Not wearing make up to work - unprofessional?

[Imamumgetmeoutofhere]

This is probably going to be quite divisive in opinions but I'm going to ask anyway.

How many of us here wear makeup to work? Is it unprofessional not to wear it?

I'm 37, never have bothered really. I used to value the extra time in bed. Plus I never was in a customer facing role so didn't see the point.

Now I'm in a patient facing role. Most of my (female) colleagues wear makeup and I'm now wondering if I should wear some? Does it look unprofessional / untidy not to wear it? Do others even notice if we don't wear it?

Opinions please. I really can't decide if I should sacrifice the extra half hour in bed for the sake of some makeup

Absolutely not.

I'm assuming you are a clinician? I'd rather my clinician to be rested than have shiny lips!

No I don’t think it looks unprofessional and I think it’s entirely personal choice whether someone wears makeup to work or elsewhere, if you don’t want to then enjoy your extra time in bed!

In the 1950s maybe.

Fortunately it's 2023 and no one gives a fuck if you wear make up or not. A clean face is definitely preferable to a badly applied mask. Go comfortable and convenient.

I would never ever judge someone's professionalism for not wearing make up however I would expect anyone who is seen by patient or public to appear well kept in clean uncreased clothes and tidy hair.

I value skincare more than makeup every day of the week. So then it doesn’t make too much difference whether I can be arsed to put makeup on or not.

Do men wear it?

Not unprofessional at all unless you believe wearing a mask is a customers preference.

Most days I wear eyeshadow and mascara, sometimes a touch of concealer. Some days I don't wear make up at all. The only time I do a full face is if I'm going out out. It's totally up to you, whether you wear make up or not is neither professional nor unprofessional.

I very rarely do, don’t think anyone I work with has any opinion on it! I may notice if people I encounter are wearing make up but I don’t tend to think anything about it either way, unless they’re wearing a full face like they were going out out. Even then my first thought is usually “they must be much more organised in the mornings than I am!”

I too prefer the extra time in bed.

I don’t wear make up to work.
I’m patient facing too and value my sleep more. Plus it gets a bit hectic so the make up would probably slide off my face. Certainly, it wouldn't look good for long.
Also, I don’t think people judge you on it.
Its personal choice.

As a patient I'm not remotely fussed either way. If you're confident enough to go out without it then good for you!

As a colleague I generally have others things to occupy me and again not fussed.

Do what you feel.

This is completely bonkers. What on earth is 'professional' about wearing make up?

I wouldn't care a jot if I was a patient and the person attending to me had make-up on or not.

I wear foundation when I'm in the office, purely because I have rosacea and I'm self conscious about it.

Never have, never been judged badly for it (the women I work with are a mixture of no and very minimal make up wearers).

Sometimes I use a bit of concealer to hide the massive dark circles under my eyes, but mostly I like my boss to see them and take note before he lands anyoher feckin thing on me. 😉

I wear light make up to work because I’m a stunner with it on and look like a bag of shit without it, most of my female colleagues don’t, I don’t think it matters or looks unprofessional.

In my workplace there are people who wear it, and people who don’t. I do, and consider it more professional to do so - makes you look more polished imo. However no criticism of those who don’t - very much each to their own on this one I think.

Is it unprofessional for men to not wear makeup?
Apply your answer to all humans

I do but it takes 1 minute while I'm supervising DS having his breakfast. Don't care what anyone else does.

100% not.

Unprofessional would for me being scruffy, not showering at the start of the day, turning up late, for example.

Of course you don't have to wear makeup, I think you actually do know that

But it also doesn't take half an hour to put makeup on, unless you're really complicated about it. So if you ever feel like wearing some just budget 5 minutes for it.

This is the question I’ve now started to ask myself about anything that I don’t feel like doing: “would a man bother to do this?”

Only if you’re a beautician.

I never bother.

I don’t need to look polished.

Exactly. The same applies to high heels.

I have never worn make-up to work in my life. The idea has never even occurred to me. But I’m not a sales person, or a model, or a posh hotel receptionist, or a lap dancer, or airline cabin crew, or an actor etc etc so there is no expectation that I should.