To go to work without makeup on?

[Streambeam]

I am a professional working in the public sector, with daily contact with service users. I’m in my 30s. Sometimes I go to work without makeup on. Is that an un-groomed / scruffy thing to do? Would you look askance at a colleague / professional looking washed out with no makeup on?

Femisism aside for now? I know that ideally women shouldn’t have to wear makeup etc to be respected, but the world isn’t an ideal place, unfortunately.

(I’m not talking about a full face of slap btw, I normally just wear concealer and light foundation to cover acne scars / under eye shadows, and mascara. But some days I just want to give my skin a break / am in a morning rush and don’t bother. Maybe I need more self pride?)

Some of my staff at work wear makeup, some don't. As long as everyone looks clean and not like they slept in a skip then I don't give it a second thought.

I don't wear make-up to work. I don't want anyone to think I'm there to look pretty; if I don't look pretty they'll know I must be there for something else

I should say I definitely don't look scruffy, I just plough my efforts into nice clothes instead!

I'd love to never wear makeup but I look awful without it, I don't wear very much, just concealer and mascara but it makes a massive difference.
I thought I'd try once not to wear it to work and they wanted to send me home because they thought I was sick.
I compromise by not wearing any on my days off unless I'm socialising.

It’s up to you. I wear make-up to work, some of my colleagues do, plenty don’t. As long as you look smart (if your job requires it) then who cares.

There's plenty of people here who wear make up and plenty who don't. It genuinely doesn't really occur to me most of the time.

It'd be different if they looked grubby or something; but otherwise, I don't notice let alone judge.

I never wear make up to work never have done regardless of what job I'm in

I'm a teacher so in contact with children and parents every day and sometimes with other professionals. I haven't worn make up for at least 20 years. Can't be bothered with the faff and not interested.

If I'm off duty and in contact with a professional such as a woman doctor or woman solicitor it wouldn't even register with me whether they were wearing make up or not. It's must a matter of personal taste/preference.

As long as you're clean, your clothes are clean and your hair is brushed that's all that matters.

Wouldn’t bat an eyelid. Unless you were working on a makeup counter - then I’d wonder if the products were rubbish

As PP said above, I’d love to wear no makeup to work but can’t be doing with the gasps and comments of “Oh dear, are you unwell?”

I don’t even wear much makeup, but I can’t get away with the completely natural look. I have to wear foundation, powder, bronzer and mascara as a minimum otherwise I just look washed out and pale/ill.

I’ve been experimenting recently with face washes and night serums to see if I can achieve a glowing skin tone and to be able to go make-up free more often.

I’m a manager and I never wear make up; never have. It doesn’t impact my role whatsoever.

Public sector also here, although I don't work with the general public. I sometimes wear light make-up like you describe to work, and sometimes nothing, can't say I've seen any difference in how people react. I'd say that's normal, in general I would think the public sector culture is more judgey about women who are obviously 'made-up' or wearing lots of make-up than those who wear nothing or very little/subtle make-up (I would say both are equally wrong, it would be lovely if we could just not judge on women's appearance at all, we seem to mainly manage it for men, obvious personal hygiene issues aside!) so I would go for it providing you don't feel too self-conscious.

(I feel much more self-conscious on days when I am wearing make-up than not, as I feel the need to check I haven't rubbed my eyes and smeared mascara everywhere or missed a massive blob of concealer on my nose or whatever, but that may be just me )

I wear very little but look really ill if I don't...

Public sector worker here. I wear make up when I can be arsed. Most often I don't. No one cares. Why would they? I'm clean, my clothes are clean, I brush my hair, I'm polite, I watch my swearing and that's all that is required on that front.

Thanks for the replies, it’s reassuring to hear it’s no biggie!
I don’t have a fabulous complexion, I probably do look pale and ill, I’ve just slipped into not caring much! Am always clean and showered though.

I don't wear make up and my complexion is far from glowing. I am just a human being. There is nothing wrong with my face as it is - I look like what I am, a woman in her 40s with normal to oily skin, some good features and some acne scars. I am lucky that make up or no make up doesn't matter in my job. I hope you are free to do what suits you OP.

I don't think it looks unprofessional at all, as long as you're hair is brushed and nails aren't chipped / gross looking etc.
A lot of the professional women I work with wear no or very little (just mascara) makeup.

Irrational, but if I am dealing with someone without obvious makeup I get a gut feeling that they are more genuine and sympathetic. No reason why it should be true, but I suppose it's a subconscious reaction to seeing someone who is revealing their true face as opposed to wearing a "mask".

Of course not.
If I had bad spots then I might try to make an effort with concealer for my own confidence sakes but of course it's not a scruffy thing to not wear make up!

(I never wear it to work in my customer facing role although I am very fortunate in my skin - maybe that's because I rarely wear make up! 😂)

I never ever wear any makeup at all so I wouldn't give it a second thought

I don't wear make up normally. Sometimes I do and people are like "oh you're looking nice/well today" which is NOT a confidence boost I have to say!

I can't believe that it would be considered unprofessional to not wear makeup. Or that somehow you were not presenting yourself in a 'pleasing' way.

What the hell has makeup got to do with being able to do your job properly?

I had my make up bag at work last week and my colleague genuinely looked puzzled “but you don’t wear make up?” I wear foundation and powder and blusher or look like a corpse. She’d be horrified at my naked skin!

Senior management here, and very rarely wear makeup. I'm employed for my brain, not my face!

Occasionally, I'll apply a coat of powder, lipstick in a shade matching my own, and a bit of mascara - there's no need for any more than that in a professional environment, and over made up is definitely worse than no makeup for people judging.

Be clean, be prompt, be competent - nothing else does (or should) matter.

I don’t bother as it would all melt off on the train in this time of year.