to not wear makeup to work?

[TheSunflower]

I am starting a graduate job in January. I don't normally wear makeup. Am I sabotaging myself if I do not wear makeup?

Or should I wear makeup?

It is a corporate job.

I do think there's a correlation between: junior - senior
Make-up - light make-up - no make-up (sliding scale)

Not least because the heavily made-up look is something younger women tend to embrace.

SILENTISLA , I’m absolutely in agreement with you. Make up gives you confidence if you have scars or bad skin. I look ruddy Ill without foundation and have rosacea that really affects my confidence. If I was lucky enough to have clear skin, full eye lashes then I would be in your club. Sadly I think looks do matter, not drop dead Hollywood but making an effort seem to make a difference. We will not make any difference in our generation unfortunately 😩

I wear make up to some client meetings. And some nights out with my husband. I love bright lipstick and sooty lashes. I’m not anti make up at all.

I rarely wear it to work. If ever, in fact. I’m a Director. The two most senior women in my business beside me rarely wear make up (though one always has amazing gel manicured nails!). The most junior female employee only wears make up on nights out. Wear it if it makes you happy, makes you feel good, you enjoy it and have the time. Or don’t. There shouldn’t be any pressure on women, to either wear make up to fit in with an ideal feminine ‘look’, or not wear it as some kind of feminist response to that.

Personal preference. Whatever makes you happy.

I joined a big firm 4 years ago, and we had an induction talk where they explained we all had to be well presented: "men need to make sure they don't have food in their facial hair, and women should wear appropriate make up".

That was the last day I wore make up to work. Can't be dealing with that.

And no, it is not impacting my earnings, nor my self esteem, nor my confidence.

We will not make any difference in our generation unfortunately

Given the number of women on this thread who are quite happy to go makeup free, I think there already is a difference. It should be a choice. Wear it, don't wear it, but don't assume that women who chose not to are somehow less professional or don't care about their appearance. I'll wear smart clothes to work, the same way men in the same environment will do. I just don't do makeup. I don't want to clog my pores. I don't want the emphasis on my face. I don't want the assumption that somehow this is something I have to do to fit some odd standard of femininity.

I occasionally wear make-up to work, but don’t consider it makes a difference to appearing professional, unless too heavy (light or none equally ok).

SilentIsla then I’m not talking about you. I’m talking about women who have been conditioned by society to think that they are not good enough to be seen in public without cosmetics. Who have got low self esteem without the help of makeup.
If you enjoy it, fantastic, many women do, but we seem to accept the fact that many other women & girls are trapped by it and totally rely on it to feel normal, self-confident & ‘acceptably attractive’. I think that’s a terrible state of affairs frankly.

Is anyone actually wondering what a completely daft thread this is? No one cares actually if we wear make up or not. If we do our job then fine. I’ve never had a job where anyone’s questioned what I put on me bonce😁.
If an employer mentions make up or lack of then you can sue his ass or take sone kind of action.

I’m a female lawyer and it’s very common for female colleagues not to wear make up. I definitely noticed this more in London and Edinburgh than in other cities.

If anything I would say that no make up is seen as more professional. it’s also a practical lifestyle thing as people I work with seem to cycle to work or swim or run etc on lunch break

I don’t think Women can do right for doing wrong

I just worry that the way society is going that it will be seen as a weakness when a woman wants to be feminine, wearing heels and make up . That a woman who is proud and strong should no longer wear makeup and those who do are pandering to a male dominated environment.

I'm a senior manager in a government department. Sometimes I do but mostly I don't. I mostly can't be arsed.

Had a meeting with our new CEO the other week. She didn't have any make up on. If I remember correctly none of the women in the room were wearing make up.

It’s what womohave dine for centuries do why should we change , Michelle Obama wore lipstick so I’ll wear it too👍🏼

Women have not womohave dine 😩

Completely lmao at the idiots who deem a woman is only presentable with a face full of crap, what sad, shallow lives you must lead.
Would you dare say some of these things to men? No? Why not?
Its not about not wanting to be a boy or lazy, no make up dont make anyone less of a woman.

As you can tell i dont wear it, i prefer to spend my time and money on things that matter to me, not what some deem i should do to be classed as a woman who is worthy

My GP is female and I haven't seen her with any makeup. Professional, graduate job, why does that equate with the need to wear makeup? Did you wear makeup for your interview for the job? If yes, then the "bare" look may be noticed. Choice though is yours.

I assume you interviewed without makeup. So they think you look suitable and professional.

So either way, made up or make up free we’re all happy?! Do what you want to do with your face ? No right or wrong ?

You don't need to wear make up unless you work in a workplace that values women's appearance more than their abilities.

If it's the latter I would suggest you leave anyway.

Never in my life have I ever heard of anyone having to wear make up to get a job or get ahead. IMO people advance with their talent, intelligence or personality not looks

Another nudie face here!
Hard to say if it's held me back though.
Who knows where I might have been on the career ladder if I could have been arsed to put on some slap in the mornings.

Am so envious of those of you who can just wear a touch of tinted moisturizer / BB cream and some mascara. Or indeed wear nothing at all. I am very pale skinned and in parts, my skin seems almost translucent. As a result, the skin under my eyes is dark and needs more than a concealer to make me look alive. Also my skin marks very easily as I'm so pale and I get red marks very easily, especially in a rosacea break out. My eyebrows and lashes are pale blonde so that you can barely see them and the skin around my nose gets super shiny during the day. I'm also conscious of little marks all over my nose, left from teenage blackheads. I really feel unacceptably unattractive without makeup. I'm not ugly and actually scrub up pretty well with make up but I'm so conscious of the appearance of my skin and pale brows and lashes that I feel I look half dead without it. I think people would actually pass comment and ask me if I was ill if I didn't wear it. I've been wearing make up since being 15/16.

Should just add though - plenty of people I work with dont wear any or only minimal make up to work. Totally acceptable and if I looked half decent, I wouldn't either.

The most important part of most graduate schemes is that people want to take time to show you stuff. Your appearance does matter but it's not make-up that is important. I wear a suit, make up and tights every single day except Fridays when I wear jeans if I don't have an important meeting. When I do wear jeans I'm still smart, wearing nice flats, a blazer and my jeans are dark. As a graduate I always wore nice clothes, blending in with those I was learning from.

I know my subject matter and I'm good at my job but most importantly people want to work with me because I'm a good person. My appearance has never closed doors. I've seen others who have had doors closed to them because of their appearance in terms of their body language being offputting.

PP said about hair being important. I spend more time and money on my hair because it has the biggest effect on how I look. I have long hair, it's humid where I live in summer so I do a keratin treatment to get rid of the frizz. I get my eyebrows done every 2 weeks. They are dark so no colouring needed. I see a dermatologist every 4-5 weeks but I have rosacea so my skin sucks most of the time even with fab skin care products.

So can we say that make up or not is fine and we need not judge those who do or don’t ?