Colleague has said I'm vain a few times

[Spottttty]

Well not said it, but heavily implied it. I could understand if I'm going around saying 'Look at me I'm soo beautiful' but obviously this isn't the case.

She's said this because I sometimes put make up on or use a mirror at work at lunch. So what? Like it's not affecting her in any way.
She's made comments about 3 times, I've just laughed but next time I'll say something maybe?

It might just be friendly ribbing as she's nice otherwise but not sure what her goal is. She's someone who doesn't wear a scrap of make up and that's up to her, I'm not someone who can do that and that's just me.

Putting on make up in public is performative, you are drawing attention to yourself. You carry a mirror! If you are doing it frequently I can understand your colleague's comments. As PP have said, put your slap on in the bathroom.

It also shows a lack of interest in those you’re sitting chatting to. Your full attention is clearly not on them.

I think you could throw it back to her… “Yeeeees, we all know YOU don’t wear makeup.”
or “Please don’t comment on my appearance. It’s very rude.”

A bit mean but you could say 'nothing wrong with looking after yourself' or just a simple 'I don't really care what other people think about my grooming routine' and carry on.

meh - i don't like people putting make up on where I'm eating. (tbh i think it's a bit common putting make-up on in public, other people are different)

I think you could throw it back to her… “Yeeeees, we all know YOU don’t wear makeup.”

Nah that’s to easy to bat back “Don’t need to”

I don’t see the problem with what you’re doing either.

based on the replies so far, the woman is probs a mumsnetter.

Same!

I have put lipgloss on in 'public' but nothing else.

It’s a bit nasty to be touching your face and eyes and then not washing your hands before touching surfaces and things which are used by other people, especially where people are preparing and eating food, so I agree it’s best done somewhere intended for washing, rather than somewhere for eating; I would go to the loos (where there’s usually also a big mirror intended for the purpose) instead. There’s also a performative element to doing this sort of personal grooming in a more public space; it does give the impression that you give your appearance more importance than is appropriate in the workplace.

She's not shaving her legs or clipping her toenails though is she? Putting on makeup is in no way offensive 😵‍💫

That's her issue, not OPs. I'll never understand why people even feel second-hand embarrassment on behalf of other people's perfectly ordinary actions, much less that they expect people to accommodate them.

The irony is, the colleague should be embarrassed about her own poor manners in saying anything!

A bit mean but you could say 'nothing wrong with looking after yourself

You don’t need to put make up on to look after yourself 🙄

You think causing offence isn't anyone else's concern?

I do understand some replies around hygiene etc. But I don't do it whilst they're eating, I do it at the very end before we go back to work. I'm not doing a full face, just a quick touch up/check.
But... Some of these replies are absolutely nuts. The terminally offended return.
I'm done 🤣

For the same reason you wouldn't do it in the middle of a restaurant, ìt just not ok

I wouldn’t comment and I think she’s rude to do so, but equally I’d be quite surprised if a colleague whipped out concealer at lunch and started dabbing at her face. Makeup should be done in private in a cloakroom.

It is to some

Sadly, you display the traits of the terminally selfish.

How is it offensive?!

Ok 🤣🤣

Vain is not a compliment no matter what mental gymnastics people are willing to suggest to try to justify or rationalise it.

If you have a relationship where taking the mutual Mick is your thing and this fits with that, fine. Otherwise she is being rude.

I have a colleague who sometimes applies make up at work, no one thinks it's odd, performative or disgusting it's just no big deal, it's like eating your lunch at your desk, or chatting about your weekend... Your colleagues sometimes see the human you beyond the job role, so what.

Your colleague mentioning this more than once and mimicking you makes me think that her preference to not wear make up isn't entirely 'morally neutral' in her mind and that she has some prejudices in her mind about the motives she thinks those who like to use make up are driven by.

How old is she, she sounds young and maybe insecure.

I think the flat voice response 'so you keep saying,' pp suggested is perfect. I'd be tempted to add 'and it's getting old'.

She sounds awful, OP. Perhaps chuck in a backhanded compliment 'I guess I'm not as brave as some people who can face the day without some warpaint - seriously, that takes some real confidence!'

Lol

Everything is offensive to some though. A phone will be offensive for example. Or a dog. Or cooking fish in the microwave in the canteen (my personal bugbear!).I could take offence to something, but it doesn't mean it's reasonable that everyone else should accommodate me

In my work place you'd get teased for that too, nip into the bathroom to do it if you have to but not in the canteen in front of your colleagues!

Wow OP, you're getting a lot of stick here. I have no idea where we're meant to learn these strange rules about what's 'socially acceptable' that most people posting here seem to know. Who knew that only lipstick is allowed to be applied in public? I'm baffled by it all.

I'm also baffled by people who seem to think your work break room is somehow a silver service restaurant, rather than, well, a break room where people could be microwaving stinky dinners and cracking open hard boiled eggs, laughing raucously about last night's telly and all manner of other things that are seemingly unacceptable on Mumsnet.

Carry on doing your makeup if you want to. Ignore the people here who have such odd ideas. If your colleague mocks you, just say 'Give over, Janet'. Don't say 'did you mean to be so rude?' because you'll look like a twit. Don't post in AIBU because there's nothing that posters here love more than the opportunity to call someone 'common'. Enjoy your day and I bet you look lovely.