AIBU to think men prefer fake looking women?

[Bumpitybumper]

I can't help but feel suspicious everytime I read the results from a survey where it is suggested that men prefer the "natural" look. This just doesn't seem to reflect my experience in real life and also what I see on social media or on TV.

We have Kylie Jenner and Kim Kardashian who have both obviously had a LOT of work being viewed as the pinnacle of female attractiveness whilst Meghan from Love Island who has apparently been completely remodeled by surgeon seems to have attracted the most men in Love Island.

AIBU to suggest despite their protestations that men actually don't favour the natural look at all?

Personal taste factors into it, but I think it’s fair to assume most people are with someone of a similar attractiveness to them.

I don't disagree, but is that because it's all they can hope for, or is it because they find that preferable?
If it's the latter, then they really do prefer normality / less fakery.

I generally don’t bother with make up but when I go out, for example for dinner, I make an effort and also wear a dress and heels. The DH and DS always say, ‘ You look nice,’ in a tone of utter incredulity.

Also, when we ( very rarely) go out to dinner the DH often says, again in a time of surprise, ‘ You were the best looking woman there.’

It is nice, of course, but, really, who do they think they live with the rest of the time?

Interesting thread.
I agree with posters who say what they mean by 'natural' is a good looking person who uses products but the products are subtle colours rather than bold colours.
So hair is dyed but not bleach blonde or her black.
Make-up is worn but not strong colours etc etc.

Who cares? If some men find fake women attractive, they are definitely not the sort of men you’d want! Fake women attract fake men....leave them to it.
Be proud of who you are and look for a decent man who loves you for WHO you are, not what you look like.

My husband (I think )generally prefers slimmer women than me with big ish boobs. But every time I’ve got larger he tells me I look amazing and he wouldn’t want anyone else. Every time I’ve got slimmer (and my boobs have shrunk) he also says I look amazing and wouldn’t want anyone else.

So yes there are probably some men that only want fake looking women but there are a lot of men (from speaking to my friends) that want a woman that is happy and confident, loving, caring and is happy just being in their own body. They know beauty comes from within.

Had a little time to tho k about this thread as had no internet all day.

I think it can depend on how the man in question sees women or women to date in the first place. If women are seen as a trophy then being dolled up is part of that. Ergo if a man sees you as kind interesting funny clever and so on then they probably find you really sexy either dolled up or in your pyjamas. Ime they do.

However this thread has elements of the constant women trashing women you always see in debates about make and whatever. Oh I never wear make I'm so superior to women who do - the snidey virtue signalling right on cue. And the language - fakery - let's out the ugly peoples the frauds!!! Ugh it's so nasty and bullying.

I agree though that unrealistic (or available for a high price) beauty Is utterly perpetuated by the beauty industry and ratified by women themselves.

But....This whole men prefer the natural
Look - what they actually mean is women who are pretty enough not to need any extra help. And that's pretty oppressive too.

Lastly.....men's observational skills are rubbish. They don't notice subtle make up ime.

DP is a flamboyant dresser, at times I suppose could be deemed flashy looking. He's non-sexist, kind, thoughtful and generous. I love all those things about him. I have my glam days and non-glam days. He's ok with either, couldn't care less if I wear make up or not.

I can't stand the virtue-signalling of "I'm natural" as if somehow it makes you better than other women in the eyes of men. Natural, fake whatever there's someone for everyone so just do you.

I wouldn't think any less of a man if he preferred fake,
nor would I look down my nose at women who have the fake look. So what? It's their choice. & I'm not shallow enough to believe I can definitely judge a book by it's cover.

It’s not men who drool over the Kardashians.

I have naturally thick eyelashes, dark brows and wavy thick dark hair and I have weight trained for years. I get accused of having work done, and asked what my secret is, because suddenly this look is one that is envied.

@rightknockered Interesting! I'd been wondering about this so it's interesting to see it confirmed. I think it was only around Meghan and Harry's wedding that the penny dropped with me that so many of the famous women that girls want to look like now have that thick dark hair, and it struck me that if I'd been late teens/early 20s I'd have naturally had quite a fashionable look. Although I have never been arsed with fake tan, tried it a total of once ever and couldn't even be bothered to do more than legs. Is the fake tan a similarly defining part of the look for them?

And I am much better than I was at spotting use of styling products (which I also can't be arsed with) and generally seeing that looks take more effort than it might initially seem. Before I changed my hair in the late 00s, I used to wonder why mine wouldn't sit like Nigella Lawson's and kept flopping into my face; I watched one of her shows this week and the hairspray was so obvious. I'm sure very few straight men notice details like that.

I get a sadistic joy watching the women who told me I had “guy brows” now desperately try to get dark thick eyebrows lmao.

@PrincessPear That must be satisfying! Mine had been plucked and waxed into oblivion for over 25 years by the time I thought it might be a good idea to grow them out. The lower 2/3 were so patchy and uneven that it was a no-go and I have to keep my 90s skinny eyebrows.

That must be satisfying! Mine had been plucked and waxed into oblivion for over 25 years by the time I thought it might be a good idea to grow them out. The lower 2/3 were so patchy and uneven that it was a no-go and I have to keep my 90s skinny eyebrows

It is! I was bullied quite badly for my dark wavy hair and thick brows and at the time wanted to be a fine haired blonde. Now those girls are all dyeing their hair my colour and trying to copy how I look lol.

I think with the glamour/trophy wife types it’s less about how facially attractive they are but more about the tight clothes, high heels & long hair & their willingness to dress like this.

