Alicia Keys has caused quite a stir with her recent #nomakeup movement. Showing up for a photo shoot barefaced after a workout, her photographer asked to photograph her “as is”. She admitted being nervous at first, but in the end experienced a real freedom and transformation from uncovering her face and being photographed in all her natural beauty. So was born the #nomakeup movement. She shares she has no problem with makeup, but when a woman becomes so insecure to be seen outside her home naturally without makeup for fear of ridicule or put downs, something is wrong. She hopes to start a revolution of others uncovering their true beauty.
The definition of what others perceive as beauty has changed throughout history. Somewhere along the way, in our western culture, beauty and perfection became intertwined. The perfect face, perfect body, perfect teeth became the pursuit of many. Yet, what have we lost in this mindset?
Beauty is more than skin deep. The whole of who we are is what reflects our true beauty. The hair that always frizzes in the humid weather, that one tooth that is a bit crooked, the prominent nose is not who we are, but that which makes us unique. And uniqueness, those things that set us apart, is beautiful. So what would life be like if we stripped perfection from our definition of beauty and instead inserted honesty in our definition of beauty?…honest beauty. What would unmasking our covered perfect self in order to uncover our honest beautiful self do to each of us personally? Something to ponder…
“Beauty begins the moment you decide to be yourself” Coco Chanel
