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.)

If people wear an excessive amount of make up I do think ‘haven’t they got anything better to do with their time’ or ‘do they think they need that much make up to be acceptable to society (men)’.

I was on a plane once and watching a girl do her make up, no exaggeration she took nearly two hours to ‘paint her face’ and she looked entirely different (& totally fake). I know I sound judgemental but I think it’s sad that she felt that was a good use of two hours (maybe she thinks I am sad to read a book for two hours .)

I do wear a little make up, takes me less than two minutes to put on some bronzer, mascara and lipstick. I use exactly the same makeup whether I am going to work, out for an evening or driving old folk to church, I don’t make a ‘big effort’ with make up for a night out with my DH, I always look the same.

Someone wearing subtle make up, I don't think anything about it at all. I probably don't really notice one way or another.

Someone wearing heavy make up in an every day situation, I suppose I do think they might not like me very much, in the way that you think about anyone whose interests differ very much from your own. To be honest, I worry more that they are judging me for not wearing make up, rather than thinking anything specific about them.

For years, I didn't think anything about any of it, but now I am older, I am aware that I look scraggy most days and I privately wish I could conceal my blemishes a bit, but I have never learnt how to apply make up, or even what any of it is, so I wouldn't know what to do. Plus, make up, on the few occasions when I have worn it has always made me feel like a clown. And I am far too careless to get away without smudging and smearing it. Think of a 3 year old let loose on her mother's make up bag: that is me with make up.

Don't think anything about it to be honest. Sometimes see women with nice make up, and think "oh that looks nice" but that's it.
I certainly wouldn't think negatively about someone wearing make up.

I couldn’t even tell you which of my colleagues go or don’t wear makeup.....

I USUALLY do for work but sometimes don’t and if I’m just going out for the day with family I generally don’t wear makeup.

I generally only notice makeup on others if it is atrocious applied or thick like a mask.

Mostly I don’t notice, I couldn’t tell you which women regularly wear make up at work anymore than I could tell you what they wore to work today or if they are a bit overweight (until they start talking about diets). I think most people are too interested in their lives to worry about other people’s.

I haven't really given it much thought … unless it's really o.t.t I don't tend to notice who is / isn't wearing any. I quite often think I should bother as I sometimes have red or blotchy skin but cannot be bothered to wear it day to day. I also suffer with dry skin which tends to look ten times worse if I put any makeup on and a moisturising routine is another thing I just struggle to be bothered with.

I once worked with a woman who revealed one day whilst chatting over lunch that her DH of 25 years had never seen her without make up. She got up at the crack of dawn every day, cleansed her face, reapplied make up and would return to bed until her DH woke and it was time to get ready for work. In the evening she would cleanse and freshly apply before going to bed. Why would you do that?

it depends - natural look - I might think - thats nice , I like the way she has done her makeup or sits her. Slap, ie thick base or foundation, heavy eyes and lips and thick liner etc I just think urgh. I used to wear light make up to work when I was in the office etc but now will occasionally wear when meeting clients face to face but majority of the time I just don't bother - more probably as I need to adapt my make up style to older skin as I don't always like how mine looks when i do it these days

I would love to leave the house without makeup but I have severe type 1 rosacea & look like a tomatoe so consequently need to put foundation on to camouflage it & foundation looks weird if you don't put lipstick on & then I think fuck it might as well put mascara on or I'll look half done. I envy those who can walk around makeup free & wish people wouldn't judge me for wearing it, I've worn it every day for years now though so can do a full face in 3 mins

I think make up looks nice and the people who wear it look well maintained, generally have nice nails & hair too.
The only thing I notice is they always look the same. Whereas I don’t wear make up that often and people notice more when I’ve make an effort.

the urgh is more that I can't bear the thought of my skin clogged up like that

The only time I give a flying fuck is when other women harangue me about never wearing make up. I can’t be bothered with the palaver of putting it on, keeping it topped up, taking it off.

I really only notice the rare heavy makeup wearer during the work day. I am ashamed to admit that my first thought is that they must not be very serious about work if they are spending so much time on their appearance.

I think if it's heavily applied then they look really false and silly. If it's minimal them they usually look ok. The winged eyeliner look doesn't do anyone any favours.

I rarely wear make-up for four reasons.

