Do you think you look better with or without makeup?

[Furrbly]

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.

Or they're just liars saying what they think women want to hear.

Virtually all women look nicer with make up...it's what it's designed to do.

I'm surprised how many women say they don't wear any, in the street, on Zoom calls etc, this isn't what I see.

I think it really depends on your social circles and work industry.

I definitely saw more women wearing make up when I was living in London, compared to my current city (another European capital). It's just so much more acceptable here to not wear make up at work, meetings, parties.

I work with some of the poshest and most respected personalities of my industry you'll ever meet, 90% of the women don't wear make up. Or if they do, it's just foundation because I can't see any.

Not once have I felt the pressure to put make up on and like I said upthread, we're on screen several times a week. True, it's not BBC's studios where it's probably compulsory to go through hair and make up before presenting the news, but we're still on TV regularly and no one could give a shit as to how many of us have make up on or not. As long as you're tidy and presentable, they really don't care or notice. It's so great!

No idea. Not worn makeup since the 90s. I don't know many women who do, that I've noticed. One or two.

No man has ever mentioned anything to me about makeup -- it's never come up that I recall. Basically makeup does not make up a large portion of my life in any way.

Virtually all women look nicer with make up...it's what it's designed to do

Some women don't feel the need to look 'nicer' and not all men expect them to.

I think it really depends on your social circles and work industry.

I'm from NE but have lived London for a long time, I'd say much more make up in North East.

I work in quite a young industry (tech), it's minimal make up but most women wear it, definately a casual natural look but lots of bold lipsticks etc.

Obviously if you do foundation well you're not supposed to see it...!

I also work in international teams with colleagues from Paris, Berlin, Amsterdam, Sydney, Austin - I've noticed no difference in attitude to make up. All wear minimal.

@formerbabe
I agree some men are like that. But I just don’t agree all men who prefer women without makeup necessarily pass judgment on women who do wear makeup. I also don’t agree with how you said that such a preference is “passive aggressive” or “controlling”. It would only be if there were an incompatibility...where one partner likes makeup and the other doesnt and tries to enforce that on the other. Similar to body hair. Like a woman preferring men with beards and then putting pressure on her boyfriends to grow a beard when they rather would not. Or a man preferring women with body hair shaved off and pressuring his girlfriends to shave when they rather would not.

I don't know how to apply it.

If I applied it - would look terrible.

If someone else applied it -- would look terrible because they'd choose wrong colours & palettes for me.

Presumably if I spent a long time I could learn to choose the right combos -- and I'd still look terrible because I would have died from the boredom of learning how to apply it.

Presumably I could find a make-up teacher who would help find the right colours for me & then I'd look terrible because I'd be unhappy at the stupid cost.

I'm too lazy to keep any regime up.

Don't think I can look good with makeup.

Without. My mum never wore make up so I didn’t have anyone to teach me, I didn’t buy any til I was in my late teens but gave up on it very quickly because I couldn’t make it look good! I occasionally do mascara, a light blush, and lipstick but I still can’t manage to make foundation look right.

Virtually all women look nicer with make up...it's what it's designed to do

I don’t think they do. Maybe it’s personal preference but i just don’t think so. I find myself looking at women and thinking why do they think massive eyelashes, or unnatural eyebrows, or hiding their skin looks better?

What I do like is super strong looks. Not “enhancing” or “natural” but vivid or dark colours, goth, punk etc. Proper playing around with different effects.

As I get older I find makeup is actually ageing on me. It emphasises my dryish skin and wrinkles, and makes my eyes look small.

Most i do now is chuck a glittery silver eyeshadow on my eyelids if I’m going out. I binned all my “nightclub” stuff years ago as never go any more.

I don’t think they do. Maybe it’s personal preference but i just don’t think so. I find myself looking at women and thinking why do they think massive eyelashes, or unnatural eyebrows, or hiding their skin looks better?

You're talking about badly applied make up or very heavy make up.

Well applied light make up to even out skin tone, fill in sparse brows, open up eyes with a good mascara plus a light blush to cheeks or a small amount of gloss on lips is flattering. If its well applied it will always make you look better. If you look worse with it, something has gone wrong!

You're talking about badly applied make up or very heavy make up

No, I’m not. At work I see many women with full make up, and after they’ve removed it.

pretty much without exception I think they look better after, even while they are commenting on how horrible they look and how they must look ill, like death etc.
Especially close up.

Like I said, probably personal preference. I can believe men (including my husband) who think the same.

I do look better with make up. Without I have pigmentation, broken veins around my nose and no eyebrows. I powder my eyebrows in (trying to look natural not those huge caterpillar ones) put concealer on my veins and a light foundation to even out my complexion. Of course I look bloody better with it!

I look better with makeup. But it doesn't bother me sufficiently to put makeup on more than a few times a year.

With. But I haven't worn it in 15 years. It's very liberating not to care what you look like. It also gives me 5 minutes extra in bed every morning. I recommend it!

I’ve never worn make up so don’t know what I look like with tbh. 🤣🤣