To ask: if you don't wear make up regularly, what do you genuinely think when you see someone who does?

[Mingewithafringe]

Really interested to hear people's views on this as it's something the socially anxious person in me has always wondered.

I wear a lot of make up by most people's standards. It stems from my teens where I developed bad skin and was just desperate to cover it. It's a lot better now but I have scars and patches that I feel insecure about.
So as well as a concealer and powder foundation, I also fill in my eyebrows daily, wear liquid eyeliner on my top lid, kohl pencil on my waterline, mascara, bronzer and either matte lipstick or a tinted lip balm. Without the eye make up I look tired or ill (people have actually said that!)

This is most days unless I know for sure I won't be going out that day. I have applied it for so many years that it only takes me about 5/10 minutes to put it on in the morning, and the amount of money I spend on make up has just become one of those accepted expenses, although I don't actually spend a lot because aside from my foundation, the rest is usually affordable stuff like Maybelline, Bourjois etc

I go through phases where I just hate the fact that I feel like I have to wear it and so I try to wean myself off it e.g. By not wearing eyeliner or by going for a subtle/minamalistic look. But I just don't feel confident and end up reverting back!

I have always wondered what ladies who don't wear make up are thinking when they talk to me. If I walk in to a room, 99% of the time I am wearing the most make up out of any woman. So ironically, I wear make up so that people don't think "look at her scars", but now have developed this insecurity where I feel that when I talk to someone, all they are thinking is "jeez how much make up is she wearing, it's a toddler and baby group for crying out loud"!!

Am I being silly?

I agree it is an extraordinary assessment.

It's a fashion. So in that sense people do feel a pressure to follow it. But almost all young people enjoy various fashions at times in their lives, some grow out of it, some develop into other tastes, the list goes on.

Kylie Jenner and TOWIE type girls are a 'brand' and that brand involves a fashion image.

Other kids may follow other fashions and brands and images.

Without knowing each and every person who copies TOWIE make up, you can't blanket them with low self esteem

Ok fair enough. I did not say that.

I just don't like heavy makeup. Though of course everyone is welcome to wear what make up they want.

Personally I followed Rap Fashion as a teen but I've never shot someone in a drive by

Make up was pretty hilarious looking back at the 80's, but it was awesome and cool at the time, and this generation may be funny in 20 years. Let them be orange with big eyebrows, so what?

I do think there is something worrying about someone being unable to answer the door without make up though. That suggests it's more than fashion and fun.

And I find people who dress inappropriately for whatever their activity is exasperating. Whether it's a full face of make up for rowing training or a track suit for the office.

I've never worn makeup on a daily basis. Not judging anyone who does, but I just don't like that thick foundation look that some people do. I think it's a shame so many young people cover up their skin when it's at its best. I also think the longer you wear makeup and cover up your skin, the worse your skin might get. I often wonder how appealing it actually looks to men, all that thick gooey foundation. I also don't like shaped eyebrows..Think they look ridiculous, but I appreciate that others might like it and I guess it gives them confidence somehow.

It doesn't really feature in my brain whether people wear much make up or not, unless you've chosen to go for the Trump-Orange look. In which case, I might question the sanity behind your choice of fashion icons...

I'm bloke, I bloody hate makeup!

I don't wear make-up at all, just not a fan of it but I don't really think anything when I see people with "normal" make-up on, either don't notice it or think they look nice but if its much more make-up than the norm then I'm going to wonder why they do it as I imagine they would look nicer with less or no make-up. But then I prefer the natural look, that's just a personal preference - I'm sure I'd look a lot better to other people with a bit of make-up on!

How can women bring each other's self esteem up if we judge them on something like this? You are entitled to do whatever you like to your body. OP now probably feels that she yes, should wear less make up because society does judge her. Sad really that it is then counter productive how are women meant to feel better around other women unless we just cast aside all these judgements? No one is asking you to put make up on to answer the door, it's someone's choice. If women didn't feel so judged on such silly things by other women it wouldn't feel like this

I only wear the barest makeup for work (education), a full face if im going out somewhere and non day to day. If I saw someone with a full face I'd admire you for your energy and patience lol

I also think moisturiser is over rated. A lot of people insist moisturiser is a must, but I don't use that either and I think my skin looks fine. It moisturises itself. Soap and water seems to do a treat. My mother was the same..Soap and water all her life and she has lovely skin.

