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 very confused by the number of people who say the look I’ll or awful without makeup. I known lot of women well enough to have seen them without makeup - on holiday in the morning etc. I have never seem someone who looks ill or crap with no makeup.
I don’t wear any. Ever. Last time was a bit of tinted moisturiser at my neice’s wedding 4 years ago. That was an aberration.

I don't wear make up. Nobody cares.

In a department of 10 women only 2 do wear make up for work. The rest of us have varying degrees of grooming. I'm probably at the bottom of the pile as I don't iron (I buy clothes that don't need it, and hang them so they don't crease), I leave my hair to dry naturally (it's sometimes still wet when I get to work), and have never worn make up. Nobody bats an eyelid, because I'm there to work, not to look good which is a good job because I don't I am always clean and wearing professional clothes.

I like wearing it but you probably can’t tell I have much on. Eyebrows filled in, foundation and mascara. Is just habit and takes about 3.5 minutes to shove on

I wore make-up for the first time in ages today (internal interview)
So many comments about looking different/really well etc - seems like people do notice in my workplace.
Working from home in the morning so definitely dress down day😀

I'm in contact with clients (in IT) all the time. I make sure my hair is neatly cut, nails neat, always shower and clean clothes every day. I don't even own makeup!

Office job here. Sometimes wear some but mostly don't get round to it. I go through phases of doing so, but I hate the idea that I should have to, or that people only ever see me with it on. I kind of think it sets an idea in people's head that this is what people actually look like, when they don't. I'm lucky to have reasonable skin etc though.

I once had a deputy manager inform me that I needed to buy makeup and court shoes and wear both to work.

I refused.

She tried to tell me that it was necessary and that I had to put a full face on and wear heels.

I still refused.

She got the hump but I didn’t lose my job. She just couldn’t get her head around the fact that I was happy in flat shoes with a naked face. Thankfully my manager didn’t care as long as I was clean, on time, and polite.

I don't wear make up to work.
Nor do many colleagues.
Majority of colleagues are men.
They don't judge me, I don't judge them.

cardibach I didn't think I looked too bad until colleagues said I did! Although I think some are just bitchy...I'm a size 8/10 and one of them said to me "well when you're big like you are...."

No, I wouldn't judge. Some people (lucky ones) are just blessed to look good without it.
I am very pale indeed with horrible skin tone and can't bear to be seen without it. I have to wear foundation at a minimum but pretty much always have a full face.

In my 20s, I wore make-up to work for about 3 months then decided that men didn't so damned if I was. I'm in my 50s now, but in my company, it was frowned upon for women to wear trousers. Worked in a technical mainly male environment and I don't think anyone even noticed.

So long as you are smart and well groomed, I can't see a problem.

I never wear make-up to work and I think it’s really sad if women feel that they ought to.

I look shit without it. Tired and ill. I wouldn't put the rubbish out without it on. I do actually think most women look better with a little make up. Tinted moisturiser, blusher and mascara and maybe some lip balm. Just brightens their face.

Obviously their choice not to if they don't want to of course.

I’m 47. I don’t think I have ever worn make up to work. Also public sector, also daily meetings with service users. No one has ever suggested should!

I tend to take people less seriously with make up.

I don’t wear make up at work, frontline nhs staff. I also wear scrubs and a hat all day so I kinda do look a bit scruffy 🤷‍♀️

I pretty much never wear make up at work anymore, I just can't be arsed to get up an extra 10 minutes earlier 😂

When I was younger I wouldn't leave the house without makeup but as I've got older and my husband has made me believe I look pretty without it, I rarely bother anymore

My hair is clean and brushed, my teeth are brushed, my nails are tidy and my clothes are clean. Makeup is not necessary unless you want to wear it

Haven’t worn makeup to work since DS was born, I prioritise the extra 10 minutes of sleep! I wore very little before as any kind of foundation or powder makes my skin flare up into horrible spots and has done since I had acne as a teen. No-one has ever told me I look ill because it’s just my normal. I quite like playing with make up if I have chance but it feels like a mask or facepaint and not me at all. When I was working overseas pre-DS I’d been trying out some new makeup at the weekend, quite full on eye makeup. Without thinking I popped out to collect something from the office and went into the coffee shop next door - they were so shocked they got the staff who were out the back to come and look too! Apparently it looked great and I should wear it to work, I think they were a bit disappointed that I never did! People just get used to your normal and comment on something unusual. I have no idea who at work does or doesn’t wear it but I might notice if they made a dramatic change.

I wouldn't dream of going out, yet alone to work, without make up on. I don't wear much, but enough to feel better about myself, and I know I look much better with make up on. I feel people take me more seriously when I have make up on.

I haven’t been employed for nearly 20 years. Today I attended an assessment, following an interview, it didn’t occur to me to wear make-up.

Also, a female friend who has held executive positions in companies never wears make-up.

Just do what feels right with your face.

Senior public sector role here. I rarely wear makeup, maybe once a year. If anyone says I look tired then it’s because I am completely exhausted, and I would look knackered with makeup on too.

Generally my clientele know better than to not take me seriously, face paint or no.

I was once told off for not re-applying lipstick at work - I was airline cabin crew and the grooming regulations stated that we had to wear a minimum of blusher/bronzer, mascara and lipstick. Certain colours only. We had to wear nail varnish - clear, coral pink or a certain red.

So unless you are a flight attendant or work on a beauty counter in Boots or a department store, YANBU!

Personally I feel ungroomed without it, but maybe that's just conditioning/habit!

I wear light make up to work: CC cream, powder, wet powder eyeliner and brow gel. A touch of bronzer if I look washed out.

I'm a man in a public sector, customer facing job and have never worn make up! I can pretty much guarantee that none of my male colleagues have, and I doubt yours have.

Why on earth should you have to?

My skin gets really bad if i wear.makeup regularly. So I don't 'waste' it on work days and instead only wear it if I'm going to a wedding or out somewhere nice.

I don't think anyone has ever commented on it and I've worked at my job for 9 years.