Sponsored - Aveeno's Beautiful Change Challenge Part 2

We've all seen those tabloid spreads, "Stars Without Makeup," but unlike some who scrutinize and ridicule celebrities who are caught out there without their "game face," I find it empowering. When these women step out in the midst of paparazzi without a stitch of makeup I think it shows that they're secure in their own skin, which is admirable. OK, some of them may not exactly intend to be plastered on the cover of these publications, but they still walked outside their homes without the help of a glam squad.

As women we all have days when we'd rather skip our beauty routines and brave the world bare-faced or throw on a baseball cap to cover our unpresentable strands. But, many of us have to take baby steps, namely me!  Once I decided to take part in this Aveeno challenge, I reflected on my daily beauty routine and recognized that I spend an unnecessarily long time getting ready.

In an effort to simplify, switch, and speed up my morning beautifying routine, I decided to give my hair a break and opt for a one-sided braid. It's super easy to do and it's a refreshing change from my usual topknot or two-strand twists. I've also simplified my daily makeup application. For a few weeks I've been using tinted moisturizers with SPF 30 instead of concealers or foundation. Admittedly, I can only do this because I'm not currently suffering from any discolorations or hyper-pigmentation.

Me wearing a side-bun and braid. 

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“Disclosure: Compensation was provided by AVEENO® via Glam Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of AVEENO®”