Women who don’t wear makeup, what do you honestly think about women who do?

[ifigoup]

I wear makeup every day apart from rare days when I’m not going to be leaving the house at all. In my line of work, it’s more common for women not to wear makeup than to wear it, and I often wonder what those women who don’t wear it think of me. (I have almost zero interest in what men think about women’s choices of makeup, dress etc.)

When I see women not wearing makeup, I occasionally think, “Gosh, she looks a bit tired”, or “Her skin looks a bit sore”, but my overwhelming thought is either nothing whatsoever, or vague jealousy at women who can put their public “work” selves on without feeling the need to wear makeup.

I don’t wear super-heavy makeup, but you’d definitely know I was wearing it: I like a 50s style with winged eyeliner etc., and sometimes bright lipstick. It’s part of my “look”, and I feel a bit naked without it.

That said, I do realise it’s not unproblematic that I feel unfinished without it on. It bothers me that I know I objectively look better with it (because if I ever don’t wear my signature eyeliner, for example, people always ask if I’m feeling ill). It bothers me that men are allowed to look as shit and haggard as they like and nobody suggests they should pretty themselves up, yet women who look shit and haggard often become objects of pity.

If you’re a woman who never or rarely wears makeup, what do you think of women who always do? My assumption is that you either don’t care, or that you probably feel a bit sorry for us for having to put “war paint” on to face the world. Or maybe you feel like women who wear makeup are a bit superficial.

But am I wrong? Do you actually feel intimidated, or suspect makeup wearers are judging you for not wearing it? Or something else entirely?

(I know this sounds a bit like stuff a journo would ask, but I promise I’m not the Daily Mail and am just curious in my own right.)

I think it looks hard work tbh.

If the make up is trowelled on, I will take a bit of care to pick my words with them, because I've found that people like that can be easily wounded (i.e. the effort with the make up reflects that they need approval and validation)

Could barely give less of a shit. I am very opposed to makeup for myself and have strong feelings about my own choice, but I don't care what other people choose.

It's extremely rare that I would even consciously notice whether someone was wearing makeup or not.

Haha I just read more of other people's responses and I definitely don't admire women for wearing makeup. What a strange thing to admire.

But I don't think anything negative about them either.

RedTrek, I admire makeup that's done really well. It's kind of an art form. I can understand people admiring the discipline to do it every morning (I was happy to leave that behind, though!)

Pretty sure nobody's said wearing makeup is admirable in & of itself! That would be weird.

I didn't use to wear makeup up until I was 33. I had a really good naturally bright skin generally good features. Not bragging but something I have been told over the years. I learned to do makeup for siblings weddings as I looked washed out as compared to others in the pics. Even now I just wear very light subtle makeup. Can't stand foundation and I don't think it looks nice on others as well mostly tbh. And tbh foundation looks good on people who have nice skin. I don't judge others for wearing heaps of makeup but do think that would have been better for them to instead look after their skin and let it breath.

Amazed at the number of posters who don't wear make up! Such a relief,I was beginning to feel like I was in an extremely small minority. I have been on the the receiving end of some really odd looks over the past 20 years when I've told people that I don't bother.
For what it's worth,I used to in my teens and twenties,but then I developed rheumatoid and osteo arthritis when I was 30,and more recently,fibromyalgia,as well as having a frozen shoulder. Some days,it is as much as I can be bothered with just cleaning my teeth and brushing my hair. Having a shower leaves me exhausted,so the thought of fiddling around with make up,well,it's just something that I can do without,to be honest.

I was beginning to feel like I was in an extremely small minority.

Meh, you probably are. This thread is titled to attract answers from women who don't wear makeup. There are plenty of women who don't ever wear makeup, but yeah I'd guess we definitely in a small minority. Who cares. Anyone who thinks it's strange that you can't be bothered to perform an optional gendered beauty ritual is not someone you need to be worrying about.

Not really thought about it before. I personally can't be bothered, plus I don't see why I should change my face to make myself more appealing to others. If they can't like me the way I am then fuck them.

I guess I feel sorry for women who feel they can't be seen in public without it. They're probably more beautiful than they think they are. I also worry about the trend in younger women to have the identical make up / Instagram face, there's no individuality there, and I think it promotes unrealistic expectations of beauty.

But other than that, knock yourselves out.

I wear make up on occasional nights out but have also been known to go without.
Day to day, nothing.
Sometimes I get a bit jealous of those who have perfected their technique and as a result look lovely !
I was never taught how to apply it so just do bog standard on very special occasions.

I think it's naive to think people aren't judged by how they look. Too much makeup or looking unkempt are what stands out but anything in between isn't really something that is noticeable. That said, my workplace is mainly female and most do wear makeup of varying degrees. Struggling to think of a colleague who doesn't to be honest.

