Mascara #BareAllBePale


Okay, well today's post might seem a little random, but hear me out. I was absoloutley blown away by the response to my #BareAllBePale project and couldn't believe the impact that it made. I have decided that I didn't want it to just end there - I want to use it to talk about anything that has ever made me, you, anyone insecure and hope that it can encourage people, just like the original blog post did, to just open up and be themselves.

Today, i want to talk about my eye lashes, which may seem like the most ridiculous thing ever but well, i'm still going to talk about it haha.

Now, over the past few days, so many people have commented on my eyelashes: 'You're so lucky' 'They're amazing!' 'Magic', but, honestly, they have never felt that amazing to me and to be honest the only 'magic' there is a little mascara... (which usually ends up all over my face whilst I try to cover the blonde roots of my lashes - it never works.)

From the age of about 10 I've been wearing mascara. I know that might seem extremely young, but when you're eyelashes are pretty much transparent, mascara becomes your saviour. I remember I was in Year 6 at primary school and one day I just suddenly noticed that everyone else had these gorgeous dark lashes and that mine just seemed, well, none existent. I already felt pretty inadequate just as a person at that age and always seemed to be like the odd one out, so when I started thinking about my looks, it was really quite upsetting.

Now, I can't remember if I'd talked to my mum about how I felt or I had just raided her make up bag but some how some way, I began to wear a little mascara. It was so nice to just have a little boost of confidence and actually see what my eyes really really looked like. If you have watched any of my YouTube videos then you've probably seen the way that my eyes just kind of transform into something else once I have mascara on - at that age it almost did feel magical. Unfortunately however, that didn't really last long. It was definitely against the primary school's rules (lol #rebel) to wear any kind of make up, so teachers would go ballistic when they'd see me walking the corridors with my mascara coated lashes. Actually, there was one teacher (not naming names but if you went to primary school with me you can probably guess haha) that used to make me take it all off with a paper towel and water - yeah I know! That's gotta be like child cruelty or something right? ...

Anyway, yeah that really made me feel isolated. I felt like the ugly duckling and I feel like that has definitely still stuck with me even until today. Obviously, then came my high school years where I was definitely feeling a lot more rebellious (seriously? how bad ass am I?). I was much more able to stick up for my pale features and say 'hell no, if you get to see everyone else's eye lashes, you get to see mine too.' It of course didn't always work, but by Year 11 I think people just give up trying to tell you what to look like.

In about Year 9 I also started filling in my eyebrows...but I'll save that for a different post or maybe even a video... because yeah that's a v funny story.

The point of this post is to say that mascara used to be the only way I could feel even the tiniest little bit good about myself. I don't know whether it's just because I've been through hell and back recently, but nowadays I don't feel like I care too much any more. I often love creating make up looks and leaving my eyes mascara-less and I think it's really important that we don't have to rely on mascara, a make up product, to feel okay. Yes, sometimes I sit bare-faced and cry asking 'WHY CRUEL WORD WHY?' but you know, I just get on with it.

This one is for the guys and gals who have fair features, that have always felt self concious and rely on things like make up to make themselves feel okay. Try and do what I do: Be experimental, think of yourself as a blank canvas, think about catwalk models where they have pale faces and white eyebrows, think creatively and don't hate yourself.

It's kind of empowering that I feel okay to go out without mascara sometimes and to not have to worry that people will think that I've burnt my eyelashes off with a barbecue. I guess, we just slowly learn to except ourselves.

So, if you're like me, I hope this helped and if not, I hope it gave you a little insight into the way that my so called 'magical' eye lashes have made me feel over time. Sometimes the thing that you're jealous of someone for, is their weakness.


  1. I can't believe that teacher took your mascara off! Is it actually number one problem in the world?
    We don't have such rule at school, but still there's one teacher who constantly tries to tell girls off about their makeup or even if someone dyed hair. I mean, it's non of theirs business! She told my friend something like yuuuk, you look disgusting with black hair despait of the fact almost everyone was complimenting it. Wtf?
    Also, just one last thing. You are so PRETTY! Every time I see your photo on IG, I'm like wow, how is that even possible? You shouldn't feel insecure about your skin, eye lashes or eyebrows, because you're beautiful the way you are :) x

    1. I know right? haha! School is crazy when it comes to rules on make up! Also, thank you so much! <3

  2. This was such a lovely post and I can relate to a lot even though my lashes are quite dark, the feelings that you mention are very similar. I'm definitely going to try and talk about more of my problems like this on my blog. Also, if you ever did want to, you could think about tinting your lashes although embracing them is 100% the best way forward. You look amazing, girl!


    1. I've tinted my eyelashes before but I unfortunately had a traumatic allergic reaction:(
      Thank you Maddy! xx

  3. You're so beautiful, and these features make you, you. Embrace them. Such a lovely post, I feel like it'll most definitely help others.

    Olivia // BLONDE LA MODE

  4. Honestly, I think you look gorgeous like this. You could be a model ^^

  5. Amazing post, Holly! I just love the way you wrote everything <3

  6. You still look gorgeous without mascara! I can kind of relate thought - the ends of my lashes are blonde so without mascara I always feel like they look really stumpy and make my eyes look really small. But the when I look at you without mascara you look lovely so maybe I don't look as bad as I think haha
    Amy x


Latest Instagrams

© Holly Rebecca White. Design by FCD.