To feel I don't know what I look like

[Happyinmyownworld]

Yesterday I put my makeup on. Estée Lauder foundation. Light blusher on my cheeks. Light beige eyeshadow. Mascara. Finished with some dusting pearls. Looked fine. Still slightly tired looking around the eyes. I just can't seem to find a nice brown eyeliner that doesn't smudge down my face through the day, so I've not worn any inockdown and I look abit bare. I straightened my hair and I was done.

Took my son for a walk. Tried to get a selfie with him in the woods. Turned my front camera around. Omg!! My makeup looked horrible. My face looked one colour and certainly not glowing. My long hair (overdue a cut) looked frizzy and like it hadn't been brushed or straightened. My cheek bones looked puffy adding to my tired eyes.

Now I'm under no illusions of being stunning or eye catching. But I am horrified I can look that hideous with a face of makeup on. Especially with Estée Lauder foundation!!!I keep my makeup light and fairly natural as I have dark aurborn hair and fair skin. The camera was showing all my imperfections. Spots that you couldn't see in the mirror were bumpy. Every strand of hair was visible. You couldn't see my blusher or mascara. I just looked like a tired minger who needs a hair chop. I left home feeling I looked fresh and my hair was tidy.

If I look like that, which I presume I did, I'm ashamed I go out. But also my profile pictures on Facebook that I take in the house don't look like that. I look fine. Admittedly some days I'll take loads to get the one. Or some days it's just not happening. I'm not a selfie queen by the way. It's the only way I get pics with the kids (body ever takes nice ones noooo)

So am I ugly as the mirror is a reflection and lies because we are flipped the other way.

Or is my out of date phone camera being cruel with the lightning.

Everyone else seems to look beautiful in pictures.

Spent all day feeling like an ugly minger

P.s that should say nobody takes pictures of me with the kids.

I think my partner has taken a few of me over the years but he seems to take them when I'm in mismatched PJ's from an angle which makes my nose look huge. But on days at the beach or at the zoo he never remembers 😭😭 lol

Dw ur not alone
I take the worst pics!!!

Daylight in the great outdoors is very unforgiving, OP.

That’s why people use filters.

It’s the natural lighting that massively show imperfections through a camera lens

Your (and everyone else's) perspective is skewed by judging people's looks based on the photos they've chosen to put on social media (probably filtered). I'm sure you don't look ugly, you look like a norm as l human being.

• normal human being. Stupid phone.

Did you put your make up on in natural light i.e. sunlight shining through a window? Or just in the light of a lamp/overhead light with bulb? I find that makes a difference.

I just wonder what others see I guess. I like myself in the mirror. I look less tired.

Yeah everyone has a filter on Facebook. I don't use them personally. Maybe that's the issue lol.

The problem with phone cameras (and mirrors sometimes) is that you are looking at your face 1. in closeup 2. straight on and 3. totally still.
All of this really accentuates any 'flaws', lines (especially those ones from nose to lips!), and casts weird shadows.
Remember no one else sees you like this, your face looks much 'better' at a normal distance as it moves and changes angles.

It’s the natural daylight as previous posters have said. It’s the same for everyone.

Is the foundation you use double wear?

Yes it's double wear. Is that the reason?

@littlecatfeet
I hope so. Hopefully it was an awful angle and light. I buy decent foundation to look better so I hope I look more like the colours in the mirror than the camera.

Are you me?! I always think I look ok until I take (rare) selfies and think "is that tired looking, middle aged lady really me?" I like to tell myself that our real life, animated faces hide a multitude of imperfections that a camera intensifies!

Really, no one else cares, looks at you that closely or spends any time thinking about this stuff. Unless you're a model your looks and photogenic-ness are unimportant. People like and love you, not your photo.

Did you have a nice walk?

A picture is just a picture...
Also, it is no the old camera in your phone. It is lighting. If you have no knowledge of photography or lighting, then take your pictures in the shade. Sunlight, if not used correctly in pictures is awful (it casts shadows, so spots more visible, shadows under the eyes...).
Lighting is everything in a picture.

No you don’t look like that don’t worry. Google ‘barrel distortion and selfies’.
Some lighting conditions can look very harsh. We all have bad hair days especially if you’re overdue a cut it can make you feel you look bad. Just get it done you’ll walk out feeling like a new woman!

And yes you’re freezing your face at one specific angle with every flaw highlighted more than it is in real life.

Double wear can look ghostly on pictures, it's well known for it.

@Happyinmyownworld I personally, although I know many people use and love it, find dw very heavy and flat looking. Like you've erased all natural colour and features and have to add them back in with other make up. It certainly isn't going to make you glow.

@gobbynorthernbird

Yeah I know what you mean. Do you recommend any others that stay in place all day?

Why are you so unhappy with how you look? Have you thought about seeing someone about your self image?

@userxx

I hope that's the case because I looked shocking!

It's the DW, well known for a mask like effect that erases features. Coupled with daylight it wouldn't look good on camera. I can usually spot someone wearing it in real life.

I am the least photogenic person on the planet.

And yes DW can look a bit ghostly on camera so I made sure my skincare routine was good so my skin glows from under it. Doesn't make me look better in photos but at least my skin glows

@D4rwin

Its not that. I actually think I look nice when I get ready. It's the fact photos and mirrors seem to look so different and I don't know what I look like. I just felt like I should have looked nice yesterday as I'd put the effort in.