I was nervous when I first heard about this challenge since enhancement products are part of my daily routine.  I usually wear light makeup (concealer, mascara, and chapstick), deodorant, and use anti-frizz products if it is a humid day.  I use these products to feel more confident in my own skin.  I typically break out from stress, and it is something I feel quite self-conscious about (especially since it is not something that I can control).  Being able to cover up a blemish allows me to not worry as much about my appearance.  The other products I use are either for convenience (not having to style frizzy hair), general hygiene reasons (not wanting to smell), or just because I like them.

I decided to completely forgo all of my products other than my skincare products.  I was certainly not looking forward to the experience.  The hardest product to go without was the concealer since I did not feel comfortable without it.  The easiest product to go without was the anti-frizz product since I was lucky and the humidity was low.

As I got ready to leave in the morning I was very nervous about what others would think of me, however, nobody mentioned anything the whole day.  This isn’t exactly surprising because I usually do not comment or care about other people’s acne.  This experience reinforced the idea that our biggest critic is ourselves, and most people, frankly, do not notice small things about us (like if we’re wearing mascara).

The no-products day was at the start of the semester, and I have an update.  Since then, my skin has cleared up a bit.  It is by no means perfect (in fact, there are still marks), but I am much more comfortable with not wearing makeup.  I still don’t believe that there is anything wrong with using enhancement products.  Regardless of whether or not they are capitalistic ploys, if a product allows you to feel more confident, then, by all means, use it!