To do my make up on the train?

[northchesterforest]

Does it bother you when you see people doing this? If so, why?

I find it intensely irritating. It's a load of weird movement in my peripheral vision nad clattering of brushes and everything else. It's only a smidge less annoying than hearing someone's music playing.

And I just don't get it. If you're that bothered about looking a certain way why not get up earlier and do it at home. And if you're not that bothered because you don't mind commuters seeing you a different way why bother at all.

I don't wear make up and would have no problem seeing someone apply it on the train, not sure how people can get offended by it. I would have a problem though if people start spraying stuff due to allergies.

YES YES YES. I go into Newcastle twice a week and in the summer races/hen do season it is just a sea of shrieking women dressed to the nines with cans of G&T and M&S snacks everywhere.

Doing make up would not bother me in the slightest, if anything I would be fascinated to see what others do differently. Not nearly as irritating as people watching videos without headphones 😡

It doesn't bother me.

I'd never do it as a) I don't leave the house without make up and b) I'd poke myself in the eye with the mascara brush and c) I'd feel self conscious putting make up on in public.

This.
Also make up stinks much more when it's actively being applied.

Stinks?

All my make up is perfume-free.

Currently in a bioinformatics workshop and the course leader just came in and brushed her hair in front of everyone. I find this unfathomable.

Aside from the fact that 3-5 minutes is my maximum when I do bother to wear make-up, I still wouldn't do it. But I likely wouldn't notice if others did, as I wear headphones and read by default when I travel by rail. Filing, clipping or polishing nails is understandably offensive to others.

It's more serious to me that behaviour on trains is becoming completely anti-social, not to mention more dangerous for women. I now avoid taking a table seat unless the train is nearly empty owing to men making themselves a nuisance. One sat in the opposite seat taking pictures of me on his phone, and I'm fairly certain that he was recording me. Others attempt to make hamfisted conversation when I'm trying to read my book. They just can't seem to leave women the hell alone.

As for journeys to London, the coaches reek of booze and half the passenger complement are pissed and laughing like Salacious Crumb by the time the train reaches Grantham. We're talking the 9am train here, not 7pm on a Friday night.

I avoid wherever possible.

Doesn't bother me. I once watched a woman spend 20 minutes on her face. It really wasn't worth all the effort, she didn't look much different when she'd finished.

I regularly saw a woman who'd do her eyeliner on the southbound Northern Line. It's a very bouncy trip and I was always impressed she didn't poke her eye out or draw a line up her forehead.
Outside the tube my main objection is about space. Taking up a whole table for your makeup routine is bad commuting form.

People on Mumsnet tend to be very judgemental and have a lot of hang ups about these kind of things, for some reason, so probably not representative of most people.

My friend and I used to jump onto the train hoping for the (old style) carriage that had a little mirror on the wall to do this. I stopped doing it after too many times the train would jolt at the wrong time and I'd get a mascara wand in my eye. So I'm rather impressed if people can manage to do this!

I suspect this is the crux of it. Women are supposed to care what people think. We are supposed to present a made-up, visually pleasing version of ourselves to the world but the actual process is seen as something that should be done in "private". We're supposed to look good, but not be seen to care too much about looking good.

It reminds me of my MIL (very old fashioned, very concerned with how things look) who once turned up very early for lunch at our house and apologised profusely for "catching" me hoovering. Honestly, judging by the level of mortification you'd have thought she'd walked in and seen me wandering around naked. She clearly thought I would be embarrassed and baffled that I didn't feel the need to pretend that my house is always magically spotless and visitor ready!

I think you might be putting it in the wrong places if this is your response 😂

Depends. I don’t mind if they’re not next to me.

I would never do it but I find it fascinating when others do. We're not talking a dab of powder and a bit of lipstick either - I see young women applying layer upon layer and transforming themselves completely on a 13 minute train ride into Liverpool Street.

I now realise how basic my routine is!

I think it's anti social to do it in a public place. Get your make up on before you leave home. Unless, of course, you are far too busy or important 🙄

I’m always fascinated as I can barely get my eyeliner on straight sat at my dressing table let alone a moving train! But I’m not upset or bothered by it. I am very bothered though when people start spraying things or have drowned themselves in perfume/after shave as it triggers my asthma and makes my journey uncomfortable. Luckily I rarely get the train these days.

It still stinks of the actual ingredients.

It's Mumsnet - everyone has allergies and cries about everything.

It's unhygienic 😂 yes because being crammed in a carriage with 30 people who haven't washed their hands, touch everything and cough everywhere is so sterile.

It's a thing, it's a good use of time if you want to wear makeup to work. Literally not a single person on any London line would look twice at someone doing their makeup.

I like seeing other women put their makeup on.
I watch surreptitiously though. It would be weird to stare.

The only time it annoys me is when the smells, sprays or powder are flying around that isn't fair. There is opening windows on our train and having to breath in sickening sweet chemical smell is nauseating.

Other than that crack on.

The ones who do it usually wear an awful lot of make up, often in a way that they would look better without it.
It doesn't bother me.
Too much perfume or aftershave does bother me. I don't mean spraying it, that should not happen, but just wearing too much.

Mn is just judgemental of all make up I find.

I don't like the smell of make up, powders are the worse. It irritates my skin and nose when someone is applying powders. Sprays are totally unacceptable. I think it's impolite to eat smelly food or apply make up but the worst is this woman who was clipping her nails on the bus ...

We care about our appearance in places in certain places not others. The train isn't one