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Original poster

Do you think you look better with or without makeup?

191 replies

Furrbly · 28/12/2020 17:52

I think I look terrible without make up - ugly and old (which I am now but even so) and terribly self conscious.

I will never leave the house without any make up on unless I absolutely have to, and I would be really embarrassed if anyone dropped by unexpectedly (remember those days?!).

I wish I had the confidence to go without - but I don't.

OP posts:
SendHelp30 · 29/12/2020 11:07

I rarely wear makeup, I think I look fine without but wouldn’t care what others think anyway. I do enjoy wearing makeup when I go out and I wear a small amount to work.

I have olive skin and naturally dark eyebrows and eyelashes so don’t feel I have to wear it every day.

flipperdoda · 29/12/2020 11:13

I look more polished with makeup. I also don't wear it bar a couple of times a year (weddings basically) because I don't like how it feels and hate not being able to rub my eyes. Also I'd rather save my money for things I care about more. I think the definition of "better" just shows the marketing companies for makeup have done a bloody good job.

It's been sold as something that women do if they care about their appearance, and if you don't then you don't care/have given up/etc. Bollocks to that. I have no issue with make-up or anybody's choice to use it or not but it does not reflect on a person's inner worth (e.g. they've "stopped caring" because they don't wear makeup).

Thecherryontheverytop · 29/12/2020 11:14

@AvoidingRealHumans Grin that sounds like my 7 Yr old..he is the exact same. He will poke my belly and say isn't it so jiggly mum, isn't it? Watch ill do it again, isn't it jiggly? GrinGrin

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zolazarola · 29/12/2020 11:25

With!!

Camomila · 29/12/2020 11:31

I look better with a a bit of makeup on (brown mascara and tinted lip balm) but I look worse if I put foundation on so I don't wear it.

formerbabe · 29/12/2020 12:06

@PlanDeRaccordement

I prefer my men to not wear make up. Doesn’t make me controlling, so why should a man preferring no make up be a red flag or controlling? Incidentally, my DH prefers no make up and I prefer not to wear it, so that simply makes us compatible. If all men are supposed to prefer women with make up, then there would be no men for we women who don’t wear make up.
In my opinion, men who say they prefer women to wear no make up are invariably passing judgment on women who do. It comes under the same umbrella as men who declare themselves to be 'nice guys'. It's bizarrely passive aggressive and controlling.
Goodbye2020Hello2021 · 29/12/2020 12:13

I obviously look better with because on the rare occasion I have turned up at work without it I get 'Are you OK?' 'Are you not feeling well?' 'You look so tired..'

bakereld · 29/12/2020 12:29

I need make up unless I want to look ill.Grin

Very pale skin, with very dark hair and eye bags aren't a good look.

Thecherryontheverytop · 29/12/2020 12:32

With concealer and eyeline I look better but as soon as I put eyeshadow and foundation pn I look weird. Eveb when I've had it professionally done I just look distorted with it.

JustGotToKeepOnKeepingOn · 29/12/2020 13:25

I like to wear light makeup whenever I leave the house. I just look better.

If I'm going out out I wear more, but I never go for the heavy foundation, contouring, fake lashes look as I think that looks really aging.

WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll · 29/12/2020 13:28

I obviously look better with because on the rare occasion I have turned up at work without it I get 'Are you OK?' 'Are you not feeling well?' 'You look so tired..'

To be fair, it's probably the contrast between that and what they're used to seeing you looking like, rather than a value judgment of how you look naturally - i.e. if you never wore makeup, they wouldn't (I hope) think or say anything.

The one that always really irritates me is when having naturally very pale skin is criticised, described as looking ill, a grooming flaw, something that you 'need' to see to etc. It's bullying, really - even if not intentionally. Human skin naturally comes anywhere on a very wide spectrum of 'normal' and none of those colours is any better or worse than any other - I'm amazed at how many adults don't understand this, when young children never seem to have any difficulty with it. You wouldn't tell a 4'10" adult that they're guilty of a shameful personal growth flaw and must wear stilts at all times to protect the precious, sensitive eyes of those people who can't comprehend that not everybody is exactly like them.

formerbabe · 29/12/2020 13:41

@WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll

I obviously look better with because on the rare occasion I have turned up at work without it I get 'Are you OK?' 'Are you not feeling well?' 'You look so tired..'

