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.

I did say attempting to be insulting. Takes more than comparing me to a babysat child asking questions and little PA digs about comprehension and language acquisition for me to consider it a full insult tbf.

Not goading anyone, just asking if anyone can explain why. I now note the response is "no, I cant explain my view" so I won't ask again.

I’m not the other person you were replying to, just another curious onlooker :) seems really odd that no one can answer this question!

No need to be snarky, my comprehension is fine- that’s why I pointed out that you hadn’t actually answered my question! (And still haven’t).

I assume ops mascara does come off, which is why she reapplied it. I’ve had some mascaras that flake or smudge, that would be the most obvious explanation.

I have answered the question and I’m not even sure why you are looking at me to do so. I get that some people don’t care how they make others feel, or worse, enjoy making others uncomfortable. I’m not trying to change you all.

Smudged and flaked mascara is not improved by adding more mascara.

It is if you just run a bit of tissue or a finger under your eye and reapply (for me anyway)

Well I’m glad we’ve established you’ve not been insulted.

Ultimately you’ve had an answer as to how some people view it: bodily care that you do in private or spaces assigned to it. If people look askance ( or you feel that they do) that’s what they are probably thinking: that what you are doing is a bit gauche.

But if you don’t care, you don’t care.🤷🏻‍♀️

I did answer it, but because you don’t want to agree with the definition of vanity or the example given you’re claiming I haven’t answered. I have.
If your mascara won’t last the day at work (unlikely) then it would be normal to maybe notice when you pop to the loo and think “oh, I must get a new mascara” and then carry on with your day…

Tbf I've never experienced anyone looking at me 'askance' because it's such a normal every day thing so it probably doesn't register with them.

So, at the risk of being accused of asking a question goading, if the issue is its private body grooming, why is lipstick, lip balm, hand cream, ok to apply in public?

I did answer it, but because you don’t want to agree with the definition of vanity or the example given you’re claiming I haven’t answered. I have.
If your mascara won’t last the day at work (unlikely) then it would be normal to maybe notice when you pop to the loo and think “oh, I must get a new mascara” and then carry on with your day…

But that would involve - gasp! - looking in the mirror, which according to some on this thread automatically confers the title of shallow unprofessional Narcissus, and probably bad feminist to boot.

Definitely agree to disagree then!

For some people, grooming yourself publicly feels private and intimate and doing or witnessing private things in public is uncomfortable.

The phrase 'grooming yourself' gives me a mental image of how gorillas sit in their pens at the zoo picking mites off themselves and studying them curiously. The way some are reacting on this thread, anyone would think OP had done exactly that.

I find women doing makeup in public mildly irritating, but I suspect that is pure misogyny on my part; except when they are concurrently driving when it is pure self-righteousness.

I think both the phrase and the act give a lot of people that sort of image.

If they were pop stars maybe

It's not a risk

It's not pleasant (imo)

The kid in the McDonald’s drive thru had wonderful eye makeup on yesterday. It was subtle. I was happy to see it because he seems to be coming out of his shell and has a smile that always makes my morning much brighter!

My florist wears a whole face and I promise he wouldn’t be caught dead touching it up in public!

I’m in a rather unsophisticated area.

What does that have to with what I posted? It wasn’t the 80s yesterday.

What does the 80s have to do with the topic we are on?

Have you lost track of the discussion? 😂

Why don’t you summarize for me.

Men wear make up.

My DC’s piano teacher does.

And good for him, if it makes him feel good. But he has never done it in front of me, and if he did I’d think exactly what I’d think if a woman did: “could you not have sorted yourself out in private?”

Men were make up? Since when?

I hope you’re being sarcastic, but if not I’ll name a few;

Well-known in the beauty industry; Wayne Goss, Mitchell Halliday, Jeffree Star, Ariel Tejada, Manny Gutierrez, James Charles, Patrick Starr.

Then you’ve got Eddie Izzard. & men who are famous for Drag: Ru Paul, Paul O’Grady & Barry Humphries, the list is endless.

Musicians and singers: David Bowie, KISS band, Prince, Boy George, Gerrard Way, Marilyn Manson etc.

And then you’ve got your everyday man who likes to wear makeup. My friends husband wears eyeliner on nights out. It suits him. It’s becoming more normal and acceptable within society. It’s not shocking to see a man wearing makeup walking down the street. Will he get criticised by closed-minded and old fashioned individuals? Probably. But let’s hope as time goes on society becomes more accepting and less scared of makeup.

Just to clarify, by “ done it” I meant applied it in front of me. He definitely wears it around his pupils and their parents. In fact I’ve never seen him without it.

I am genuinely surprised by all of the comments saying that touching your makeup up / using a mirror in public is inappropriate or vein. I have never heard this before and I am genuinely interested in how this is the case. What issues does it cause? How does it affect other people?

Don’t get me wrong, I totally get how, for example, brushing your hair in a restaurant (around food) is unhygienic, but I really don’t see why applying makeup using a pocket mirror would be an issue, particularly in a staff break room. As long as it doesn’t affect other people around, I don’t see why they would even have an opinion on it?
Surely it isn’t any different to someone looking at their phone, or reading a book?
It doesn’t have anything to do with anyone else IMO.