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 never wear makeup, for two reasons:

Really crap at applying it
My eyes get very irritated

So when I see a well made up woman I feel plain in comparison and wish she would give me a lesson!!

Wear your makeup with pride :-)

I'm pretty similar to you OP, I always wear a full face of make up (foundation, concealer, powder, eyebrows, thick eyeliner, lots of mascara, blusher, highlighter, lip gloss) my foundation is quite orange as well (I like it like that ) so it looks really noticeable that I'm wearing a lot of make up, I always seem to have the most make up on wherever I am as well especially in work. I do often wonder what people think of me!

I wear very little myself but that's more because I just can't do it haha but a colleague does and it's makes me laugh as on the days she comes in with nothing on we all immediately know something's wrong. But she is amazing at putting it on to be fair.

I think it's an age thing sometimes. I used to wear the full works when I was young, never seen without it. Didn't change when I had children either. Now I'm older and wear the minimum for work and will happily go out without any at weekends. It comes from realising no one really cares what you look like so it doesn't matter if you wear it or not. Mind you, I still pile it on for a night out and thoroughly enjoy doing so.

Not RTWT as I want to give my unbiased opinion. So to answer answerthe original question.. .

I don't! It very rarely registers. If I see someone often I might think think they look particularly bad or good on a certain day (on the same level as I might think an outfit suits or doesn't suit someone) but that's the most. Occasionally jealous of their skill as I'm useless but that's another thing entirely...

I wear a lot of makeup in the day, including contour. I'm not particularly bothered what people think, I like how it looks and that's the only thing that matters. I don't know why some people get sneery about it, it's not affecting anyone else's life. I'm jealous of people who look lovely without makeup, I have very bad skin (uneven tone, scarring from acne) so foundation and contour make me feel better.

I don't even know what contouring is

I wear less makeup now than I did when I was younger. I would like to be able to get away with none but look a bit of a dog without it, especially as I seem to have lost my lips thanks to the ageing process. It doesn't bother me what other women wear, although I don't admire foundation that you could plant potatoes in.

My makeup regime is Nivea cream at night and Blistex in the morning. If I see someone made up I normally just wish I was as grown up and put together. Unless your face and neck are vastly different colours or you've shaved your eyebrows off and drawn them in half way up your forehead I never have any negative thoughts on it.

I think people should wear whatever they want, but I do think it's a shame that women internalize so early that they need to "do things" to themselves in order to be acceptable, or to look nice or to be confident. The thought that someone would not open the door if they didn't have make up on makes me sad.

I didn't wear makeup for years but, I've started to age so I now wear some reasonably priced cosmetics.

I've always admired some women's makeup, it can be a powerful tool. Some women wear too much and some seem to want to change their whole face, it can look strange and android like. It's great to be liberated enough to hang out on the beach with a bare face and not worry about makeup running down your face, I feel a little sorry for women who like their looks so little they can't go anywhere without it.

Full face whenever i leave the house

Primer, bb cream, foundation, (all only on t zone) powder, bronzer, blusher, highlighter, cream eyeshadow, powder shadow, full eyebrows including highlighter, mascara and eyeliner

I like makeup

I used to wear a lot more makeup than I do now, but it depended where I was working. I generally didn't bother on days when I wasn't, unless I fancied wearing something outrageous around the house to let off steam. I am quite comfortable seeing my face with nothing on it, but if I am feeling/looking ill and I know I have to see people professionally, I will usually put something on my eyes to draw focus (mascara or eyeliner), or use a light powder foundation to cover a zit. I have very pale skin, so strong colours, especially lipstick or blusher make me look very over-made-up. My mum always hated me wearing any makeup as a teenager and would be quite rude about it (she never wore any at all, even for work).

If I see a stranger wearing a ton of makeup, whether aiming at a 'natural' look, or full-face-goth, what it tells me on a psychological level is that they are avoiding showing their vulnerable (naked) face to the world and have painted on the face they would rather other people see that day.

I tend to view a lot of makeup on other people as 'war paint'. There are certainly some times when everyone needs their game face, and I think that is perfectly acceptable, providing you choose colours that suit your face and skin tone. I do feel a bit sorry for women and girls whose colour of foundation bears no relation whatever to the colour of their skin, as it is not generally a comfortable look and it makes them appear uncomfortable in their own skin. Sometimes, especially with very young girls, I feel it is more due to inexperience choosing colours (and possibly most makeup being expensive, so if you get your shade of foundation badly wrong, you're a bit stuck until you finish the bottle).

Used to wear make up & skirt as I had a boss who threw a tantrum and was nasty on days I didn't. Now I'm out of that situation and I don't make up and rarely skirt. I tend to think:- look like a doll, get treated like a doll. - I know I am way out of the usual line on this. And fully understand the weight of people's expectations.

