AIBU to do my make up in the bathroom at work

[GonnaBeYoniThisChristmas]

When I get into work I often spend five mins in the ladies loo doing my make up.

A colleague told me the other day that “some people” feel uncomfortable using the loo when I am “standing around in there”. I think she meant because I am outside the cubicle doors standing at the basin/mirror.

I thought doing your make up at work was no more intrusive than washing your hands!

Your colleague is weird. Tell her you can stand wherever the fuck you like and to shut it Susan.

Presumably it's because people don't like coming in and using the toilet whilst you are there for the duration of their visit. If you were washing your hands you would be gone by the time they came out of the cubicle.

Some people get 'stage fright' in public restrooms. If someone's washing their hands, it's usually noisy and fast, then they're gone. Someone quietly applying make-up will be more likely to overhear whatever's happening in the stalls. I'm not surprised some people don't like it, to tell the truth.

I wouldn't do this. It strikes me as a bit lazy. I arrive at my work fully ready to go.
Maybe I'm just old-fashioned though!

I get 'performance anxiety' using the toilet when other people are out there, especially with no music, taps running, or hand-dryers going - but that's a me problem, not someone else's fault for being there, and I certainly wouldn't tell you not to do your make-up because of it.

You’re doing nothing wrong and I think it’s odd someone has said it to you but……I actually get this as when I go into the work toilets and it’s very quiet with just me and the person doing their make up I do feel self conscious that they can hear everything compared to someone making noise washing their hands.
However that is not your problem

If (god forbid!) I had to have an emergency poo at work, or even if I needed to change my tampon, I’d be horrified if someone was hanging round putting on make up. YABU. Is there a reason you can’t just do it at home?

It wouldn't bother me personally. I used to have a colleague that would invite me to a meeting then sit there with her compact mirror staring at her own face and furiously applying, rubbing, wiping, preening various cosmetics. Some if it looked quite painful!
So I'd much rather someone did it in the bathroom! 🤣

If there’s only one sink/mirror it would be irritating, otherwise no, absolutely fine

I always went to work fully ready. Why can’t you do your make up before you leave home instead of doing it in work time.

Wouldn’t bother me personally. As long as it’s a quick 3 min top up or just basic make up not a full face.

i don’t have any issues with doing a wee or poo with others in the toilets - that’s what toilets are for! I just crack on

I used to have to be dropped by dh at work early years ago and used to do my make up in the loos, but i’d sit on the loo to do it (seat down) people probably thought I had constipation 😆

Carry a compact mirror with you and do it at your desk! Problem solved! No need to thank me😊

Are you clocked in when you are doing it? Why can't you do it at home?

😂 Me too

It's like William Shakespeare is in the room with us.

Brilliant turns of phrase 😂

YABU. Women generally prefer a discreet poo with no one around. Do your make up at home.

I see other people may not like it but I think that's just one of those things we have to put up with because we live in a world with other people. I think it's reasonable to use a bathroom to sort your makeup out, just like it's reasonable to sort your hair out, or go to the loo or wash your hands or have a cry. Sometimes those things aren't totally compatible but that's just life.

😂 Dropping off the morning log!!

I get it - I think that is what my colleague meant about not wanting to be overheard. It just didn’t occur to me that anyone would really notice / care. It’s a long bathroom with cubicles and eight or nine basins so usually a bit of coming and going.

To those asking why I don’t do make up at home, I prefer not to. I dash out of the door and do school run on the way so when o arrive at work I like to go to the loo, do my make up, get a coffee and take five minutes to refocus. It’s not a “clocking on” kind of job and I’m always working by 9 which is our official start time.

As long as you are ready to start work when you should be it wouldn't bother me. If you tell everyone you start at 8.30 so leave at 4.30 but arrive at 8.28, faff with your coat, go to the bathroom, put on your make-up, pop to the kitchen to make tea and pop some toast in the toaster, which you eat and drink while logging on and do nothing constructive before 8.50, that would really piss me off. If you then go to the toilet at 4.15, touch up your lippy, come back and put on yiur coat, scarf, change your shoes and log off at 4.29 and 20 seconds, that would really, really piss me off.

I had someone on my team who did that, they thought they were under the radar, then I went in for 8.15 for a week. They did not like the conversation.

YANBU, there's nothing wrong with putting on makeup at work. Bathrooms aren't just for pooing in.

All the people saying YABU - do you not cycle in to work, or imagine what that might be like for a cyclist?

Do you never go out after work and need to put on a bit more makeup before you leave the office? And not want to do it at your desk, if it's an open plan office?

Ugh. I know exactly what you mean. Maybe we worked in the same place!!

No, that is not me. The coffee and make up is all done and dusted well before 9 and I routinely work after our official ending time. There’s not an office culture of lateness/ long lunches.

I used to work on a beauty counter selling makeup. We all put our makeup on in the locker room of a morning before heading along to the shop floor.
Now, if I've been to the gym or for a swim I do my makeup in the bathroom at work.