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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think a woman can look professional and presentable at work without make-up?

263 replies

RevoltingPeasant · 05/04/2013 13:39

I have been pondering this recently, as a new convert to the Style & Beauty forum.

I go through stages with make-up, where sometimes I can't be bothered for weeks and then I wear the whole shebang every day for ages. I don't think 'looking professional' depends on make-up: I would say neat slacks and blouse with understated jewelry and a generally 'on-task' manner counts as a professional appearance.

But I have noticed quite a lot of people who feel they have to wear make-up for work. Is this so in your workplace? Would you care if you were interviewing for a post and a female candidate was bare-faced? AIBU to think you can look totally professional without paint?

OP posts:
5eggstremelychocaletymadeggs · 05/04/2013 14:06

Well groomed...

HollyBerryBush · 05/04/2013 14:07

revolting - subtle, unobtrusive, natural

HollyBerryBush · 05/04/2013 14:09

My point is though - some women on this thread are excusing wearing make up - it's for a reason - eye rings, scars, skin conditions - why won't anyone say they like wearing it rather than making excuses for it?

hellsbellsmelons · 05/04/2013 14:09

I always look well groomed and professional at work and never wear a stitch of make up. And.... I'm pretty damn old!
Lucky for me I have quite olive skin and long dark eyelashes.
I know friends of mine who wouldn't leave the house without it.
They feel much better with it on and that's fine by me.
Each to their own.

tomverlaine · 05/04/2013 14:11

I have never worn makeup to work and (seem to) look presentable- I am allowed to go to meetings etc!
the only time I have ever known people look unprofessional due to make up is due to an excess of make -up

OneLittleToddleTerror · 05/04/2013 14:13

It depends on your workplace isn't it? I see there was a nanny in this thread. It would indeed be strange if one thinks a nanny is unprofessional if she doesn't wear makeup. I certainly don't want that kind of employer if I were a nanny! I work in software and I don't think anyone give a toss whether I wear makeup. Honestly I could sit her in my cycle gear and no one will bat an eyelid.

paintyourbox · 05/04/2013 14:13

I love my make-up, I have fun applying it and wouldn't consider stepping out of the house without it!

I don't really notice if other people are wearing it, I just know I feel better with it!

AndWhenYouGetThere · 05/04/2013 14:13

Had a meeting with one of the senior men at my work who began with "You're not wearing any make up". My response was "Funny enough, neither are you, now shall we get on with what we are here for?!"

I'm one of the only females who DON'T at work, and feel that I definitely look as, if not more, professional than some of the others that do. It's not the most important factor in professionalism, by a long way!

mummybare · 05/04/2013 14:14

I don't particularly like wearing make-up, but I don't like the way I look without it. I am loathe to answer the door without my slap on, let alone go to work. I would feel naked.

That is my issue, though, and YANBU to think women can look professional without it... Just not this particular woman. Grin

WinterWinds · 05/04/2013 14:24

I think its more of a confidence thing. I agree women shouldn't feel like they have to wear makeup in the workplace and if they dont wear it shouldn't be a big deal to others.

I wouldn't dare leave the house without makeup, i dont have the confidence. I was not blessed with natural beauty and good skin, i look truly awful without it.
DD asked me one day on seeing me bare faced "Mum why do you wear make up you dont need it?" and i replied "Just wait and see!"

She stayed with me while i put it on and then when i'd finished backtracked and said, "Oh, you do need it actually!!"

WhitesandsofLuskentyre · 05/04/2013 14:25

I find the older I get, the less make-up I can actually wear (on those occasions where I need it). It just makes me look more lined and therefore older than I actually am. Fortunately, DP doesn't really like the artifice of make-up, so I rarely feel any need to wear it. If I'm dressing up, I'll wear it to finish the effect but I do feel like a bit of a clown now, I must admit. It's a shame, because I used to love the whole putting a face on thing, back in the days when it made me look prettier (i.e. until I turned 40).

specialsubject · 05/04/2013 14:31

noticeable makeup shouts 'not enough to do and will waste hours in the toilet touching it up'

makeup done well enough so it enhances, or no makeup at all seem reasonable options.

the only thing that should be banned are noticeable smells - perfume or sweat, both disgusting.

ShabbyChit · 05/04/2013 14:34

I think its more a case of how people are used to seeing you look.
in my experience anyway
I have been working full time for 10 years - in retail (shop floor management and waitressing/chef in a small restaurant) ,smart/professional office environment and now a very laid back office environment.
I have never worn make up really. Other than parties/weddings, special occasions or job interviews etc, over the years I have on the odd work day, especially if there have been visitors, presentations etc but day to day i wear nothing.
Maybe people are just being polite but no one has ever mentioned my lack of make up, but when I do wear make up people always comment and say I look nice. I'd hate it to be the other way round where I wore a face full every day but was too embarrassed to be seen without my face on or people were Shock to see me looking natural.

shoesandwine · 05/04/2013 14:36

I certainly wouldn't say that a woman wearing no make-up doesn't look professional, but I do believe that everyone looks better with the "right make-up" and it does puzzle me a bit why you wouldn't want to invest a few minutes in the morning (DH timed me once, it takes me exactly 8 minutes to apply) to make yourself look SO much better.

