Piper Kathryn Bond, a 23-year-old Australian woman, made a life-changing decision by choosing to go makeup-free. She revealed that she had always felt “quite insecure” since childhood, as her excessive concern for her appearance led her to constantly maintain and manage her image for no reason.
In an interview with The Epoch Times, Piper shared how she used to do her makeup and hair every day, but now she feels she needed to break free from the makeup addiction. “I needed to fast from it,” she said. “If not, I would never know the freedom of not wearing makeup. It made me see how deeply reliant I was on makeup.”
Today, Piper says she can’t even imagine going back to her old ways. “I feel very liberated. I was never like this before – I really believed that one of the most important things in life was appearance. I felt like I might not look professional enough – like I couldn’t go to the office without a full face of makeup.”
“I think all of this is for the sake of pleasing others… As a young woman, there is a lot of social pressure – it’s almost pathological, isn’t it? We are imposed with these extreme beauty standards or vanity.”
“We see all these women considered beautiful by everyone, and then look at ourselves, feeling inferior to them. But that’s not how God sees it. In God’s eyes, we are not inferior to anyone. God created us to be ourselves. This is God’s perspective – to set our minds on things above, not on earthly matters.”
Piper started to evaluate what she was putting on her skin and why when she and her husband were striving to lead a more holistic lifestyle in their hometown of Adelaide.
Although she believes that everyone’s personal grooming is unique, Piper couldn’t ignore the inner voice calling her to break the habit of relying too much on makeup products.
Quitting makeup was a gradual process. She realized how much she relied on them and didn’t suddenly decide to “quit entirely.” She gradually reduced her use of makeup products.
“It didn’t even occur to me,” she said. “Until I looked back and realized, at that time I might have only put on mascara every day. I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, 12 months ago, I wouldn’t have done that.'”
“That’s the wonder of God. He mercifully wakes us up to realize where we need improvement. Many times, it’s not as simple as ripping off a Band-Aid. He prepares you, then slowly leads you to your destination. Until one day, when you look back, you realize how far you’ve come.”
Initially, what helped her and what she recommends to those looking to reduce makeup usage is starting with using more natural products rather than synthetic ones. Piper opted for low-coverage natural brands instead of expensive makeup. She gradually reduced her daily makeup routine, starting with blush, then foundation and concealer.
“It’s just removing one small step… I’d just put on a little bronzer, mascara, eyebrow gel, or lightly groom my eyebrows. Then I stopped using blush, only mascara. As time went on, decreasing little by little, gradually, until not wearing makeup at all.”
Piper also worries about the health risks that may come from daily use of synthetic formulas (deodorant, perfume, moisturizers, or other skincare products).
“Women apply hundreds of chemicals daily, unaware of the impact. It’s affecting our fertility, affecting everything. I believe people are definitely starting to awaken,” she added, noting that health issues are more prevalent now than 50 or 60 years ago.
Piper’s main motivation comes from changing her “mindset”: shifting from self-centeredness to selflessness. “The change in mindset is reflected in my desire to truly care for others, not just myself – this is the result of my faith in God.”
“I still do my hair, don’t like ponytails. In fact, my time can be used for more meaningful things, whether serving my family or getting half an hour more sleep in the morning.”
“Now I do spend time on more beneficial things, so that others around me can benefit, not just myself.”
Being married for four and a half years, Piper emphasizes her love for children and eagerly looks forward to having a family of her own.
This family-oriented woman admits that her self-esteem wasn’t high during her upbringing, but she is very willing to instill a healthy lifestyle attitude in her future children, especially girls.
While she no longer considers makeup a necessity, she still believes it can be used in beautiful ways. “Sometimes being creative is fun, like dressing up a bit for events like weddings, makes it feel special.”
Today, Piper feels natural appearing without makeup on her YouTube and Instagram channels. She reaps many blessings in her life in the “beautiful little city” of South Australia.
“In the end, the reason I share my story is that there is nothing more important than human salvation and God’s love for us. So, if I have a platform, I will use it to thank the heavens. I want to be a positive light shining, I always want to love others,” she said.