When men say "I prefer women without make-up"...

[ThingThatIBring]

AIBU to think that when men say "I prefer women without make-up" that they don't usually know what they're talking about (and don't usually have a clue that women ARE wearing it)?

The reality of this statement is usually:

• I don't like it when women wear really obvious MAKE-UP make-up (loads of lippy and false eyelashes etc) or when it's badly applied (making it obvious);
• I like really good-looking fresh-faced young women whose complexions, etc., look smooth without it;
• I like to think of myself as very wholesome (and maybe a bit of a feminist).

What they DON'T mean (but don't realise they don't mean) is:

• I prefer the look of the average woman of my own age without any make-up on.

I know so many men who say this, and it always mildly irritates me as it's said like it's a kind of virtue.

As a post-mating-phase human, it's not like it really affects my life. But it always makes me feel for all the women who are still in a position where they're affected by this nonsense...

How dare men have any preferences at all. It's an abomination.

I've only met one man who disliked make up genuinely. The odd time he may like a little bit if I had it on but his reasons were he just wanted me to look like me... the natural look. I think most other men don't mind or notice either way!

On our first date dh commented that I didn't wear a lot of make up ..I had a full face on...fake tan, foundation, everything! He has since seen me without and agrees I look better with make up on.... Men have no idea how much work it takes to just look non tired

My friends boyfriend said he preferred women without makeup, I asked like who for example? He said Reece Witherspoon, Halle berry and Sandra bullock always look great and don’t wear makeup. Then said every man fancies at least one of the women from friends and every woman wanted to be one of them and they didn’t wear makeup but then the kardashians shot to fame and ‘the main one’ wear makeup and ‘another one’ sells it and that’s why it’s so popular now.

They haven't got a clue, have they?!

YANBU OP. I'm a teacher. Schools often used to have a blanket 'no make-up' rule, but the problem is that male teachers often can't tell whether girls are wearing make-up or not, unless it's really obvious. The rules tend to be 'no heavy/obvious make-up' now, but it's still pretty vague and unenforced.

Agree with much of the above. I’ve also known some men to say this kind of thing when what they mean is “I feel threatened by attractive, well-dressed women”. Not always, but sometimes.

I had this discussion with a mixed group of friends at uni. One of my friends (who tended to wear very bright glittery makeup) was being unfavourably compared to me (Bobbi Brown style natural make up).

I pointed out that I was wearing foundation, colour-correcting concealer around my eyes, blusher, powder, eye shadow, mascara, brow pencil, and lip gloss. Whereas my friend just had glittery eye makeup, mascara and lipstick on. So what he actually meant was that he preferred it when girls wore more makeup, but in subdued colours.

I thought he was a dick, honestly.

@user1471517900

How dare men have any preferences at all. It's an abomination.

They can have any preference they want. It is marching up to somebody and commenting on their face which is the rude part.

I sometimes think I live in an alternative universe.

Men might like a certain sort of women to look at in pictures, but genuinely, the men I know in real life like women who are fun and interesting. This applies to everyone from DH, my Dad, my sons, my friends, my friends" husbands and my colleagues.

These men are nothing particularly special to look at themselves and perhaps that makes a difference, but if any of them care much about looks they hide it well. They find their partners attractive, but they see something in them that others don't.

Oh bollocks do they.

What they mean is that they want a naturally beautiful woman who looks stunning without it. No shit. And they want kudos for not being shallow, even though judging a woman for wearing makeup is shallow.

If we all stopped wearing makeup, they'd lose their collective shit.

maybe a bit of a feminist

I would be wary of a man who says they are a feminist TBH

I look like a meth addict with my acne so I absolutely look better with some makeup. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t look better with SOME makeup even if it is just a touch of mascara, lip gloss or blush.

