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.)

@greatandpowerfulozma
Primer is like undercoat, smooths everything out to give you a good foundation base
Micellar water is good for a quick cleanse, it has suspended surfactant molecules
Toner is a bit old fashioned now, it used to be to remove last traces of cleanser and "close pores" (they don't open and shut!). Now a lot of people use acid toners to exfoliate or hydrating ones to add moisture

I have no idea how I know this shit

If you thought your face looked nice without makeup would you still wear makeup?

Answer this question you'll know your answer about whether or not you're insecure.

I don’t wear make up. Wouldn’t remember who did or didn’t by the end of the day.

It's not something that I ever think about.

I don't wear make up unless I am going on a night out.

I don't even register who does or doesn't wear make up in work.

Nope don't care. And it never crossed my mind until now that I might be judged for not wearing any! There was me thinking people just accept me the way I am...

i sometimes go make-up free at work, i very seldom wear make-up on my rest days, i sometimes wear make-up if i'm going out.

i only really notice other people's make-up if its badly applied, such as a young woman who served me in a shop, who looked as though she had applied make-up over several days without washing in between - thick, blurred in places (eyeliner/brows) flaky bits round her nose, and a distinct difference in the colour of her face and neck- the glue on her lashes was very thick and very evident- (we had a long wait while her colleague found the item we were buying bar code from the shelves, so had time to notice these things) she was 17 (we knew this because she had to ask her supervisor if she could sell the wine we were buying)

underneath all the product she had really lovely features- perfect white teeth, great bone structure and the deepest blue/grey eyes.

i sometimes think i look a bit waxy and stiff with my makeup on, but noone's ever mentioned it, except a friend once suggested i use charlotte tilbury foundation instead of my usual bare mineral stuff, but her sugestion sort of tailed off when she tried to say why

I just think they've been socialized. That they come from a culture where it's the norm for women to wear makeup in order to feel attractive or just normal, either to themselves or others.

But that's how I feel about myself when I wear makeup / shave my legs / do anything that is culturally endorsed but has no intrinsic value.

I don't think there's anything wrong with wearing makeup or performing gender if you enjoy it, but it's cultural and there's no point pretending otherwise.

I couldn't tell you which women I work with wear make up as I usually don't notice. I would only notice if they were wearing very heavy or particularly noticeable makeup.

I would not think much about it, but if pressed I would hope that they are wearing it because they enjoy it and not because they feel they have to in order to be socially acceptable.

I haven't worn make-up (not even for special occasions) for about thirty years. What do I think of others? If I notice at all - and I'm not very observant for how people look - then it is generally with envy that the individual has the time and energy to do so!

Mostly i dont notice. If i do notice i might think they've done their make up nicely and be impressed or i might think why have they covered their lovely face with bad make up. It depends what sort of make up they have.

I don't wear makeup. I've tried it about 4 times. It rubs off on my clothes/glasses, it emphasizes my pores, it makes me feel like I'm pretending to be someone I'm not, and it's blooming expensive. Honestly, when I'm chatting with a random mum at the school gate it just doesn't occur to me to wonder whether she's wearing makeup or not. The only times I notice is if they've used obvious lipstick. Then my thoughts are:

She's wearing makeup

And that's about it really.

I dont wear make up, only worn on my wedding day and twice at 2 family weddings, thats about it. I dont give it much thought when women wear make up or do not its a personal choice and live and let live.

don`t think anything really, unless its like a boots makeup counter type, then its like high maintenence!

for me having to wear it suggests insecurity and the need to wear a "mask".

I don't think anything. Unless the make up is very very obvious I don't even notice it, let alone think about why the person uses it

This. I have enough to worry about with my own life without wondering about what random other people wear TBH.

I rarely wear make-up, for several reasons.

I have perennial rhinitis (like hay fever all year round) and my eyes itch most of the time. So if I wear eye make-up, I can accidentally rub the make-up in my eyes which makes them worse, and I look like a panda into the bargain. Or like I've been crying.
My skin tends to react to foundation and go all blotchy.
Lipstick just doesn't stay put on me.
But mainly I just can't be arsed with all the faff involved in putting it on and taking it off again.

I've got used to not wearing it, other than on rare occasions like weddings and the theatre, and I guess that everybody I know is used to me not wearing it too.

Not fussed at all about what others put on their face really. I like make-up - it just doesn't like me all that much.

Don't even think about it, tbh.

I used to wear it every day when I had a professional job with a lot of public interaction, now I just wear it occasionally.

I honestly can't say that I even particularly notice whether most other women are wearing it or not (I mean, I do if I really look, obviously, but I don't usually pay that much attention), and I'm not bothered either way.

I wear it because I look my best with it on.My mil and sisters in law dont wear it and sometimes I wonder what they think of me.Tbh they probably dont give a shiny shite

I feel intimidated, jealous and suspect people judge me for not wearing it.
I've never managed to put make up on without ending up looking like a clown.

I don't really wear make up day to day. I don't really think anything about whether women are wearing make up or not. I might occasionally notice if someone's done it really nicely/poorly but not otherwise usually.

I only really notice when it's badly applied or comes off - I get a bit grossed out by foundation on clothes, visible mascara 'crumbs', lipstick transferring to glasses etc.

If it's well applied I probably wouldn't even notice really. If I did, I'd feel a little envious that I don't know how to do it myself!

I'm fascinated and slightly envious mostly. I'd love to know how and what to use. Make up makes my self conscious - if I'm not trying, I can't fail....

Couldn't care less. As a runner I used to be baffled by women who would turn up to a race in full makeup. Now I think, whatever makes them feel good.

I genuinely don’t think about it.

In the main I like to feel clean faced and make up makes me feel a bit grubby, I would like to be able to wear make up sometimes, but I think I look daft if I wear it, so I have a little bit of secret envy towards you OP.

I imagine make up wearers are looking at me and saying how bland or she doesn't make the best of herself.