Social media went haywire when Calynn Chapman shared her decision to go without makeup on her wedding day.
Nevertheless, Chapman said she has no regrets about her choice. She confirmed that some remarks made her wonder if she should have tried it out. When she reflects on her wedding now, she believes she was at her most attractive.
She told People, “This experience has made me want to encourage even more girls to be comfortable in their own skin, even on the biggest days of their life. There is absolutely nothing wrong with makeup and wanting to enhance features. But it should not be required for anyone, regardless of the event.”
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Chapman, a Nashville native, noted that she did not grow up around many people who wore makeup. Her decision to try makeup was motivated only by curiosity. The 25-year-old has never suffered from acne, scars, or blemishes.
So, when the time came for her wedding, Chapman deliberated on whether or not to wear makeup. She watched a lot of wedding videos on TikTok before her wedding. She found a lot of bridal beauty tips and videos showing off unconventional wedding options while searching.
However, she did not see one about going makeup-free. She felt it would be fun to join the trend with something unique, like going makeup-free on her wedding day, and shared it on TikTok.
The video went viral, garnering over 25 million views and 25,000 comments, much to her surprise.
“I was quite overwhelmed reading the comments,” Chapman recounted. “I still remember the first negative one. I had never had so many views or received negative comments before. I thought about deleting it, but more began to pour in from people who thought I was bragging or said I needed makeup. But for every negative comment, there were hundreds of people backing me up — people I didn’t even know, which I thought was really cool. They were willing to stand up for a stranger.”
Despite the feedback, she stressed that she decided to go without makeup because it made her feel the most relaxed.
She said, “I believe that God made me perfect just the way I am, blemishes and all. And I wanted to embrace that. I also didn’t want to risk spending a lot of money on a makeup artist and potentially not liking the way I looked on the big day.”
“I told my mom and my bridesmaids. Since they knew I had never worn makeup before, it didn’t come as a shock to them, and they were fully supportive of my decision.”
So, on her wedding day, January 27, 2024, Chapman used her everyday face wash, moisturizer, and clear lip gloss.
Then, she slipped into her dress and walked down the aisle. At the time, she says, her skin was clear, and she was simply happy to be marrying her husband.
She stated, “I don’t think there will be any other event in my life quite like my wedding. If I can go makeup-free for that, I think I can go makeup-free for anything.”
Chapman is pleased that others have been empowered through her post.
She remarked, “I’ve received many comments and DMs from girls saying they are now considering going natural for their wedding or even prom because of my confidence in the video. I think every girl should feel confident in her own skin.”
