I had such a great time working on a film this summer, which shot a grueling 6-day per week / 12-hour production schedule, but I can’t wait for you all to see this special holiday project. Still, wearing heavy makeup each day is not good for your skin and its terrible to get a break out right before the holiday season. Now that we’re back to fall, I’m taking some time to embrace fresh-faced beauty.

This guide will help you clear your skin so you can experience more self-esteem without make up in about three months – just in time for the holidays.

Step One: Stop Wearing Makeup a Few Days Per Week

Some women believe beauty is correlated to the amount of makeup they wear on their faces.  While it’s true that wearing cosmetics can provide a temporary confidence boost, whether or not wearing makeup is beneficial to women psychologically ultimately depends on the attitude of the woman who wears it. A study by Robertson and colleagues (2008) found a positive correlation between frequent use of cosmetics and anxiety, self-consciousness, and conformity. Women who reported wearing makeup less frequently tended to have higher social confidence, emotional stability, and self-esteem.

For those who don’t want to compromise their professional appearances, but still want to experience the physical and mental effects of going without makeup, we encourage you to embrace a makeup free autumn. Give it a try.

Step Two: Create a Face Care Routine to Clear the Build-Up

If you have naturally oily skin, you should wash your face in the morning to reduce the oil the built up overnight. If you are worried about drying your skin out, simply splash some cool water on your face and make sure you moisturize. Every skin type is different, but this step reinvigorates and helps energize.

Moreover, always wearing makeup can build up unrealistic personal expectations of beauty, clouding our opinions and influencing us to resort to our physical appearance for confidence.

Adjust your typical cosmetic routine so that you’re still nourishing your face and body with care without the extra products. 

Step Three: Embrace Natural Ingredients

Products that contain too many chemicals will make your skin too dry or too dependent. You can achieve amazing results with essential oils like eucalyptus, tea tree and frankincense.

Mash an avocado or banana and place it in the fridge, covered for 30 minutes. While the fruit is chilling, wash your face with warm water. Remove the mask from the fridge, apply all over your face, let set for 10-15 minutes and then wash off with warm water.

Maple Syrup is an antibacterial agent that can reduce blemishes, inflammation, dryness and redness. Wash your face with warm water. Spread 3 tablespoons of maple syrup on your face and allow it to set for 15-20 minutes and wash off with warm water. 

Avocado is rich in fatty acids and antioxidants that can penetrate the inner layers of your skin, healing it from the inside out. Bananas are rich in vitamins, which helps them soften and hydrate your skin, prevent age spots, prevent fine lines, and even apply the peel directly on pimples to combat acne.

Step Four: Gently Exfoliate Your Skin at Least Three Times Per Week

Look for exfoliating cleansers, scrubs, and tools that will deep clean your skin to remove the dead skin. Regularly exfoliating your skin will help your other products work better. Charcoal is great for acne and exfoliation. Vitamin C works to hydrate dull skin.

Step Five: Drink Lots of Water

A glass of water is the best way to start your day. One glass of water rehydrates your body from a night of sleeping, sets your metabolism for the day, and helps your face and body wake up. It is important to keep hydrated all day. 

Stop Six: Stop Eating Junk Food

What your body processes will show up in your skin, so do your best to skip soda, fast food and anything that you are allergic to.

Here are some great foods to add to your diet for clear skin as well.

SUNFLOWER SEEDS

These little seeds have some great properties that will work wonders on your skin. Each tiny sunflower seed is jam-packed with lots of Vitamin E. This can slow down the aging of your skin. It is also extremely effective at protecting your skin against UV rays from the sun. And when you are looking for sunflower seeds, make sure you buy the edible variety. Try not to get any that are salted. This is unnecessary extra sodium in your diet.

KIWIS

Kiwi fruit is packed with Vitamin C. This wonderful vitamin helps to maintain the skin’s collagen, which keeps it firm and supple. I love to eat kiwis in fruit smoothies. If you want to buy a good blender for smoothies, you can read a review here.

POMEGRANATES

Pomegranate seeds are a great source of polyphenol antioxidants. These can improve the blood flow to your skin as well as fight free radicals. Apply the seeds’ juice to your skin to smooth out wrinkles and moisturize your skin. 

WALNUTS

Next time you are looking for a snack, grab a handful of walnuts. These contain a lot of Omega 3, just like fish. They are also a good source of copper, which can help your skin produce collagen. This can improve your skin’s tone and make it look a lot smoother.

Step Seven: Look at yourself in the mirror and say one thing you love about yourself.

This can be an external or internal quality, but it has to be genuine. Every week, pick a different thing to notice, but be careful not to forget what you loved the week before. It is also necessary to say it aloud. It will probably feel a little weird for the first few days, but verbally saying what you love about yourself makes a huge difference.

Complete this exercies, and then decide whether or not your day will include make-up. The amount of confidence we can naturally exude when we love what we see in the mirror is amazing.