorrow is no-product day,” but it was not until the professor mentioned it the next morning that I realised I was supposed to be doing the challenge. I went through my morning in my mind: “woke up, brushed my teeth, had breakfast, went to class.” Not a single product, I don’t even comb my hair. 

“I’m doing great” I thought, but as the morning progressed I had to repeat the exercise over and over. I would remember that I was supposed to be doing the challenge, panic about it, go back through my day until my last check-point. And still nothing, not a single product. It was not until that night when I decided to use body wash for my hair as well, which is supposed to work just fine but not leave my hair as soft as my shampoo. 

In retrospect, the challenge was not hard at all. It was the thoughts that came after that bothered me. Am I investing enough in myself? Do I need to buy something for my skin or a comb for my hair? All this brought memories back when I decided to stop using deodorant in high school but for the summers. But also made me ask about the other face of the coin, what if I actually liked make-up, hair products, perfumes, etc.? And there is the conflicting thought: Do I not use enhancement products out of pragmatism? (That is not using them because I’m just being me) Or are those preferences not the result of growing up in a society that punishes in men all enhancements, even self-care?