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

I enjoy wearing make up to work-but many of my colleagues don’t-this i
really is a decision to please yourself because, honestly, no one will care wither way.

Other than makeup model, I can't think of a single job that can't be done without makeup on.

I wear it because I like it but most women here do not wear it or very little (NHS). Only a problem if you are expected to wear make up or not wear it surely.

@Imamumgetmeoutofhere

You wouldn't believe how much this has helped. It's been a tough few years for me, anxiety, depression and general ill health and this shows on my face. It wasn't an issue when we had to wear masks but now I'm bare faced.

I'm glad you've received some validation here OP and I echo what PPs are saying about not wearing makeup if you don't want to, don't have the time, etc. Better to concentrate on your own good health (even if it means taking a good multivitamin for your sex/gender, age, etc) plus concentrating on as far as possible on good nutrition, drinking enough water to keep your body properly hydrated and good sleep habits for your own sake.

Good luck for the coming year - may life be easier for you. 🌹

I applied for a job once and was offered an interview. As part of the interview offer it said that “women will expect to appear in formal suits including a skirt and blouse, and will be expected to be wearing makeup.

I declined the interview.

I genuinely believe all these women who think they look awful without make-up look completely normal. But if you always wear make-up you start to believe that is how you should look so you think you look awful without. Same with your colleagues, they're just used to you looking a certain way so notice a difference when you don't have make-up on. If you never wore make-up people would be used to your real face.

Absolutely. And it would only take a couple of days for the new look to be normalised and everyone would stop commenting.

You are very naive if you think you are not judged by your appearance in the workplace or elsewhere in life

I know I'm judged every day. What with being a disabled woman, single, and childfree on top. No makeup just finishes off the bingo card really.

I think it was Day 2 of dental college - foundation all over mask situation / running mascara

was not a good look

since then I wear clear lipgloss and waterproof mascara. When I can be bothered

I can do my job without makeup. Absolutely no one looks good in scrubs anyway

Hoping this wasn’t recently????

Of course it's not unprofessional. There is a point about grooming, ie being clean, tidy, trimmed nails clean shoes etc, where appropriate, which most people would think of as a professional look.

I think it's possible to say "I feel a bit more put together with make up" without extending to "therefore all women should be forced to trowel it on or be judged". You can take or leave it.

Cabin crew? I think it depends on the person op, my skin is patchy no matter what I do so I always wear a full face. If I went to work without make up people would wonder what was up

I wear a bit of makeup every day just because it makes me feel more polished and put together. Tinted moisturiser, lip balm, cream blusher and mascara. It takes me 5 minutes to apply in the morning.

However, it is purely personal choice and not at all unprofessional if you don't wear it. To be honest I haven't ever given it any thought as to whether other people are wearing makeup or not.

Being clean, with brushed teeth etc is way more important than whether you've got lipstick on or not.

Where I work (fairly male dominated) you would be judged for wearing much make up. I wear a small amount because I feel more confident with it, but am careful not to make it obvious.

No one should be expected to wear make up to do their job (except models and actors perhaps) or be considered unprofessional for not doing so. I say that as someone who wears a full face of make up to work because I prefer it.

I work in a law firm and the women there range between no make up, light make up and full face. All are equally "professional".

I personally prefer make up as I have very uneven skin tone, open pores, blemishes etc. But I wear it to please myself not because I owe a "better" appearance to anyone else.

Well if you don't want to then don't. U certainly don't have to just because others are wearing it.

Personally I feel I look a bit grubby without it. I have quite dark under eye circles and it just brightens me up to put a little on. I work with plenty of ladies that don't wear any but then I think they look fine without it. I don't feel like that when I look in the mirror about myself.

A quick dab of concealer under the eyes, a little bit of blush, mascara and brow pencil can make a huge difference and will not take 30mins. I don't sacrifice sleep to get made up. Just whatever I can do in 10mins.

Half an hour?? I wear it about 50% of the time at work but when I do it's just a little concealer and mascara, 1 minute at most. I wouldn't actually know how to do 30 minutes of make up!

I can do the basics in 5 mins, it means I look presentable for the day ahead

I'll worry about wearing make-up when men start worrying en-masse that they look pale, tired, blotchy etc.

I find getting make-up to look good around features like my scar and rougher skin patches and not draw attention to them to be a fiddly PITA. No one notices them when I'm bare faced, and because I'm bare faced over 99% of the time, people are used to it and the fact that my complexion does vary naturally.

I never developed the habit due to excema on my face as a teenager. I never want split, bleeding eyelids again.

It has no bearing on my professional ability or that of most professions.

My DM who had a successful nursing career back in the day never, ever bothered with make-up at work. In the late 1950s when she trained, both make-up and nail polish were actively discouraged (hygiene in surgery was the official reason) and she has never been into ‘beauty’ anyway thanks to a spartan upbringing and skin sensitivity.

I wore a bit for office and library jobs, but it seems a bit unnecessary in the (non-fashion) retail job I’m in now.

100% to all of this 👏

Make up doesn’t mean professional. In fact if someone turned up to meet with me in heavily caked on and poorly applied make up I would think worse of that than if they arrived in no make up.

I work in a school and wear light make up because I have some scaring and uneven skin tone from spending too much of my youth sun worshipping without SPF.
i work with a lady a bit older than me and i only realised that she didnt wear make up when she told me that she didnt, so i can only assume that it doesnt make a difference for most people.

I don't judge anyone else however I personally feel unprofessional and untidy by not wearing it. I feel I look like I've just been dug up. but if you feel good without it then no problem.
it takes about 5 mins max.