Some women feel naked without makeup

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PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 26 (UPI) -- Nearly half of all U.S. women have negative feelings about their image when not wearing makeup and link "bare face" with being unattractive, a survey found.

This survey, conducted by Harris Interactive on behalf of The Renfrew Center Foundation, also indicated one-quarter of the women surveyed began wearing makeup at age 13 or earlier.

Adrienne Ressler, national training director for the Renfrew Center Foundation, a non-profit charitable organization dedicated to the treatment of eating disorders, said the survey also indicated 16 percent said they felt unattractive when they didn't wear makeup, 14 percent said they felt self-conscious without makeup and the same number felt naked without makeup.

"Wearing makeup to enhance one's appearance is normal in our society and often a right of passage for young women," Ressler said in a statement. "There is concern, however, when makeup no longer becomes a tool for enhancement but, rather, a security blanket that conceals negative feelings about one's self-image and self-esteem. For many individuals, these feelings may set the stage for addictions or patterns of disordered eating to develop."

The Renfrew Center Foundation is sponsoring a national campaign, entitled Barefaced & Beautiful, Without & Within to encourage women nationwide to go without makeup Monday and to promote their participation through their social media networks by tweeting a photo or changing their Facebook profile picture to one of their natural self.

The poll of 1,292 adult women was taken Dec. 20-22. No margin error was provided.