I was asked one of my least favourite questions today: can you do your own make up?

I’ve been asked this a number of times in my life, thanks to my previous incarnation as an actress/model, and it always brings me tons of anxiety because, well, confession time: I don’t know how to apply makeup. Sure, I know how to swipe on mascara and some lipstick, but when it comes to a smoky eye, cat eye, or, hell, just a regular swipe of eyeliner that doesn’t look like it done in the middle of an earthquake, I am at a complete loss.

My makeup-free look isn’t because of any lifestyle or political reasons; I just never got around to learning the difference between a fan brush and a kabuki brush. That, and I also think putting on makeup is really, really boring. Don’t get me wrong: I know glamming up can be fun (I love it when someone who knows what they’re doing does my makeup!), but going makeup-free can also be awesome. Here’s why.

Your morning routine—what morning routine?
I’m basically good-to-go within minutes in the morning. By going makeup free (which in my world means moisturizer, sunscreen, tinted lip balm and mascara), you immediately free up your time to catch up on things you might not have a ton of spare time for, like exploring, meditating, or grabbing more than a banana for breakfast.

You don’t have to take it off at the end of the night.
Is there anything more frustrating than knowing you have to (you really should!) wash off your makeup before bed, when all you want to do is just crawl up in it and crash? And how annoying is it, that no matter how “gentle” your eye makeup remover it is, it still stings like a mother? And THEN, after all that time and pain, your mascara STILL isn’t entirely off?! Fuck that!

Waterworks ain’t no thing
Whether you’re bawling your eyes out (again!) while watching Sarah Maclachlan’s SPCA commercial or you’re invited to an impromptu pool party/sprinkler dance/water balloon fight, smudginess is no longer an issue. So cry and splash away! Raccoon eyes now only belong to those furry thieves who steal your trash at night.

No pink eye!
It’s not common, but bacteria can grow on your eye makeup, causing conjunctivitis, a.k.a pink eye. Who wants to go around looking like Bob Costas, circa Sochi 2014? Nobody.

A stain-free existence
No lipstick marks on your coffee cup (sorry, Take That)! And now you can try on clothes without the worry of smearing your foundation all over the neck of the sweater-that-you-didn’t-want-to-buy-but-now-feel-obligated-to.

You’re hot au naturel.
It’s not like people won’t be able to recognize you sans makeup, but they might be seeing the “real” you—i.e. the freckles you usually hide underneath your foundation or the blond eyelashes that you drown in mascara—for the first time, and chances are, they’ll really dig the look. Without all that stuff on your face, your natural J. Lo-like glow will be able to shine through more.

I do think wearing makeup can be a lot of fun, but I don’t think it’s a bad thing if we were to adhere to Queen Bey’s philosophy: “You wake up, flawless.”

(And if someone can explain to me what exactly a kabuki brush is, I’d appreciate it.)