To be fair, it's probably the contrast between that and what they're used to seeing you looking like, rather than a value judgment of how you look naturally - i.e. if you never wore makeup, they wouldn't (I hope) think or say anything.

The one that always really irritates me is when having naturally very pale skin is criticised, described as looking ill, a grooming flaw, something that you 'need' to see to etc. It's bullying, really - even if not intentionally. Human skin naturally comes anywhere on a very wide spectrum of 'normal' and none of those colours is any better or worse than any other - I'm amazed at how many adults don't understand this, when young children never seem to have any difficulty with it. You wouldn't tell a 4'10" adult that they're guilty of a shameful personal growth flaw and must wear stilts at all times to protect the precious, sensitive eyes of those people who can't comprehend that not everybody is exactly like them.

I agree. If I don't wear make up I get asked if I'm ill or tired...I guess because I'm pale. I'm not ill...it's my natural skin tone
Twobrews · 29/12/2020 13:48

I used to but now I just look like an old clown. I can't seem to get it right anymore.

I've never liked loads of make up though, when DD 20 does mine I feel like I've got a weird mask on!

Springfern · 29/12/2020 13:50

@MoodyMarshall

I have invisible lashes/brows so I need to at least tint those before I frighten the kids at school Grin I don't think people with dark hair will ever understand what going without makeup really feels like for us redheads
The struggle is real! I dye my eyelashes and brows every 2 weeks
AriesTheRam · 29/12/2020 13:58

With! No doubt about it.Eye make up is a god send.

rottiemum88 · 29/12/2020 14:01

I feel better with make up, so choose to wear it everyday. Nothing heavy, just a standard base of primer/concealer/foundation and a bit of mascara if I'm WFH. If I'm going out I'd make more of an effort. Definitely wouldn't leave the house without any make up at all.

Abracadabra12345 · 29/12/2020 14:08

@Mommabear20

I don't wear make up at all, but have done for weddings and I do much prefer myself with makeup, I'm just not willing to sacrifice time with my DH and DD to sit and do it every morning, plus I'm not very good at it so always get it done professionally for big events
It takes five minutes unless you’re doing a full face...
Ginfordinner · 29/12/2020 14:25

Definitely wouldn't leave the house without any make up at all.

Given that we have to wear face masks indoors everywhere, I see very little point in wearing make up these days as no-one can tell if I am wearing any or not.

DinosApple · 29/12/2020 14:26

IME when I was young I chose to wear make up, but really didn't need to.

Now I'm older I should wear a bit, (to get rid of the dark circles especially), but mostly don't.

Chimeraforce · 29/12/2020 14:28

Better with lipstick and eyebrow definition.
I look so tired around the eyes without anything.
But I don't care enough so I don't bother.
Those with beautiful eyes are winning with the masks 🎭

DukeOfEarlGrey · 29/12/2020 14:32

I look dramatically different with it and always have done, even as a very young teen. It’s because I’m a pale redhead with blonde brows and lashes and dark under eye shadows. Concealer, mascara, eyeliner and eyebrow pencil transform my face; the rest (foundation, lipstick, blusher, etc) make very little difference.

MrBeagles · 29/12/2020 14:33

I've been make-upless throughout this year mostly. On Christmas Day I did a full face of make up. I thought I looked better and really nice. DH said he preferred me without it.

NecklessMumster · 29/12/2020 14:34

Now that I'm older...late 50s, I sometimes think I look worse with make-up on, harder to get foundation right, lipstick frays off, eyelashes look stubby etc, maybe I need to take longer now but really cba

PaintTheFence · 29/12/2020 14:38

I've struggled to leave the house without make up for years. But lockdown has done me good in that respect and now I'm much more accepting of my naked face.

I still feel I look 100% better with make up on (natural blonde so have invisible eye lashes) but now I only really wear it on work days or "occasions".

goose1964 · 29/12/2020 14:39

I don't look any different with make up on