I am not confident enough to wear make up. I feel so embarrassed at the idea anybody would think I was trying to look nice (the phrase ‘polishing a turd’ comes to mind), I hate anybody to think I’ve put in any effort as it’s easier to pretend not to care what people think or for people to think I look awful through lack of effort than to look awful after hours putting on make up. Also as I’ve never worn it I literally don’t know how to put it on, I would look like a clown let loose with face paints if I tried to wear make up. So generally I feel ugly and embarrassed when I go out and I’m the only woman not in make up (I often avoid nights out and social situations for that reason) and jealous of the women who are able to wear make up and make it look effortless.

interesting question OP
I don't really buy the assertion of many posters that they don't notice if women are wearing make up or not. I don't wear it, and many of my friends don't, and I do notice if women are wearing it.
If it's very creative/skillful I might think, hmm interesting and I'd tell myself this is on a par with me liking to wear interesting jewelry. But I don't actually think that because make up is ususally about changing the way your face looks, not adding something extra to it
Some make up just looks awful and I feel sorry for the women wearing it
Some is very subtle, but still noticeable. Then (unless it's obviously for a special occassion) I fear those women are dependent on the make up and feel they're not good enough without it.
Interestingly the other day I was on the train and there was a group of middle aged men who looked to be colleagues, but they were informally dressed- kind of smart casual. I thought how comfortable they all looked. They were all quite presentable, their clothes were clean, neat comfortable. They were all clean, hair was tidy etc. They looked as if they gave near to zero fucks how they looked. And I thought why can't women be like that? I'm lucky in that all my life I've had jobs, and moved in circles where my appearance was not policed, so I have got away with a similar attitude- I choose to wear jewellry and appreciate that I have more freedom in my clothes than men generally have, but for me that's in the same sphere as liking a hand made mug or choosing a nice photo for the wall. It expresses me but doesn't define me, it's completely optional.
So in summary, when I see women wearing make up I do think it's a shame they feel they have to. And my evidence for that is that men don't feel they have to. So it's a gendered choice, and reflects our oppression.

Crazykittensmile you have such low self esteem. I promise no one normal judges people like that.

I don't have very high self esteem myself but I've come along way from a few years ago when I used to feel just the way you do. Be kinder to yourself

Make up is designed to enhance your appearance and when applied well it does do that. I don't think people expect women to wear make up unless they are a sexist prick who generally speaks bollocks about women's appearance. I think the problem is you wear it, think ooh this looks nice, continue to wear it and then become reluctant to look plain again as you become self conscious about your natural appearance. So it becomes a vicious cycle as to the outside world your new norm is the made up you and it's understandable that you'd not want to present yourself 'worse' than that.

I'm 93% not bothered and..
4% impressed at their dedication/effort/organisation skills/time
3% wavering between thinking I ought to bother and thinking I've managed so far in life without it

I’m actually bit jealous of those who can do a nice evening make up. I just look like a transvestite. I would love a “smoky eye” but my saggy wrinkled lids don’t seem to take to the look.
I don’t notice women with day make up tbh. Unless it’s bad.

I wear light make up every day. It's quite natural and makes me look more awake, features more defined (thick glasses). The problem is that badly applied make up can look worse than none at all. I think mine looks ok.

I can think of loads of women I know who don't wear make up. That's their style. I might notice but .. think nothing of it really. I'm happy to live somewhere where women can choose to wear make up but they don't have to.

I don't think anything unless it's absolutely caked on to the point that you can't imagine what they'd look like without it.

That I obviously value my time in bed more than they do. Ten minutes is a lifetime when the alarm goes off.

And that they can't have as bad eyesight as I do - does anybody anywhere know of a large makeup mirror, freestanding, high magnification (like can't see more than three inches past the tip pf my nose level magnification) and with integral lighting?

I'm in my 60s and have never really got into wearing makeup. Very few of my friends do either. I don't like seeing women's faces with thick layers of foundation (or the smell of it), but when it's done well it can look very nice, and sometimes I do think I'd look smarter/younger if I did use makeup. But it would feel very weird for me now.

Women who feel they can't go out without it tho', that does seem like a ball and chain!

I work somewhere where very few women wear makeup regularly. So when people do it can jar like this. It never looks natural and it never looks better than a clean face. I feel the same about dyed hair.

The exception to that is the kind of more extreme makeup you might see people wear on stage at the theatre, or at a festival or nightclub. Where it's not about 'looking your best' but about making a statement that is so unnatural it's deliberately jarring. In the same way dyed bright pink (or blue oe green etc etc) hair is.

Having said all that I don't judge women who do it, there's a lot of pressure to conform to the feminine ideal and we all do it to a greater or lesser extent. I'm fortunate that I'm in a career where I can wear holey jeans and a Dr Who tshirt and my opinion is still listened to and valued so I can afford to be 'rebellious' about makeup.

Really don't care either way. I never wear makeup, my dd always does; it's just two different ways of getting dressed. She does something she enjoys, I avoid something I wouldn't enjoy. I don't feel sorry for her, she doesn't feel sorry for me.

I'm usually impressed that they have the skills! I don't wear makeup because I don't have time but also I sort of look like a child who's put on their mums make up when I try eyeshadow etc. I definitely wouldn't judge someone for wearing makeup it's their choice

I feel impressed that they have the time to do it, mildly jealous that they look better than me and slightly concerned they think I look like a bag lady

I only notice if a woman is wearing makeup if its very over the top. Like caked on type, heavily applied and very obvious with fake eyelashes and tattooed eyebrows that sort of takes you aback when you see them. Then i think "well they think they look nice, who am I to judge"
I rarely wear makeup, if I'm going out for a nice night out with DH or my friends I try to but I have so many allergies i usually have cried off my carefully applied eyemakeup after 10 minutes anyway so it always seems a bit of a waste of time.