To ask if you were served by a customer assistant with no make up on

[FlyRussianUnicorn]

If you would be bothered?

Say for example a shop worker or a waitress. Would you be bothered if they werent wearing makeup?

[AwkwardSquad]

Wouldn't notice, wouldn't care, as long as the person is clean and presentable. But that's not good enough if you're female, is it - you have to fit within a narrow definition of being 'pleasing to the eye' as well. Sexist shit.

[Ludwsys]

I wouldn't notice.

[pictish]

Agree with Testingtesting - don't get the grave offence or drama about her comment either. I don't think it was intended to be taken as a criticism or a suggestion that you ought to put some on. I think she was just commenting on it because you normally wear it.

[Phalenopsisgirl]

You obviously look very different with it on. People tell me I look sick and or tired if they see me without make up. If you normally look really fab ( sounds like you do as it was enough for her to notice) this difference will be what has prompted her remarks

[pictish]

P.s I usually wear a bit of make-up, but went into college a couple of weeks ago bare-faced as I had slept in. A handful of classmates did comment on the fact that I wasn't wearing any and looked different. The woman who sits next to me offered me a go on her mascara. She was just being nice - no offence taken.

[TSSDNCOP]

What she said was tactless, and I'll thought out as it was likely to make you feel uncomfortable and did. It might also to another ear have come as her being concerned.

I do think you should discuss it with her. I don't think you should raise it to her boss. And I don't think it's as outrageous as some comments on here have led it to be.

I don't wear make up every day, but people always say I look great on the days I do. I did work in a shop where everyone buys their wedding and bridesmaid outfits and there it was compulsory to be in full make up and heels for at least 4 hours a day.

[Phalenopsisgirl]

Yes my ps would be that people don't say to me that I look tired and ill without make up, they just say I look tired and ill, I know the only time I get these remarks is when I have no make up on. She may have thought you looked poorly and then realised why and what the difference was.

[Gileswithachainsaw]

all I care about is that they do/know their job

are polite

are clean

whether make up is worn or their hair is rainbow colours or they ate dressed in corsets and fishnets doesn't matter to me

I hate dirty greasy smelly people serving me.

but I also hate orange snooty over done perfume, face sliding off as make ups so heavy people serving me too

basically

just he clean and use deoderant

[stitch10yearson]

I think i might notice in a pleasantly surprised sort of way. But then I get rather startled by some of the eyebrows that girls sport nowadays.

[Gileswithachainsaw]

just to add though, they are free to wear as much make up as they want. just I get distracted wondering if it must itch or if they realised it didn't really match their skin tone and wonder who sold it to them etc

plus there's something a bit disturbing about being served by someone you wouldn't he able to recognise if they took it off. I wonder if it's actually a disguise


mind just goes there

but they are of course able to do what they like without judgment.

[TSSDNCOP]

I always wonder why Clinique make the assistants wear White coats. I get that it's to make them look all scientisy and technical like, but what's the point of having hair, face and nails done and wearing a coat with a grimy collar and streaks all down the front. That I do notice.

[Backingvocals]

A touch of foundation would probably improve the taste of Thorntons these days wouldn't it?

[ChicChantal]

Nope. I can't find it but there was a lot of stuff in the press a coupla years back about Selfridge having a policy that insisted female staff wear make-up and actually prescribed what. This included people who didn't work in the make-up departments, or women's clothing. I think they were being challenged in it by a women who worked in their CD department and who refused to wear make-up.

[MustBeThursday]

This thread reminded me of a TV program about British Airways and their cabin crew trainees - the women had to wear a full face of makeup at all times. No such rule for the men of course

Just have a quiet word with her. She might not have realised you were hurt, if she is normally nice and you get on well. Maybe she thought you'd been in a rush this morning and had intended to put make up on and forgot? She'll probably be mortified to have upset you.

I very rarely wear make up because I have eczema on my face and make up irritates it - and I've never been pulled up on it, even when I've been in customer facing roles. As long as you are polite, neat and clean, that is fine. It doesn't affect how well you do your job.

Completely agree with others about the caterpillar eyebrows, though. I struggle to look away from them...

[gamerwidow]

I wouldn't care about no make up the only time I really notice is if a shop assistant wears very bad make up. I once saw what was probably a very beautiful shop assistant in hm wearing so much makeup with such harsh contouring she looked like she was wearing a wax mask. I could barely stop myself from staring to see what in the hell she'd done to herself. Very bad form of your supervisor to have said something.

[Pedestriana]

I don't care whether a customer assistant wears make-up or not.
I don't care whether a customer assistant has facial piercings or not.
I don't care whether a customer assistant has tattoos or not.
I don't care whether a customer assistant has long hair, short hair, green, red, purple, orange, pink hair or no hair.

I do care that they are polite
I do care that they can do their job


It could be lack of tact on the part of your supervisor. If this is the first time it's happened then perhaps it is worth trying to speak to her and explain why it was a hurtful remark.

[BunnyTyler]

I used to be a croupier over 20 years ago, and one of the rules for female staff was full make up (as well as heels & manicured nails!).

No idea if this is still the case, but it was in the contract at that time.

[OliviaStabler]

The only thing I care about is if the assistants are knowledge about their products and personally are clean, tidy but mainly don't smell of BO.

I did work near the make up counters of a large department store once and one of the girls was telling me that they had to wear a minimum number of the products her brand sold everyday.

[scrumptiouscrumpets]

I probably wouldn't notice. If I did, I wouldn't care.
I do notice women wearing a lot of make up, which I don't like at all.

[Thatrabbittrickedme]

In my retail days I only had one job where make-up was obligatory and that was in a make-up shop. To be fair they provided free make up to staff and had an expert teach you how best to do it as well as part of the induction (a skill I have much appreciated being taught throughout my adult life).

Other than that scenario I think what you manager has asked today is deeply sexist and shitty. If it's playing on your mind, and she is otherwise a good manager, you could have a quiet chat with her about it later, and ask if she's also asked the same of you male colleagues to make your point.

[TheStoic]

Dadinator must've got his coat...

I remember a new manager, only been there a week, called a meeting with the female staff to tell us we needed to make more of an effort with our make up. We all looked at her like this . We worked in a small office, no contact with the public. Barely any contact with each other. She didn't last long.

[SmellySourdough]

you put make up on the the car [shocked]

I don't care about people with/without make up. you can look neat with both.
but driving carelessly is a different story altogether!

[lorelei9]

I think what your boss said is beyond rude

But I wouldn't talk to her boss. In the generally insane world of work, there is a chance it will reflect badly on you. Sorry. It's infuriating when people make personal remarks like this.

[MiscellaneousAssortment]

No makeup fine. Makeup fine.

Dirty not fine.
So much makeup it's in danger of flaking off or transferring into anything (fingers then food for example)... Also not fine.

Hopefully it was a rubbish way of saying 'oh you look different today' but asking if you are going to put on makeup at lunch sounds a bit more than that.

I'd talk to her first if she's normally nice and a good manager. Ask her why she asked you that, and give her the opportunity to apologize or correct herself.

[lorelei9]

TheStoic, awful! When I was about 19, I worked in a very small office and all the women wore make up. The boss "suggested" I do the same. They were awful awful people. I think I left after about three months.