Girls, let's strip.
I mean it. And I'm not talking about our bodies. (Although if you dare to bare, more power to you.) I'm talking faces.
Here's the deal: I am Mt. Everest on the 'low maintenance' beauty routine scale. Seriously. And I don't think I'm alone either. If I'm honest, it takes me half an hour just to 'create' my face every morning, all with the intention of looking like I did nothing. It's nuts. I want the world to assume I roll out of bed and harness my youthful glow - though the well-trained eye will successfully go mascara spotting - so I spend oodles of time on tinted moisturisers, concealers, eyelash curlers and the lot. Particularly to cover my congested, not-so-flawless skin. But why?
It's not that I don't love makeup. I do - master of disguises and all that. It's all-consuming to watch those Mrs. Doubtfire-esque specials that demonstrate how stars get made into apes and aliens. And blogs like Charlotte Tilbury's, she's in the glow and the beauty department are wormholes of potential face sculpting goodness. Generally speaking though not eyeliner, eyeshadow nor highlighter ever grace my features. Let's not even address bronzers or lipliners. I only just learned (at 28, mind you) that I can make my sparse eyebrows appear like Cara D's through some magical tinted fairy dust and old mascara wands. It's genuinely mind-boggling.
However, sometimes, it all has to go. The concealing. The worry. The constant search for unachievable perfection. Where am I anyway? Undercover.
For me, it's time to break free for a bit. Sunscreen, check. Dabs of mascara for the translucent lashes... reluctant half-check. Concealer? If spots absolutely demand, but those dark circles are getting worn loud and proud.
Basically, I'm setting a five minute limit. If it's not on in five, it's not worth it.
That's why I'm so pleased with the editorial trend above, particularly carried into autumn. (Summer's easy - you're swimming, you're festival-ing, or you know it's just gonna melt off anyway, so why bother?) I've been wanting to admire planes made by mother nature, not Maybelline, and these images above prove why. I know many can wax poetic on the timeless red lip or the iconic cat eye, but sometimes, I just want to to see a pretty girl.
Many thanks you, fashion editors, for demonstrating how stunning your models are, sans paint.
So, what say you world? Ready to strip?
