My colleague often comments that I don't wear much make-up, does my make-up routine sound unusual to you?

[Wisteriabloom]

By the way, I NEVER leave the house without having applied the following -

Tinted moisturizer, eye shadow, blusher & lipstick!

She sometimes says, 'Oh you don't wear Foundation, do you'? And the other day, office chat turned to make-up and she said 'I don't think I've ever seen you wear Mascara"!

The fact is, I've got quite a high coloured skin tone, so I find tinted moisurizer enough, and have long, dark eyelashes & dark green eyes, so some light grey eyeshadow alone, is enough to emphasise the colour! Add blusher & lipstick, and I think I look 'made-up,' but maybe I don't?!

Would appreciate opinions, I'm surprised how much she notices tbh!

Id say " I do wear a little bit of makeup but obviously nowhere near as much as you"

Am I the only mumsnetter who doesn't need to wear mascara?

Thank you for all your mixed responses! In answer to one poster's question, I'm 50 btw. And although I said in my title NEVER go out without it, I don't mean, ie, early morning dog walks, popping into the corner shop etc, I don't think about make-up for those things! I mean work, town, out for dinner etc.

My colleague does wear a lot of make-up,

Instead of examining your makeup choices, you should be upset that a colleague thinks it is acceptable to comment on your makeup in the workplace. You are under no obligation to wear makeup at all. She is trying to enforce gendered stereotypes by commenting on your appearance.

so my make-up choices may appear to her as 'hardly any'!

That's a bit rude! Sometimes I wear e writhing: tinted moisturiser, powder, blusher, eyes, everything. Other days I wear nothing other than moisturiser. Either is totally fine!

To me lipstick is an every day item and mascara is for going out. Not all of us have pale eyelashes

Okay, just my opinion. I have long, dark eye lashes for what it's worth - people often comment my children are lucky to have inherited them. I just think eye lashes look a bit naked without mascara! Probably to do with how make up was when I was a teen (I'm mid 30s).

@RavenclawsRoar

Very weird she notices. I rarely wear make up to work and am certainly not alone. I have no idea what other colleagues do make up wise, unless I see them apply something or they tell me.

I don't think it's weird at all, I wear what I think is a medium about of make up and as I'm not blind I an see how much everyone else is wearing, how would I not notice?

However as I'm also a normalperson I would never comment except to compliment someone

There's not really much you can say other than OK complete with puzzled look

If you are happy with how you look what does it matter what your colleague thinks?

Tell your colleague you love the MYOB brand. Perhaps she would even like to try MYOB?

You wear more make up than I do on a normal day, but I honestly don't think I'd be able to tell what make up someone else was wearing and whether it included mascara or not! Weird of her to care and even more weird/ verging on rude of her to comment.

I only wear powder and a bit of eyeliner if I'm going out. Other than that I don't wear makeup. Your colleague is the odd one a) for being so invested in your appearance and b) for mentioning it!

I didn’t realise there were any rules. We’re all individuals and can wear or not wear makeup as we please.

She sounds very rude.

She would have a field of a day with me. I don’t wear any make up at all….

Serioulsy, it says more about her. And yes compare to her, it probably looks like you use very little. But tbh it’s more the fact she notices how much make up you wear, if you have mascara on etc…

I think she needs to get a life

I only wear makeup on nights out and noone has ever said anything to me. She sounds odd.

If I only wore 4 bits of makeup it would be bb cream, pencil eyeliner, mascara and lip gloss. I DO think eye makeup without mascara looks a bit odd but would never comment!

*disclaimer - most days I don't wear any at all!

I wouldn’t take this as rude.

Me and my colleagues often talk about make up.
It can be a conversation starter if you both wear make up, a compliment if you don’t wear much make up or a compliment on how you’ve done your make up.

I don’t tend to wear make up at all unless it’s a special occasion.

One of my (male) managers at my old job commented on it once, and I just laughed and said “There’s nobody here I’m trying to impress”.

I admire ladies who go the whole hog every day, but I am too lazy and tomboyish and I touch my face too much, and moreover I simply cannot be arsed.

I have never worn Foundation except for my wedding day. I put oil of olay on, lipstick and mascara. Job done.

I have old and wrinkly eyes and wear glasses so I tend not to wear eye make up as it doesn't flatter my eyes. I also have pale lips so I need to wear lipstick to not look washed out.

I don’t wear makeup, ever.

In fact given how much some of it appears to cost, the amount of money I must have saved over the years is phenomenal.

If someone saw fit to comment on it I would just say “well no, I don’t need to wear makeup.”

I am visually impaired and have been blessed with the inability to see myself in the mirror, and frankly I couldn’t give a shit what anyone else thinks.

where on earth do you work OP that this is standard office chat?
I think the haughtily bemused shrug is the way to go.
I really cannot imagine commenting on someone else's make up and especially not negatively. This is really one of those cases where the Caitlin Moran test applies- 'are the men worrying about this?'

I didn't wear makeup on my wedding day, so what would she make of that?

I don't comment on makeup, I rarely notice at all.

Is that all she’s got to fret over your make up.
Ironically I’m listening to the song “Wouldn’t it be good to be in your shoes”

For some reason I read that this was your DP rather than your colleague. Glad it’s not!

Your make up sounds fine. Maybe reply “I’m not keen on the caked-on look” if you’re annoyed with her.

I wouldn't worry about it. I wear, eyeliner, mascara and blusher on a daily basis. You don't need you be fully made up! Bad for the skin anyway.