No Makeup Photography Series

Shannen Kim

"I love makeup because it gives me confidence. I hate makeup because it gives me confidence."

1 / 10

Isadora Laveau

"I would say that I enjoy makeup, but I feel we rely on it too much. We forget to embrace our natural beauty because of societies' standards on how women should look. We don't need all this highlighting and contouring of makeup to be beautiful — just a simple smile. It's taken me a long time to not only get comfortable but also embrace my naked face, but I'm so glad that have. Not only have I saved a ton of money, I have also saved myself an extra 10 to 15 minutes while getting ready!"

2 / 10

Vanessa Ly

Image Source: Steve Osemwenkhae

"A person's face is like a blank canvas. Makeup is the paint that dictates the mood of the piece. Everything a true artist creates is from the soul. Love, pain, joy transcends through every piece that is created, as does makeup on a person's face."

3 / 10

Sandra Jack Shaw

Image Source: Steve Osemwenkhae

"I consider makeup a tool; one which I use to present my best self in public. My daughters refer to my made-up look as my 'work face' as I tend to only wear it when I'm going to be in front of a camera. I definitely feel more confident when I'm made-up, but society has taught women to feel that way. That fact truly bothers me. Most times I'm comfortable in my own skin."

4 / 10

Kayla McGarrell

Image Source: Steve Osemwenkhae

"My mom never wore makeup, and she always told me I didn't need it and wouldn't let me wear it. So I never got in the habit of putting on makeup. I don't hate it or love it — I just really value my mom's opinion."

5 / 10

Lindsey Gonzalez

Image Source: Steve Osemwenkhae

"I've never really liked it especially because my skin is sensitive so I break out easily. But my whole life I've always been told to not use it because I didn't really need it. I feel everybody is beautiful with or without makeup, but to use makeup as a confidence booster would be the wrong way because then you'll be very dependent on it."

6 / 10

Halah Ahmad

Image Source: Steve Osemwenkhae

"I wear makeup to the degree that it pleases me; I always think about who I am doing it for and what it does for me."

7 / 10

Elissa Garza

Image Source: Steve Osemwenkhae

"When I was growing up, makeup was a way to change who I was and emulate those I admired; nowadays it's more about being comfortable and owning my own skin. On a daily basis I rarely wear more than eyeliner, mascara, and blush, sometimes lipstick if I'm feeling bold. It shouldn't be about changing or hiding things, but about enhancing the features you love and what makes you unique."

8 / 10

Catalina Ibarguen

Image Source: Steve Osemwenkhae

"I love makeup because you can enhance or hide any feature you want; it's like magic."

9 / 10

Lydia Lee

Image Source: Steve Osemwenkhae

"I think that makeup should be an option for people who want to wear it, but not a requirement. As a woman, and a college student living with four other females, I feel pressure to wear it from the people around me, and often get comments pointing out that I do not regularly wear makeup. I think everyone should feel beautiful in their own skin and not self-conscious of imperfections that we all have. Instead I think we should embrace the beauty that we were given and use makeup more as a highlight of that beauty than a mask to create society's idea of beauty."

10 / 10