People at work who do their make up in the staff toilets

[cheif]

I'm pregnant at the moment so have noticed this more as I need the loo more often but these people really annoy me!

Our office has those toilets where the wall of each cubicle doesn't reach the floor, so you can see the shoes of the person next door to you.

That's off-putting in itself when you need to do a big loud wee or rustling with tampax wrappers. But there are two ladies in the office who go into the loo and spend ages at the mirror/sinks reapplying their already perfect makeup, and I can't go for a wee when they are there! It's deathly quiet compared to the hum of the office and I get stage fright and can't wee!

It's like my body won't let me so I end up just flushing the loo and coming out and washing my hands in a grump. Why the need to reapply and be in there for ages multiple times a day!

AIBU that they should do what we all do, which is usually just a quick touch up after we've been to loo and washed our hands and then leave rather than a mammoth makeup session.

YANBU - I get this if its very quiet. Like a pp, I found blocking my own ears fixed it, especially if I shut my eyes tight as well
The full-on make-up sessions would really wind me up - how self-indulgent can you get? Only the totally self-absorbed would think this is OK in company time.

Because I don't have to do my weekly Sales presentation in front of a random person in the ikea toilets but I do with my colleagues.
So they are going to think.. what? Oh I thought chief was in fact an alien who never uses the loo... How disappointing.

I think it’s pretty unpleasant to find make up smears in a communal sink, peoples hair when they have been brushing and messing with it and having to smell their perfume when you are allergic. I think it’s sad that women feel the need to touch up their make up throughout the day. I worked with someone who was very vain and all her trips to the loo to re-do her make up was very inefficient.

We have a tiny toilet and 1 particularly large lady stands doing her slap for ages meaning you can't wash your hands.

Well, for heavens sake! Do what I do when people are in the way doing their face or having a chat - either ask them to move or - more effective- splash water everywhere and shake water off your hands "Sorreeee" - they soon get out the way.

Where else would you rather they do their make up?

That assumes they have to do their make-up. They don't. Plenty of people manage to work perfectly efficiently without make up, or else they put it on properly first thing, before they get into work, so it needs little or nothing by way of touching up. People who insist on doing make-up from scratch during working hours, let alone redoing it again a few hours later, are taking the piss.

What’s wrong with a quick touch up?

Obviously it’s possible to do that without smearing makeup everywhere.

The things people on here are able to get worked up about. It blows the mind.

I wish we just had the gap under the walls and doors in our office toilets. But we gave those wonderful American cubicles with huuuuuge gaps around the doors as well as gaps underneath. People standing at the sinks can see into the cubicles through the mirror. I’m still recovering from washing my hands one day and glancing in the mirror and seeing my manager changing a tampon.

I don’t understand the need to spend any longer than the absolute necessary in public toilets. Never understood the preening in front of the mirrors while people are emptying their vowels a few feet away. Or the need to clean your teeth in there. Both of those happen on a regular basis in our office toilets.

I get stagefright too OP but I fully accept that it is me that is odd, and people are perfectly entitled to put on makeup wherever they choose.

@BritWifeinUSA yes our loos are just like that -Gap at the bottom of the door too. Might as well be sat in the same cubicle! They come up really high too.

@LaurieMarlow RTFT please. I said it's not about make up touch ups but long sessions that take over the sink area.

I get you, OP. I hate audibly weeing when there's someone else in the loo. But I've kind of learnt to control the flow (sorry TMI) so it's as quiet as possible if anyone's there. Kegels kegels kegels!

You need something else to think about

@LaurieMarlow RTFT please. I said it's not about make up touch ups but long sessions that take over the sink area.

Well I was responding more to babar than you really. Maybe you should RTFT.

Have read it thanks and the same point still applies

I'd see your problem if they were, say, doing something not normal to do in staff toilets. I think you're way too uptight about people hearing you piss. I bet it sounds like it does when they piss.

I wee as loudly as I can in public toilets to assert my dominance as alpha female. possibly unhelpful

The only issue is if the makeup women spend ages in office time off the "shop floor" doing their slap in work time, as that means all the men, and most of the women, are doing all the work of the business whilst the lipstick women are taking extra breaks, apart from loo-breaks..that would start to get irritating...

At my workplace (in Japan) we have control panels in the cubicles with a button for “water sound to mask toilet noises”. Absolutely everyone presses the button by default now - you’re almost considered a weirdo or pervert if you wee without pressing the button.

The noise buttons in my workplace are built into the cubicles but you can buy portable ones. Perhaps you could order a few online and install them at work? ;-)

@Manjuu Sounds amazing!

@cheif

The only problem is, you can still hear “toilet sounds” over the noise of the recorded waterfall sounds. The sound quality is different 😂. I totally understand your problem though - I hate using the loos after lunch when everyone is in there fixing their makeup and brushing their teeth. I use the ones on a different floor (and press the noise button out of habit even when I’m alone!)

I'm so pleased this doesn't happen at my work. I have IBS and it's hard enough in multiple stall bathrooms anyway

At my workplace (in Japan) we have control panels in the cubicles with a button for “water sound to mask toilet noises”. Absolutely everyone presses the button by default now - you’re almost considered a weirdo or pervert if you wee without pressing the button.

I wish they would make that compulsory when turning toilets unisex. It would be very disappointing for some of the perverts who like to listen to women peeing, changing pads, etc. 😁

It would be very disappointing for some of the perverts who like to listen to women peeing, changing pads, etc.

Ye gads! Is nothing sacred anymore!? There's almost a perversion for everything!

Applying makeup in the toilets - wouldn’t even bat an makeup free eyelid at that.

People who do it at the four-seat table on a train though, that sets my teeth on edge. 🔨 🔫

I need that Japanese button for my DH

I sometimes put a bit of toilet paper down to mute the sound a bit. I'm not usually bothered, but if it's a really loud/long wee I do.