1. My skin always breaks out afterwards. (I am 41 and have had problem skin since my teens).
2. It's money I can put to better use elsewhere.
3. I’ve not very good at applying it when I do wear it.
4. I can't be bothered, I’d rather spend time in bed in the morning instead of “doing my face”.

I admire a well made up face and don't judge people that do wear make-up, (except maybe the orange ones who are botoxed to the hilt and their eyebrows look like a couple of slapped on slugs. So ok, looks like I do judge, but each to their own). I just find it sad that people don't feel comfortable enough to go out with a bare face. I really hope I manage to pass my body confidence onto my own daughter, I’m no oil painting but it doesn't matter and it took my 35 years to realise it.

If it's been put on with a trowel I notice it, or badly applied but mostly I don't really notice or care.
Unless they start on with the whole "I couldn't leave the house without my face on" business at which point I just assume they are deeply insecure & move on.

I really don't care and don't notice whether people are wearing it or not unless they've got loads on and it's really obvious.
I have only ever worn make-up for my wedding. I don't really know why I did except I was persuaded by my mum and sister that it was necessary.

I used to work with a woman who would make herself up to a very high standard every day, full make-up, curled and styled hair and I used to feel sorry that she spent so much of her day on it. I would spend that much time on myself for a wedding or posh party, not just to go to work. It made her happy though so I never thought less of her. I actually prefer seeing people without make up, I like to see the real them. I wear mascara and lipstick most days but that's it really, would have worn more when I was younger though.

I don't care that much. Sometimes i think people are really good with it and it makes them look beautiful, other times i think they are wearing too much or the cheap crap that falls off.

I never get why people, spend money on make up, even if it is a little if it's just going to beneed reapplying throughout the day. I think if i were to wear the stuff is get myself the good quality stuff that would last.

I don't wear it not cos i think i don't need it. I look at my face and think God you look tired today, hehe. Bit i just don't feel myself with it on. All women, imo look just as good if not better without, even if they have zits.

Some women are just really good with make up though and i admire them for it, but it makes me feel like I'm hiding behind a mask.

Also, i am not spending £10 on a eye liner pen or £15 on lipstick or whatever. I prefer my money to go elsewhere...

But if it makes you happy... wear it. Whatever.

I think ‘how do they have time to do that every morning?’ and ‘how do they make it stay that way all day?’ and ‘I wonder what products they use?’

But if it looks hideous I.e. orange foundation, I think ‘Poor lass, they put that effort in everyday and still look like crap lol’

I don’t really notice unless someone is apologising for the way they look when they’re not wearing make up.

It’s a shame some women don’t feel comfortable in their own skin.

Most of the time I neither notice or care, I wear make up when going out, but rarely during the day or for work. I just don’t know how they find the time to apply it, and wearing make up in the daytime just feels weird to me.

But I am in awe of the youngsters these days - My make up routine was like this at their age, complete with rimmel heather shimmer lipstick!

www.shemazing.net/tag/90s-makeup-tutorial/

They all look like they’ve just stepped off the red carpet!

At the same time, I think many women wear far too much makeup and would look much better with a bit less.

I don’t wear makeup most of the time. I don’t tend to notice unless it’s very heavy/greasy/badly applied. Then I do wonder what the person looks like underneath. I do think it’s a shame when young people with really nice complexions wear inch thick makeup.

l don't wear makeup these days, or if l do, it's once in a blue moon.. Although l did for nearly 40 years when l was working. My skin's decent and the most l tend to do these days is a coat of mascara and some primer.
My best friend does the full slap though. She wears more makeup than Bowie back in the Ziggy Stardust days, and it's beautifully done. Which l have no problem with, except when we have to be somewhere at a certain time, and when l arrive to pick her up she's only halfway through, and sits there studiously going through her 'ritual' regardless of how late we're going to be. lt's wrecked more than a few occasions because she's made us so late, especially when we've made arrangements to meet people.

I notice extremes. If I see a woman with thick, drawn-on eyebrows, heavy orange foundation, false eyelashes, false nails, etc. in the supermarket at 11.30 on a Sunday morning I might be a bit . Similarly when I went to a wedding once and the bride had no make up on at all, not even lip gloss, and hadn't bothered to blow-dry her hair so it had dried frizzy and looking slightly greasy. But otherwise I wouldn't pay particularly close attention.