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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:
starfishmummy · 05/04/2013 17:03

Yanbu.
Make up brings me out in a rash/runny eyes. There's nothing professional about sitting there with your eyes streaming and wanting to have a good scratch...

BlondeLuxLisbon · 05/04/2013 17:04

I don't even notice who wears make up and who doesn't.

This definitely.

Unless someone is wearing make-up like the ones on Snog, Marry, Avoid? Then no I really would never notice.

Odd how women who decide to wear make-up, even subtly make-up get so condemned and judged on here.

chrome100 · 05/04/2013 17:20

I think looking smart and clean are far more crucial elements in looking "professional" than wearing make up. I don't think it really matters either way.

That said, I wear make up every day. I much prefer the way I look in it and I don't think there is anything wrong with that. I'm perfectly happy with my personality, skills and talents as well thank you all the same. I don't think there is anything wrong in wanting to look pretty.

StuntGirl · 05/04/2013 17:24

If the main thing my staff took from a presentation was the lack of make up the presenter was wearing I'd be annoyed that they hadn't paid more attention to the presentation itself!

I think ANYONE (male or female) can look professional as long as they are clean and presentable. Make up, hairstyle, jewellery, piercings, tattoos, etc. matter less than being clean and well-groomed.

Some days I wear make up, some days I don't. I spend more time faffing with my hair than my make up to be honest.

StuntGirl · 05/04/2013 17:25

Aww chrome :( I think it's so sad you don't think you're pretty without the make up.

Original poster
RevoltingPeasant · 05/04/2013 17:27

Stuntgirl yes, quite. Mind you, as academics most of us are lucky to be wearing clean clothing. I actually did have a colleague once whose students complained on the feedback forms that he had worn the same shirt every day for two weeks Grin

Anyhow, off for tonight - bats flick-linered eyes at thread....

OP posts:
Quenelle · 05/04/2013 17:30

I only started wearing make-up for work, and any social event, a couple of weeks ago, when I became old.

Do Boots staff have to wear make-up? I don't think I've ever seen a member of staff in there without it.

LightTheLampNotTheRat · 05/04/2013 18:05

Like most of us, I guess, I want to look what I think is my best. Because looking okay gives me that added bit of confidence to do my job (or whatever else I'm doing). So wearing some make-up (along with washing my hair and wearing clothes and shoes I'm happy with and carrying a nice bag) is just part of that. I find that if I'm happy with my appearance when I leave the house, I then forget about it and concentrate on work. If I'm not happy with it, I'll be pointlessly distracted for the entire day.

I'm not sure about the 'professional' aspect. You notice people who are comfortable in their skin - that's what stands out, and make-up alone can't give you that.

I do sometimes notice women who aren't wearing make-up, who I think would look better (ie less tired/washed out) with it. I don't judge them for it - wouldn't stop me offering someone a job, for example! - but I have found myself wondering why they don't. But that's my issue, not theirs - presumably they think they look just fine, and that's all that matters.

Like many women, as I've got older I look better (healthier, less knackered, more glowy) with make-up than without. I just do. Not loads of 'paint', but something to even out skin tone, add colour to cheeks and define eyes. I hardly ever wore it in my 20s - when I was much less confident than I am now! Now I think I don't have to wear it, but I like what I see in the mirror more when I do. I find it empowering. (And I am a feminist.)

AnnieLobeseder · 05/04/2013 18:19

Not sure why so many people are trotting out the feminist line. Feminism doesn't say that women shouldn't wear makeup, only that women should have the choice. And women having to wear makeup to be taken seriously at work isn't a choice is it?

AnnieLobeseder · 05/04/2013 18:24

I would also add that there is a difference between being well groomed, which is a fair expectation, and asking people to put potentially harmful and allergenic substances on their bare skin.

I'm not anti makeup, I quite like to wear it on occasion. But I am very anti any expectation that anyone should be made to wear it for the sake of employment.