To me a heavily made up woman is advertising her insecurity. Which I think is a real shame. It's not her fault, quite the opposite. But I just think of what a burden it must be.

I spend a lot of money on skincare and zero on makeup. I think I look better for it? I'm paralysingly insecure so I get where it comes from. but my approach is different and I am glad for that.

I agree that it doesn't mean every one who does it has low self esteem. And there will be plenty of people who don't do it who have low self esteem. But sticking strongly to a fashion in order to look good is a marker for low self esteem. So it isn't surprising that many people associate it with that. The pressure on women to follow fashion (not just make up) in order to look good is a pretty terrible message in terms of self esteem.

Agree on moisturiser.

I have gone the whole hog and got really into skincare - the main difference really was my acne went away. I don't bother now as it seems to have gone away of it's own accord.

I honestly couldn't tell who moisturises and who doesn't. And what dehydrated skin means I have no idea. Have long suspected that the cleansing you need to get makeup off is what leaves you needing moisturiser.

I agree to a point on that, but constantly reinforced by women to other women:

make up wearer - heathen (not so long ago make up indicated you were probably a prostitute), cheap, man hunting, insecure, attention seeking, egotistical, perfection

No make up - purity, innocence, lazy, confident, mature, tired

Men are not saying this stuff to women! Women are saying it to/about each other!

Also I get compliments on my skin all the time and I always tell them it's cos I spend a shit tonne on proper skincare and have no fun whatsoever, drink almost exclusively water (I love water though?) but actually I think it's just that people are used to my naked flesh... I have purple bags under my eyes and blackheads and spots and these horrid forehead wrinkles but because I just have moisturiser/spf on that is like... in line with their expectations of me!?

I will never change though! I feel like a man in drag even with mascara on now.

Why does make-up have to be about insecurity? Rather than creative expression, skill, fashion.

We pathologise ourselves sometimes with our judgement of each other.

Christ on a bike this thread took a depressing turn.

Wouldn't judge at all-most of the time.
If it's applied nicely I get a pang of jealousy actually.
However, I was at the gym yesterday and the amount of girls with more make up on than I'd wear for a big night out was hilarious. That I judged.

I'm not very good at putting on make up - if I do a proper full face it takes me ages. So if it's done well I usually admire it whilst wondering how anyone has the time!

I've worn make up since aged 12. Due to horrendous skin and then scars to cover.

Recommend Clinique 3 step to get your skin looking better op.

There was a time when even DH wasn't allowed to see me without my face on due to self esteem issues. Luckily am more confident now, but still would not go out without make up. I love wearing it.

I do feel judged by women who don't wear any. I don't judge them at all, usually am too busy admiring their lovely skin and confidence.

Got told more than once that I must be hiding something underneath all that make up and it wasn't the real me. That's unfair as it's my face and my choice. My DH is lovely, loves me with it on and without 😍

Wolpertinger...I agree, some of the chemicals must do damage to skin. Most men don't moisturise and their skin looks fine. I haven't used toner, cleanser or moisturiser for at least twenty years and people are often surprised at my age, they think I am younger. Not making that up honestly.

I don't use moisturising and my face skin is fine but I think that's more to do with generally being lucky with my skin as I never had an acne issue in my youth either. I expect some skin types don't need moisturiser and others benefit from it.

I'm not really bothered apart from the eyebrows. I can't get past the massive, dark drawn on eyebrowa. They I am wondering 'why, why, why?!'. It just looks awful so I don't know why people do it. But if your eyebrows are fairly inoffensive then not thinking a lot.

I wonder why people pluck all their eyebrow hair out, then pencil it in again?! Often I think it looks a bit weird, but then they probably think my eyebrows look ridiculous too.

I wear very little make up, the only thing I think when I see people wearing a lot is 'what do they do on special occasions?'. Other than that, each to their own! I do sometimes feel it's a shame though, that looking 'natural' is equated to looking tired, pale etc, when actually that's normal for most people. I reckon if everyone else wore less make up, so would I!