Just how bad is it to apply make-up at your desk? And what about cyclists getting changed and draping their kit all over the place?

[ChickenVindaloo]

Following on from the thread about eating breakfast at work, can we discuss applying make-up at your desk?

I have a complicated skin-care routine and like to have time for my various creams to sink in before applying make-up. I also find that I get sweaty on my commute (I'm unfit) or my make-up can be ruined by rain.

I get to work via a combination of very busy buses/car/walking. (On different days).

Does it matter if the office is open-plan or more private? Is it wrong to apply perfume? Most of my colleagues are other women, if that matters. Does it depend if it's full on contouring vs a bit of lipgloss?

Also, some folk cycle and change at work. The office then looks like a teenager's bedroom with clothes draped everywhere.

Many thanks for your thoughts!

Saying that, spraying perfume/hairspray or anything scented or applying nail varnish would be a no as that does affect others.

As long as you're not flicking bronzer on my desk, I don't care what you do.

I have never met or heard of anyone with a purfume allergy which is triggered by perfume being sprayed near them. So common in MN though!

I do my make up on the train. Too busy at home or work

toilet is for make up. you can apply moisuriser at home if it's so important to you. plenty of time to sink in then.
perfume - just don't. it's really inconsiderate. same for hair/body sprays.

We have a lovely office building with showers on each floor and big well lit loos with nice mirrors - unfortunately we also have gammy colleagues that use these showers then hang their damp towels on the coat stands. One of these charmers has been using the same disgusting towel for over a year, simply drying and reusing. He has at least stopped trimming his nosehairs at his desk - the makeup applying ladies don't even register with me anymore.

Rule of thumb - if it relates to an activity you'd normallly do in a bathroom do not do it in the open parts of the office.

Ladies loo please. I have an office to myself and still use the ladies for this reason!
Food in the canteen or a break room, except if I'm cramming in a sandwich during a meeting. Drinks/snacks at desk are OK.
Cycling gear I can hang in my office because it's just me but not if you're sharing. Did that once when I was sharing (office mate was OK with my swimming kit and I wasn't thinking) and know not to now!
If I hung my cycling gear in the loos it would walk in minutes. If I shared now I'd just bag it and get spares so I could wear a second set home if it was too wet. Damp jacket or over trousers could be hung up.

I eat breakfast at my desk, I shower at the office, and I air my cycling gear wherever there's space, as does my boss.

Nobody has ever complained, but I'll ask for their opinions tomorrow.

Skincare regime (you did ask!) this is AM only:

Cleanser
Acid toner
Serum
Eye-cream
Moisturiser
Sunscreen

Then: (make-up stage)

Primer
Foundation
Concealer
Powder
Bronzer

The make up at the desk wouldn't bother me, in fact it's give me a chance to have a nosey at what makeup you were using. The cyclist's clothing is fine, unless it's a bit sweaty-smelling?
The perfume probably would piss me off unless I liked the perfume.

It's more comfortable to sit at my desk and it avoids having a soundtrack of people's morning dumps.

Who plucks their eyebrows and thinks they're hiding it.... we can see.
I was on the train once and a woman was clipping her finger nails opposite me. One clipping landed on me

I'd be absolutely fine with you doing your make up in the office and would have a nosey at your products while you were doing it. We all used to do it when I worked in a posh office, we worked incredibly long hours that often segued from day to evening so it often was unavoidable. Not perfume though, really inconsiderate.

I'm really baffled by people getting so cross about train application. Why? As long as it doesn't get on you / your clothes, and elbows are deployed with consideration, how does it affect you?

I think it's pretty unprofessional to be honest. It comes across as you not having got up properly in my mind as would getting changed/doing your hair. If you need to do it for long commute reasons I understand but I think it's better to do it in the toilets before you sit down. The toilets also have mirrors!

I have never met or heard of anyone with a purfume allergy which is triggered by perfume being sprayed near them

I have one. I cannot use anything with perfume in it, I get a nasty itchy rash (like bad excema) and sometimes hives depending how strong it is. A spray near me can make me itch all day if any goes on me.

If someone is wearing a strong perfume I have to actually walk away from them. It makes me cough and gives me a blinding headache. I've been like this since I was a kid and my cousin uncle and grandma are the same.

I am also allergic to face paints and bubble mixture. The kids have to blow bubbles outside and not near me. I have to shove my hands in my pockets and pull my hood down if walking past toy stores who think it's great to pump out bubbles from the doors. Otherwise I get delightful red itchy blotches where the bloody things land.

I worked in a law office about fifteen years ago with a paralegal who had some fairly extreme allergies. The office manager had to fire our secretary because after having been asked repeatedly to confine her makeup application to the bathroom (we had two men's and two women's single-occupancy bathrooms - only six of us in the practice total) she kept using my officemate's desk by the window to apply her makeup. The last straw was when my officemate had to use her EpiPen due to a reaction caused by powder on her keyboard and telephone handset.

Please keep your makeup use in the bathroom, OP.

WTF HistoriaTrixie was she trying to kill her :O

Toilets.

And also, how do you find the time / money / energy to do that every day?! Does it take ages to take off too?

That wasn't a scathing question by the way, I'm impressed with the level of attention to detail, I couldn't be arsed with it all!

I would say make up at your desk is fine if you get in early to do so. Why would anyone mind? I would never do it in the toilet either. A communal toilet to do a full face of make up! No thanks!

I wouldn't have a problem with it although I use the toilets. I usually apply make up at home but sometimes I'm running late (like this morning) so I'll do it in the toilet.

Cyclists and sweaty gear is a whole other story!

Honestly could give less than a shit about make-up being applied wherever, what does it matter?
Spraying scents is different though, a woman I work with has severe allergies so a definite no no.

I'm sorry, but I fail to see how your 'complicated skin-care routine' is in any way relevant...surely you just get up 10 minutes earlier if you want all your creams to sink in before applying makeup?

Anything more than lipgloss or lipstick at the desk is a no-no imo, the toilets are there for a reason. Ditto for cyclists, although I've never seen anyone in my office drape sweaty cycling gear on the back of a chair thank god!

Oh, and please, please spritz perfume at home! It lingers in the air and not everyone likes the same scents.

A cyclist used to hang his sweaty cycling clothes in our tearoom. They stunk the place out on wet days.

Full make up is better applied in the toilets, as definitely is perfume. A quick touch up of powder and lippy before a meeting or presentation is pretty common in our large office though.

I HATE people applying make up on the train or Tube. No idea why though. Just really gets on my wick

I fail to see the relevance of the complicated skin care routine.
We all have particular issues which influence the time scale our morning routine. Some workers have several
Children to get up and drop at childcare. Some will have longer commutes. Some will wash and dry their hair every morning. Some men (there are a few beardless ones
Left ) will shave.... you get up at whatever time you need to fit in what needs doing. Surely that's basic?