I used to wear lots of it, mainly as a 'mask' to hide behind because of crappy skin - nothing to do with wearing make up, just hormonal etc and it's been like that all of my adult life. Now I'm much older it's started to settle down (ad I reach menopause) and I rarely wear it at all. I feel emancipated that it doesn't rule me!! Now I find less us more, I look younger without it all slapped on 😄

If applied properly my first thought is I wish I could apply it like that! I'd love to be able to apply make up well, being extremely poor sighted in one eye doesn't help.. I spend a lot of money on good quality make up but I'm what you might call "all the gear and no idea" l

I have had psoriasis for over 40yrs. I have been hospitalised with it. I get it on my face however I very rarely wear makeup. When I do wear makeup I buy the more expensive brands and I spend a fortune on skin care. I think a more natural look is nicer but that's my opinion. If wearing makeup makes you feel confident then to hell with what anyone else thinks. I've had nasty remarks because I don't wear it. If I knew you I'd probably be asking for makeup tips. Maybe you could ask your gp if there is anything you can do to minimise the scaring.

I dont wear it often...maybe two or three times a year if I go out for the night or a wedding..but generally ICBA nd it makes my skin itch ( and yes I have tried every brand available and it is the same...brings me out in hives if I sleep in it). I work with children. Who am I trying to impress? If I am being honest...everyone wears more than me ( including my 12 yo dd). I do judge if the heavy pancake look with nesty hair and sharpied on brows is the look.. A full face of makeup everyday would be awful for me. If it gives you confidence, but you think your usual look is too heavy ( as your OP seems to hint at) book a makeup lesson. Get a new lighter daytime look which gives you adequate cover..or experiment with the artist on a new stunning nighttime look... Go on..you deserve it!

I feel a bit inferior and imagine that the person is part of what I used to call 'the cool group'. I know now that this is not always true and lots of very well made up women are just like me really but I do have to be a bit braver in bridging the gap to get to know them.

I would like to be able to use eye liner and contouring for special occasions but have never learned.

I only wear makeup on special occasions so never at work/day to day. Tbh I would notice only if you did a brilliant job (& I'd pay you a compliment) or if it was loud/orange/totally unsuited for the situation ( I'd judge silently and feel bad for you that you felt needed so much).

Sometimes I think "what a waste of time" if the make up is a lot/over the top and not subtle. If it's subtle and nicely done, I wonder how they get it done so nicely and envy their skills.

I don't wear makeup, I think once you've set a precedence of wearing makeup, if one day you don't, people ask if you're ill! Im quite lazy too and hate the feeling of foundation on my face and that I can't rub my eye for fear of smudging (I don't like wearing smudgeproof because I can't take it off with just water and face wash)

The only time I notice if someone is wearing too much make up is when I go swimming in the public swimming pool. Even then, I think each to their own. If it makes you more confident then keep on doing it.

I wear make up now: being of the generation where makeup I thought was thick and horrible I rarely wore it when I was younger. When I did it was very little. I certainly didn't do foundations and mascara as they were thick and cloggy.

My adult youngsters are grown now. I started wearing make up in my early 40's as the reinvention of me after an awful divorce. I got professional advice on it and found make up as changed alot over the years.

I still like a natural look. I do wear primer and foundation. I also wear a liquid blusher, neutral eye shadow and mascara. I am still not big on lipstick and prefer just a lip gloss.

As for others not wearing it, I don't take much notice. If someone looks really daggy and drab I might think a good haircut, colour, some brighter clothes would do so much even without makeup.

I also will think someone wearing too much make up stands out more. I just want to wash it off and blend it down. Unfortunately my niece wears far too much. I just think it looks like OTT and I want to wash it off.

She is not allowed to wear that much for work. It has to be really natural. She looks lovely when she has her work makeup on. It seems where she lives that it is the done thing to wear too much makeup. Too me it just looks too much

Make up is really personal to every person. I think often it becomes part of a persons 'look'. I don't think anything comes to mind when I see someone in makeup (unless it's particularly bold), and nothing comes to mind when I meet someone who doesn't.

I tend to slap a bit of tinted moisturiser and mascara on in the morning, because it makes me feel I look a little more lively, but I don't think people notice really... my husband certainly doesn't!

I think you can count on the fact that (perhaps sadly) everyone is far too worried about how they look to worry about how you look. Well I think that rule certainly applies to me!

I only wear makeup if going out. When I see people who wear make up all the time I just think I wish I could be bothered to do that. I have a friend whose like you and can apply a full face in 10 mins but for me I would rather be in bed a extra 10 mins. Their will always be at least one person with a negitive opinion but ignore them! Be who you are and stuff everyone else x