Totally accept that that's just my line of thinking, though. I wouldn't go anywhere without make-up (unless I was exercising) and it's just part of my daily routine that I don't question (shower, brush teeth, apply make-up). I wouldn't leave it out any more than I would leave any of those other parts of my morning routine out.

I wouldn't agree with some of the comments on noticeable make-up either. I prefer very subtle make-up myself (neutral colours, "barely there" lipgloss), but a good friend of mine has very blonde hair and uses very red lipstick in a way that looks very 1920s and classy. It's just a trademark of her look like some people's clothes are.

Lueji · 05/04/2013 14:39

Nobody cares in my profession.
Some men even wear shorts and/or sandals with socks! Shock

MintyyAeroEgg · 05/04/2013 14:39

Yanbu. I am slightly ashamed to say that I think the vast majority of women look better with some make up on (I guess that's just conditioning) but I only wear it myself when going out for the evening or for special occasions and I certainly don't think you need to wear it to look professional. I cba to put it on every day.

My young sil, who is an utterly gorgeous natural beauty has to wear a proscribed amount of makeup and have straightened hair Shock! when she works in Harrods on various promotions. I don't know how she can stand it, tbh.

higgle · 05/04/2013 14:45

I always wear make up unless I am having a day at home doing housework and will not be seeing anyone. I like to think I put it on properly and the net effect is I look just like me, but a bit better. I use a light foundation, blusher, natural coloured lip pencil over all my lips with a light lip gloss on top, beige and taupe eyeshadows, a little bit of pencil eyeliner and mascara, it takes me 10 mins to apply and I don't feel like myself without it. I think wearing light make up is more profesional than being bare faced and tend to think people without it look a bit run down and ill. (Unless they are very young and luscious) I also have very good skin for my age, and think the protection that make up offers has helped my skin.

Original poster
RevoltingPeasant · 05/04/2013 14:48

WhenYouGetThere Shock Grin

It is interesting. I am an academic when I'm actually doing some fecking work and out of 5 women in my dept, I think I am the only one who usually wears make up. Admin/ HR people do tend to more though. It does seem like there are different workplace norms.

OP posts:
itsallyourownfault · 05/04/2013 14:54

I think all women look better with make up. Especially women over 30. Just mascara, some kind of base and a lip gloss is enough to make you look polished and professional. A natural face on women looks like you can't be bothered. That's not to say I wouldn't hire someone for not wearing make up but it definitely helps the overall impression.

It can make you feel more confident and your husbands fancy you more so those who don't bother, take yourselves to the local beauty counter and get some skills!

AnnieLobeseder · 05/04/2013 14:56

MisterUdagawa: "I think you look better with make up on unless you are a real beauty or get enough sleep"

So do men. So? What bearing does "looking better" have on how professional someone is?

shoesandwine: How on earth is 8 minutes "not very long" out of your morning routine? I know I don't have 8 minutes to spare in the morning. What a ridiculous waste of time.

Luckily women in makeup are the exception rather than the rule in my profession.

The day men wear it too, perhaps I will go with the whole "professional" idea. But in the mean time, I will stick my opinion that makeup is nothing more than a way to make women more decorative and perpetuates the idea that how women look is just as important as how well they perform their job. Makeup is fine for a big night out, totally pointless at work.

abbyfromoz · 05/04/2013 14:57

I think it really depends. Some people have a peachy or tanned complexion and soft glowing skin. Others (ahem- myself) have pale complexion- grey under eyes. Veiny blotches and uneven skin tone- plus blonde eyelashes and eyebrows- all of which make me look tired and unkempt.
It's surprising what a minimal amount of makeup does to wake your face up IYSWIM.

trinity0097 · 05/04/2013 14:58

I don't wear make-up, not even for job interviews, my wedding etc. I got my previous job wearing odd socks!

trixymalixy · 05/04/2013 14:59

YANBU. I think I look presentable and professional at work and I rarely wear any makeup. Just some BB cream if I'm looking a bit drained when the kids have been up at night. I always wear a smart dress.

I do like wearing makeup, but can't be arsed on a daily basis.

AnnieLobeseder · 05/04/2013 14:59

I feel quite ill at some of the comments on here about how all women should wear makeup to look better. Why should I care about how decorative I am? And if my DH should prefer me with makeup on, I would judge him a shallow bastard and wouldn't have married him in the first place.

How can your confidence stem from paint on your face? Confidence comes from my soul, from who I am, my skills, talents and abilities. Not my appearance. Urgh at the concept.

5eggstremelychocaletymadeggs · 05/04/2013 15:00

Its nothing to do with can't be bothered, I don't want to and actually wearing make up makes my skin worse, very sensitive skin and no it won't make my partner fancy me more.

I have the 'skills' to apply make up if I want to but most of the time I don't want to.