Did you know I carried a huge makeup bag around for years?

I even carried it with me when going to the nearest place; anyone who saw me would think I was on TV every day. Whenever my mother would say, “My daughter, why are you carrying that makeup bag? Leave it at home,” my answer was always the same. We still laugh about it when we talk about it: “What if I meet the love of my life today?” I carried that bag for years… The day I met the love of my life, I was makeup-free…

“Inner self reflected outwardly” because positive thinking and kindness always reflect in one’s overall attitude, so such people always have radiant faces. Smiling eyes filled with beautiful thoughts make everyone look beautiful. There’s no need for makeup or concealer. If you’re happy inside, you already have the most beautiful makeup… But there’s also a part of this that relates to skin health. What’s inside shows on the outside.

We always thought that flawless, radiant skin was achieved through external methods. When we admire a friend’s skin, our first question is, “Which cream and cleanser do you use?” We all do this. However, what makes skin glow is what nourishes all our cells: the food we eat. If we are eating (or not eating at all, just filling ourselves up with) foods high in preservatives, sugar, trans fats, fried foods, and simple carbohydrates, our bodies don’t get the necessary vitamins and minerals. Our gut health and immune system weaken, and every part of our body is affected. The skin is often considered separate because it’s not inside, but the needs of our skin, the covering of our body, are the same as the needs of our internal organs. Whatever you eat, whatever is inside your body, its effects are felt on your skin.

Instead of washing our skin with soap containing chemicals in our daily routine, washing it with pure water and then wiping it with real rose water will bring the best cleansing. Foundations and BB creams, which we use to cover some blemishes, cover them temporarily, but because the skin can’t breathe and is constantly covered in chemicals, it creates a vicious cycle. We apply foundation or concealer to cover blemishes and achieve smooth skin. Then these create new blemishes, and we apply foundation again. We continue to struggle in the same cycle…

When I was diagnosed with rosacea, I was shocked when my doctor said, “You have to stop using those creams.” I said, “How can I go out with those blemishes?” But, just like when I quit sugar, I put all the cosmetics in the bathroom in a bag and threw them in the trash. Ultimately, my skin would never be as bad as it was that day. Every day it got better.

As we nourish our bodies well from within, this directly affects our skin. The damage that cosmetics cause to the skin is also significant. Do you remember the Çarşı department store in Maslak? It was Turkey’s first large department store. I was only 20 or 21 years old then, and I used to spend most of the little money I earned on cosmetics there. Back then, my skin was like a baby’s. Now, thinking about it, I wonder why I needed so much cosmetics, but the desire to be more beautiful, more flawless, makes you do anything at that age. I still think, “Ah, ah, look at all the money I spent here,” when I pass by. What was the result? A blemished and damaged complexion, and a thin wallet where the money could have been used for much better things. And what am I doing 20 years later…?

Right now, I only wash my face with water. I use a moisturizer with ingredients that wouldn’t harm me even if I ate them all. I absolutely do not use foundation, BB cream, blush, etc. on my face. My cheeks are already red enough. Mascara and lipstick are my only makeup products.

I get asked a lot about what I use for my skin. My answer is very simple… Just water and moisturizer. I try my best to nourish my skin from the inside and keep my cells alive.

Wishing everyone healthy, happy, and sugar-free days.

With love,

Sema