CreatureRetorts · 05/04/2013 18:27

I wear make up because if I don't I look dreadful. That's the joy of having a 3&1 year old to keep me looking haggard. However I just wear enough to look normal (and get compliments on how good I look despite the kids Grin)

I find it unprofessional if a woman has loads of make up on but that's rare where I work tbh. I don't notice those who don't wear make up - I will notice shabby or overly casual clothes and hair though on anyone, male or female.

MrsCampbellBlack · 05/04/2013 18:31

I'm a feminist and I wear make up.

I would say though with regards to men that stubble etc covers up a lot of their skin and also men's skin seems to age better - perhaps because of all the faces they pull when they shave (like those funny facial exercise videos)

I wear make up every day - not loads but enough to even out my skin and define my eyes but I am fair skinned/hair and know I look better with it on.

I would say that badly applied make up is more unprofessional than no make up but I don't really notice who does wear it as most women I know go for a very subtle look.

BinksToEnlightenment · 05/04/2013 18:33

Well calling it potentially harmful is a bit silly. You might discover you're allergic to avocados tomorrow. It doesn't mean the rest of us can't eat them.

LittleFeileFooFoo · 05/04/2013 18:37

I am a professional and I can't stand wearing make-up. I also probably qualify as old It just feels nasty on my skin to me, probably because I don't wear it! I don't do mascara because if you're sweating, or get something in your eye and it gets smeared I might not be able to do anything about it right away, and look less professional.

I know there are supposed to be smear-less mascaras out there, but I haven't found one, and even if I did, I probably wouldn't wear it for fear of it getting smeared anyway!

AnnieLobeseder · 05/04/2013 19:01

But Blinks, you're missing my point that "the rest of us" can cover their faces in anything they like. But to expect someone to do so to be taken seriously at work, even though they might have allergies or sensitive skin, or just plain old don't want to, is a strange notion.

zeno · 05/04/2013 19:03

Everything Annie said.

AnnieLobeseder · 05/04/2013 19:04

It's not a question of nobody should ever wear makeup, it's a question of whether it's reasonable to negatively judge someone's professional ability on the basis that they don't.

BlondeLuxLisbon · 05/04/2013 19:04

And women having to wear makeup to be taken seriously at work isn't a choice is it?

No but women should have the choice to wear it without being judged.

AnnieLobeseder · 05/04/2013 19:09

Where has anyone said they judge women who wear makeup, except for when it's several feet thick and very orange?

Salmotrutta · 05/04/2013 19:10

Blonde - I haven't seen anyone being "condemned and judged" on here for wearing make-up Confused

The OP is asking if we can look professional without make-up. And I say yes.

BinksToEnlightenment · 05/04/2013 19:15

But people are allergic to lots of things. It doesn't make the thing they're allergic to immoral.

To be honest, I don't know why people get so fired up about women who wear makeup. You're obliged in most positions to go to work looking smart and professional. It's no different to combing your hair; some people have naturally neat and tidy hair and some people look like their head is home to a bird's nest. It just sucks to be you if you don't look naturally good without makeup. It's bad luck.

And this may sound crazy to you, but I love makeup and don't feel in the slightest bit oppressed. I want to wear it!

MissBeehivingUnderTheMistletoe · 05/04/2013 19:17

There is an implication with some of the posts up the thread that women who do wear make up have been conditioned into doing so and are just conforming to stereotypical ideals, not being able to see past that. So I suppose that's quite judgey.

I don't think most people notice actually.

MrsDoomsPatterson · 05/04/2013 19:20

Can I just say to the make up lovers of the fred that Chanel Les Beiges is the best powder I have ever used? Can I? And I've used a fair few.

Salmotrutta · 05/04/2013 19:23

I don't care if people wear make-up. It's none of my business.

I just don't think you have to wear it to look "professional" and well-presented, that's all.

LittleFeileFooFoo · 05/04/2013 19:24

I think that if you prefer to wear make up, or believe that you need to wear it to look better than do wear it!

Most women do look good with and without make up except me, I look like a tart with make up on. Certainly they look different, but not bad. If you have really light eyelashes, and smallish eyes, you can feel like you're not very interesting looking, or hard to see, without some mascara.