To think most make up is a waste of time?

[HuckleberryBlackcurrant]

I've never been a girly girl, never seen the point of tanning, nails, fashionable clothes, makeup etc. I do wear makeup on occasion, but it takes me 5 minutes to apply- some powder, a little mascara and maybe some lip tint.

I used to use more makeup to cover blemishes when a teenager.

But I know so many women who spend hours a week on their face. The time, the effort and the expense seems to be immense. I just don't get it. Why spend so long applying expensive paint to your face? Why not just look how you look? Men don't go through all this nonsense and somehow we are able to stand to look at their bare faces.

I know some people are going to say makeup is their hobby, they enjoy it, fine. I'm more addressing those who feel they have to put it on before leaving the house every day.

Help me to understand!

I feel like I have to have a shower before leaving the house. Not everyone does. Is my daily shower a waste of time/life??

I mean the time someone else spends doing makeup you might spend doing other things - sleeping, cleaning, doing your hair, scrolling on mumsnet etc

I get my nails done (an hour every 3 weeks is hardly a hardship!) and enjoy makeup / doing my hair. It's fun, I like how it makes me look and it's enjoyable to peruse new makeup and try new things.

I often find the people saying "oh I couldn't imagine spending that much time on my insert typical makeup / hair / nails comment" are playing the "I'm not like other girls" card.

Some people feel like that have to wear it for confidence issues, due to anxiety, because they don't like certain parts of themselves etc.

but people who wear it don't "have to" they want to because they like it/enjoyit/give them confidence/makes them feel nice. so it's all wants really.

Because as an unattractive woman I look slightly less unattractive and also having reached old age, I look slightly younger

Most of the time I don't wear make-up but when I do I feel really good! I feel like it enhances the features that I already have plus the right foundation and a highlighter improve the appearance of my skin x1000.
I assume that people who feel compelled to wear it all the time are just in the habit of doing that and couldn't imagine not doing it? Or feel quite insecure about the way they look without it on?

@Midnlghtrain

Fair, I suppose everyone has their hobbies. I'm not trying to boast that I'm not like other girls haha. I just don't have much of an interest in stereotypically female things and I'm curious to understand what makes others tick. I suppose I've always felt like a bit of an oddball in that way. Idk.

But there's nothing to 'understand', it's a matter of personal preference.

@HappierTimesAhead

That makes sense

Wow, you're so cool and not like all the other women. 🙄

I should add that I am by no means a pretty woman. I would say probably below average, and I do have facial blemishes. I've just ceased to care about covering them up I suppose.

So you don't understand why some people want to conceal blemishes etc, even though you say you used to wear more make-up to do exactly that?

@AllProperTeaIsTheft

I understand that. I'm asking about people who feel they must wear makeup every day.

@Gibs0nGirl I really don't understand how anyone can enjoy putting makeup on. I can easily spend an hour doing it and still look shit.

I want to enjoy it as much as you do, I have watched many tutorials and still can't make it look nice. How did you learn?

I put a bit of make up on before I leave the house, it makes me look better. It takes me about 5 minutes. Just like I brush my hair before I leave the house because that makes me look better too.

don’t you do a few things to make yourself look more presentable before you go to work or meet a friend OP? Or do you just turn up straight from your bed without brushing your hair or teeth or choosing clothes or anything?

I also think it depends how skilled you are at applying makeup. Some women I see on Instagram can make themselves look AMAZING because they are so talented at applying makeup. If I was that talented I would probably wear it everyday too!
Whereas some people haven't mastered the skill or they are buying the wrong makeup so they don't really see the full impact? (No judgement, I am mediocre at doing my own makeup)

Make up can be a form of art and expression for people, even your general day to day wear. It's an enjoyable process for most. It's also a form of self love for some people and if it provides confidence to people then so be it

So the hours 'wasted' might not seem wasted to others when it's an enjoyable process

Wearing make up stops the 'are you ill?' 'you look tired' etc etc etc comments I get when going about without it.

😂I empathise, it's like when I don't put a bit of fake tan on my face or don't draw my eyebrows on (I look like a different person)!

@PuppyMonkey

I don't see what makeup has to do with hygiene and basic grooming....unless we have been conditioned to think that women need to wear makeup to be 'presentable'.

@HuckleberryBlackcurrant

Phew 😂 so many times people try saying "oh I don't understand how people feel the need to wear makeup" as a way to put people who want to wear it down, you'll see it on this forum often I find.

Makeup is honestly really fun to me and others - I love how I look without it, I also love how I look with it. I enjoy seeing what other people can do with it and love getting a compliment on mine. It's like self care, it's calming and time to myself in the morning. I'm not saying I wear a full face every day, mine is normally quite neutral - but it's soothing to do!

I used to have to wear a full face when leaving the house every day, I wouldn't pop to the shops without it. I think it felt a bit like a mask back then, with it I felt confident and like I could do anything - without it I definitely didn't. Now I've had a huge mindset change and I love how I look, so it's all about enhancing or playing with my face rather than covering anything up.

@pinksheetss

Hadn't thought of it that way

You could say the same about anything though, why do people spend ages on their hair, or lots of money on clothes, or have tattoos or piercings.....

Because people like to look a certain way and enjoy shopping/having tattoos/putting on makeup.

Why do you need to understand? Different folk like different things.

@Midnlghtrain

I'm not trying to put anyone down. Yours sounds like a healthy mindset.

I do wear make-up every day and wouldn’t go out without it voluntarily. However it takes me roughly three minutes every morning: foundation, blusher, mascara and eyeliner. So I’m not sure I’m the sort of person you’re wondering about. I wear it because it helps make me looks less tired and pale, gives definition to my eyes and generally (I think) makes me look a bit better (though that could be psychological I guess.)

I honestly don't think OP is coming at this from a judgy point of view but could be wrong 🤷