I also think a lot of men prefer a very feminine girly look whereas lots of women actually dress for other women. Obvs anecdotal but just based on which of my friends gets the most male attention. I always remember going to a friends wedding & having to borrow another friends dress as I spilled something on mine. It was a floral fitted tea dress & quite booby & leggy (think Holly Willoughby style). Not my style at all, never got so much attention in my life!

It's the fashion to look fake at the moment and I feel sorry for the young'uns who feel that if they don't follow fashion that life isn't worth living.

IME boys and young people in general like the fake look because they like what's hot at the moment, whereas proper grown up men prefer natural. Fashion changes all the time, hopefully in six months it'll change again.

Is the current "fake" look more damaging to young people than the 90s "cocaine chic" look was to my generation? At least young woman now are being told to work out in the gym to get "thicc", rather than Kate Moss' "nothing tastes as good as skinny feels" starving yourself to get rid of boobs and hips. The clean eating trend and going vegan to prove your self control is better than the 'just smoke rather than eat lunch' approach...

Thick hair extensions and eyelash extensions are more achievable than long thin straight hair. And it's a lot easier to slap on a lot of make up than to achieve the look like you've slept in your makeup, but still look fabulous...

The botox and fillers are a problem, but then the lip filler look is going out of fashion (Kylie Jenner removing her surely must be the sign it's going out), and botox was more of a middle aged woman issue than a teen.

Young men may prefer this look just because it's what's presented to them, when it's their mum's generation who look like that, they'll be after something different...

The paradox for women is that men (not all, obv) say they like the natural look, but what they really mean is - make up and grooming done so it looks natural and effortless.
However, over the years I've realised that natural confidence goes further than anything to do with looks. I'm objectively a fairly plain woman, who doesn't bother with make up: im a mascara and moisturiser person! The times when I've felt the most attractive are when I'm happy, confident, do lots of social stuff and get lots of excersise. I know it's a cliché, but it's seems to work.

And very much agree with you, coffee. People like what's fashionable. I kind of like my daughters obsession with fake eyelashes. They look soooo fake, it's almost theatrical. And they seem to be able to take it or leave it. Sometimes she's all hair and eyelashes and fake tan. Other days she goes out in a hoody and bareface!!

I cannot believe that guys drool over that dreadful Trout Pout look. It's a pose that makes women who go for it look like: A. They had a massive accident with garden rake. B. Plain dopey!.

The very worst proponent I've seen is some celeb called Charlotte Crosby (who?), closely followed by anyone girl who's ever been in TOWIE.

And what women in her right(or even wrong) mind truly desires to possess an Baboon's Bum like Kim K?

Doesn’t it depend what the man wants the woman for ? If it’s a long term / wife don’t they prefer natural look with makeup aka they take care of themselves rather than “fake” which is probably ok for dating / casual ?

I don’t think the instagram relationship crowd where the girl has fake nose boobs contour etc are that prevalent in mainstream society as I don’t see that many in London.

I also think some women just put all that makeup on for instagram no?

Men don't want natural.
They are not falling over themselves to date women with hairy legs and arm pit hair and facial hair. Or women with mousey, dull , flat or frizzy hair.
Or women who wear long, baggy clothes and absolutely no make up.

There is a huge difference between false eye lashes, thick eye brows, breast implants, lip fillers, botox, fake tan, bleached hair, hair extentions, false nails, thickest make up and someone who dyed their hair a few shades lighter and wears some makeup.

It is just a fashion. It's also easier to pull off than the anorexic look.

Women are the same. I prefer the look of someone who is slim and toned but not overly muscly.
I also prefer tanned skin but not fake tan and nice well fitting clothes.
I don't like beards or baldness either.
So like men, someone who is naturally good looking.

Fake men like fake looking women. It's a small subsection of men and I doubt that they would be loving and loyal, they'd probably clear off with a younger, more polished version once their current squeeze starts to look a bit frayed around the edges.

Ok, we’re talking natural vs. unnatural. I’m going to bring something up that no one else has, but has become a total puzzle to me.
What seems gross and totally weird to me is that apparently many 20 year olds+ plus some younger sexually active people are shaving off all of their pubic hair. Men and women. I didn’t know that Muslim women had to (as part of their religion) and I asked her how the hell she did it without cutting herself. She shrugged her shoulders and it was just expected and she’d been doing it as long as she could remember. But for it to become commonplace especially for 20’s+/-. It seems weird that there’s an expectation there. To me it sounds as though these men have paedophile tendencies.to want to have sex with a woman with no pubic hair. I brought it up with my homehelp who is in her early 40’s. Apparently she also shaves! BH! I’m beginning to feel like the odd one out.
Personally I don’t shave down there. I’m a woman and it’s meant to be there. Well, ok, I epilate my legs and under my arms.. I asked my husband about it and he said that shaving one’s pubic hair off would make a woman seem like a prepubescent child to him and he wouldn’t like it and find it a total turn off.
Statistically, you’re 79% more likely to catch an STD due to all the nicks and cuts. This figure came from ‘Trust me, I’m a doctor’, btw.
So am I the odd one out or what? Who shaves and who doesn’t?

Ippy there are plenty other threads about that subject.

I wasn't aware that.Muslim women are expected to shave.
This is what lots of us are saying.
Men don't really want natural looking women. If therefore they would like un shaven women.
Hairy is natural.
What most of them want, in my opinion is a woman who looks as if she is naturally beautiful and wears more subtle makeup.
I think most women prefer a man who isn't too hairy but g with a full head of hair.
In fact studies have shown that most women prefer a man with hair a d without a beard.

I shaved once. Never again as it itches like crazy. DH was in agreement with me doing it but once done he didn't find it attractive. I think "like a plucked chicken" were his exact words!.

I am fair haired so have never had to shave my legs. I also have never plucked my eyebrows