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?)

I'm in my 50s and have never worn make-up. I just hate how it feels on my face. Everyone always comments on how lovely my skin is and I am convinced this is because I haven't covered it with crap on a daily basis all my life

It's about looking clean, tidy and professional. Whether that includes makeup is entirely up to the individual, in my opinion.

FWIW I wear makeup most days but don't feel any pressure to do so, I just like wearing makeup.

I work in the private sector with all males... I don't wear make up and sit at my desk in my gym gear most of the time.

The only time I went to work without makeup on (I was very depressed and exhausted), my manager sent me home to put some on. That was a long time ago, in the early 1970's.

I wear makeup every day to work, I have a very pale ill looking complexion though so whenever I don't wear makeup people keep asking if I'm feeling alright all day

I wear very little make up to work (a bit of mascara / sometimes concealer depending on how I'm looking). My hair is always clean and tidy and I dress professionally. I think TOO much make up can look unprofessional, so I prefer to look natural but polished.

I would LOVE to not bother with makeup. But I never leave the house without it.

I have red hair and am very pale. I was bullied badly in school, but as soon as I started wearing makeup at about 15, people stopped being awful to me and started telling me how pretty I was.

It's bad, but wearing make-up makes me feel so much more confident. When I don't have it on, I feel ugly and like I have to prove myself so much more in life and at work.

(I'm aware this is a terrible psychological issue I've developed... I am trying to get past it!!)

I'm public sector too OP, sometimes I do sometimes I don't, depends what time I get up. Same with my team, some do some don't. I think a full on face of heavy makeup can be a bit like a mask and a bit unrelatable to service users. Ours aren't always at their best when they see us, and I doubt it even crosses their mind if the person they see isn't wearing make up!

Feminism aside - are you being a Goady Fucker, OP?

Seriously, this question is the very reason feminism exists. Your face, your actual skin on your actual face, is not inherently scruffy. FFS.

I've never worn make-up (now late 40s). It has never occurred to me (none of the women in my family wore it when I was growing up, so maybe that's just my normal). Agree with all who say men and women alike should be clean and tidy and competent.

Went swimming today and had to do a double take as one of the other swimmers had a full face of makeup. And I don't normally notice these things. It was the bright blue eyeshadow which got my attention first, I rarely see people wearing that much (up to her eyebrows and the side of her face/eye) and it was totally solid look not the faded out.

I think the more often you don't wear it and have a bit of sun on your face the less ill people think you look. TBH I do tend to put it on if I am ill and don't want to look so much like death. I guess it's a hard cycle to break once you're trapped in it.

I generally didn't wear make up to work in my 30s unless you class mascara as being 'made up'. I had good enough skin that I didn't feel it was necessary. I also didn't want to clog it up unnecessarily.

I'm mid-forties now with children. I've had very little sleep since the dc2 arrived so I have taken to wearing a little foundation and blusher in the last year or so to cover some of the obvious signs of tiredness.

I would really hope that a person's ability to do their job isn't decided upon by whether or not they wear make up. I don't have time right now but I'm interested to read the other responses.

I've never worn make up to work! Far too lazy for faffing with that in the morning, and my patients don't seem to care (vet ). I think if you are used to seeing people with make up they look awful without it, whereas if you never wear it when you do (e.g. For an event) everyone tells you how good you look! I 'd rather the latter!

It probably doesn't help that I never really did "normal" make up; we weren't allowed it at school, then as a teen I was a goth with full on white theatrical make up/black eyes/ purple lips! Don't think that look would suit me now.....

I assumed most women wore some makeup in my (public sector admin) environment but to be honest now I think about it I'm not at all sure - might have to go round the offices and do a shifty check! I occasionally put some mascara on but mostly have better things to do at 6.30 in the morning. Would agree that as long as you are neat & clean that's what's important, though there are probably other sectors where to physically stand out is more desirable

I am a teacher and often don't wear makeup to work except for a bit of lippy. I still manage to look professional without anything else.

You only need to be neat and tidy with brushed hair and clean hands and nails. Your 'image' should be professional and fit for purpose, as it were.
Make up is an optional extra.

Outrageous! I simply wouldn't entertain the idea of someone without full face of make up in the office, I would be fair though and give them the option of a paper bag on the head or working from home.

I manage an office (architecture practise). Couldn't give a damn if anyone wore make up or not, it's just not an issue. I would hope they would brush their hair, and sometimes staff oddly don't seem to consider ripped jeans unprofessional, but other than that ...

I’m a nurse so usually don’t bother as it disappears after half a 12 hour shift, or on nights i just look white anyway, I don’t need to go done up, the kids I look after don’t care or notice.
I did actually wear some on Saturday for some reason and everyone commented, it doesn’t change how well I do my job

Some days I wear a little make up - some days I don't. It depends how early I get up and how bothered I am.
Always clean hair, clean clothes, showered etc but not always made up (even when I wear it, it is natural looking).
I'm 40 - and look considerably better with it, than without. But equally feel no pressure to look a certain way anymore.

I am in HE.

The older I get the more I need makeup to make me look half decent... but the less interested I am in wearing it and the less I care what others think.

It's really rather marvellous.

It never occurs to me to think that make-up or the lack of it is any indication of someone's talent, value or professionalism.

I was an A&E doctor for 20 years and never wore make up. My mother was horrified; in my opinion most of the people I saw couldn't have cared less about what I looked like! I think professional doesn't need to include makeup.

I teach and have never worn make up to work.

I wear lipstick to work quite often and occasionally mascara. Full makeup is only for a night out. So a lack of makeup wouldn't even be noticed by me.

On the other hand, I have dark eyebrows and mid-brown eyelashes, so I still look fairly defined without any makeup on. It took me years to realise that people who have blonde hair want to emphasise their features and use make-up to do so.

Public sector here too and have never worn it for work - mainly because the thought of trying to apply it at 4am when I get up is too horrific to contemplate . I can barely brush my hair .