My (new ish) partner prefers me without makeup fuck knows why. I mean he isn't "don't wear it" but he always comments how pretty I am without it
I think he needs new glasses TBH. He's 28 and I'm 37

@Comedycook

It's like men who say they love it when a woman eats loads and pigs out with them...but stay a size 8 please. Unreasonable expectations. You want a slim woman...she probably has to work at it and watch what she eats. You want a stunner....she will probably need to put on a some mascara and blush. It's about male entitlement and how they want women to fulfill all expectations

I work with a man in his 50s who has never been in a relationship longer than a year. He wants a ‘natural woman’ no makeup, no hair dye, no nails painted, no tan, no surgery, he complains if he has to wait for her to get ready his celebrity crush and idea of this is Blake lively. He wants a very slim woman but anyone he’s dated who goes to the gym or exercises has been dumped because it’s ‘too manly’ to exercise that way or takes up too much of her time. As you said, he also wants a woman who eats the food he eats because otherwise it’s ‘boring’.

Lots of men complain he’s had to wait for his partner to get ready but never like the appearance of women who can be out of the house in 15 minutes!

I don’t wear make-up and am often told by men that they prefer it. I know some hate the feel of lipstick, no doubt some are just aiming to give a compliment.

I think older men who’ve been in long marriages are accustomed to the naked face.

@Marathoninjury

My friends boyfriend said he preferred women without makeup, I asked like who for example? He said Reece Witherspoon, Halle berry and Sandra bullock always look great and don’t wear makeup. Then said every man fancies at least one of the women from friends and every woman wanted to be one of them and they didn’t wear makeup but then the kardashians shot to fame and ‘the main one’ wear makeup and ‘another one’ sells it and that’s why it’s so popular now.

That was an interesting conversation.

Ha! He mansplained make up to you

YANBU OP, they don’t know what they’re talking about.

The ‘no make up’ look must use at least 6/7 products

My late husband used to say it and meant it. :)

There's a longstanding trend on TikTok of "catfish" and "glow up" videos, basically women (and the odd man!) showing how very very different they can look with makeup on. It's true that some of these people have absolute witchcraft level skills, but it's a sign of how young the audience is that they're still astounded that makeup can make you much, much prettier. Needless to say, the men are losing their minds.

Incidentally, does contouring work in real life? It's witchcraft in still photos and filtered videos where you don't change your angle much, but given it works by creating the illusion of light and shadow in certain places, doesn't this look a bit weird in real life where the lighting isn't fixed?

I'm trying to decide if it's worth learning.

[quote MorganSeventh]Always reminds me of this from Amy Schumer

[/quote] I love that clip, hilarious

The only appropriate response to this statement is “Who the fuck asked you?”

If you’re feeling polite.. “Who the fuck asked you, sir?”

Women also prefer men with a large penis and lots of money and I’ll bet the man who said this to you has neither.

Next time a man says this to you ladies tell him the stfu and the you would love for him to have the body of 1990s Dolph Lundgren and the bank account of Eli musk. Until then he needs to shut his mouth.

Are we still listening to mens’ opinions on makeup!? Who cares what they like!? Men have alot of opinions on makeup for people who don’t wear it.

I think they either think they mean it but they don't actually know which women are wearing it unless it's blatantly obvious. Or they mean that they don't like their girlfriend/wife to wear it but gawp at every woman who does wear it, making sure their girlfriend is watching.
It's also so they can get to pub quicker instead of waiting for their oh to get ready.
Either way men should have no choice in the matter.

Even Disney princesses wear makeup. Shame the Queen and her magic mirror never saw Snow White bare faced. There was nothing to worry about. She looks like a potato.

Jasmine, Belle and Ariel still look banging, though. Bitches.

thecarousel.com/beauty-fashion/disney-princesses-heres-what-they-look-like-without-makeup/

I read something once that made me laugh, it was in response to men saying makeup is tricking or catfishing them:

'It's not my fault you didn't realise my eyelids aren't naturally gold'.

My husband has always said this and I have never worn make-up as I have sensitive skin, so he was seeing the 'real me' when he first met me. His DM used to wear a lot of make up so that's how he arrived at this viewpoint.

My husband always tells me he prefers me without makeup, I used to have lovely skin but now suffer from rosacea so I wear make up which makes me feel better. However he still prefers me with no make up !