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!

I agree.

It's not about how much work she's doing, but people not liking someone standing where they can be heard on the toilet.

In a perfect world I would prefer to use the toilet in private but people do have the right to do their makeup at the mirror. My old office had curlers and hair straighteners at the mirrors for this purpose and everyone did their makeup there.

Ask me about urinals and that leaves me totally mystified - I will NEVER understand how men can be comfortable using these, especially with their coworkers!

Changing a tampon isn't embarrassing

So I'm not allowed my feelings? Nice!

Didn't say that, you can't really hear anything when changing them so no one will know!

This post has had some of the absolutely strangest replies I’ve ever seen on a mumsnet thread. Poo particles 😂

OP, a bathroom isn’t just for shitting. In the real world, it’s a widely accepted place to do your make up. Crack on.

Hi everyone - thank you for all the replies. I genuinely did want to know what people thought to get a feel for what my other coworkers might be inwardly thinking… and boy, did I find out?!?

For anyone who’s still clinging on to thai thread or has any investment:

I don’t (and won’t) use the disabled / accessible loos

I don’t do a full insta contouring routine but it’s also not just reapplying lippy

I take public transport (tube and train) to work so don’t have the option of doing make up in a car

I could get ready at home earlier but I hate sweating off all my make up on the tube and it suits me much better to get to work, go to the loo and wash my hands and then do it calmly rather than in a rush. Im not on the clock or stealing any time from work.

For those saying just don’t wear make up, well yes, that would be an option and while I’m doing commute and drop off I don’t care but I like to look nice in the office.

I don’t believe the poo particles .. can someone guide me to a scientific source that flushing a loo deposits poo particles 9ft away!!?!

I’ll see if there’s a changing room (like showers and lockers) rather than just bathrooms in the office building.

Peace out ✌🏼

So aggressive...

Why don't you just do it t your desk?

@BusterGonad Why don't you just do it t your desk?

Likely because there is not a large mirror at her desk. To do it at your desk you need to do your make up with one hand while holding a titchy little mirror with the other. I would never contemplate this. Usually bathrooms have big mirrors, like you have at home, and that’s why they work better than a non existent mirror at your desk. I also get make up on my hands, although I’m a luddite that does foundation with fingers, not the new tangled sponge things. Desks don’t have wash basins, bathrooms do. In total, bathrooms have a huge convenience factor that your desk doesn’t.

Yes but who are all these people to say that the 'only' intended purpose of the loos is for actually going to the toilet - most of them have mirrors above the sink, why is not also part of the 'intended' purpose to do your make up / do something to touch up your appearance? Ours also has a full length mirror in - so I assume that means people are 'allowed' to check their appearance in it.

Our loos at work have people touching up their make up in the morning, maybe cleaning teeth after lunch, and in the evening people often have evening events to go to (often with clients) so would be in there touching up their make up / applying deodorant/ cleaning teeth / brushing hair - all the things women may very well do before going to an evening thing. All the prudish 'no one "needs" more make up / if you can't put it on in the morning before you leave the house then tough' - I mean, come on. A bit of give and take, and as a loo full of cubicles there will always be people in and out all day.

I suppose for me the difference is that you can do your make up at your desk, but I can’t take a shit at mine.

Also should add - I have no problem with people using the bathrooms to apply some lipstick and run a brush through their hair. That’s the work of a minute or two and is reasonable.

Its the ones who pull out their entire makeup bag and spend ten minutes doing a full face who I find unreasonable.

YANBU. The person who brought this up with you is an idiot.

You're probably going to offend* someone else if you do it at your desk too. What about doing it in your car, assuming you get to park near work?

• Just breathing these days seems to offend someone, ffs.

She takes public transport to work.

Some posters who drive don’t factor that many of us don’t drive to work and take public transport which may involve walking in different elements and that putting on make-up before leaving the house is pointless because we would have to likely do it again when we get to work.

Oh well, in that case just carry on in the toilets. This is a non problem for the OP, really, isn't it.

I do my make up at home with a small hand held mirror, I have a wet wipe to hand to clean up any mess. I do not need 2 hands free for my make up and I'm actually very good at it. I also use my fingers for most things. Hence the wet wipe.

@BusterGonad it’s really no one else’s issue if you don’t choose to use an actual bathroom in your house when you do your make-up. The vast majority of people (or indeed anyone) don’t aspire to put on their makeup one handed assisted with a sole wet wipe in their own home, or indeed anywhere that has a functioning bathroom i.e. a tap, a basin and a mirror where you can see all of your face and hair in one go.

It is someone else's isuue when they want to use the bathroom without someone lingering around the basin each morning for 20 minutes. Some of us have bowel issues which are embarrassing and we cannot control what happens behind the toilet door. All we want is some dignity to use the toilet in peace, life is hard enough with certain bowel diseases let alone with the attitudes of some. Just do your make up elsewhere. It's incredibly selfish as you can chose where to do your make up but going the toilet you cannot. This thread has just proven to me how ignorant and selfish people are.

That was for @HoppingPavlova

Yanbu, it’s fine.

People are so weird. YANBU @GonnaBeYoniThisChristmas

Honestly, my mind boggles sometimes

I think your colleague is right. Why can't you manage your time better and do your make-up at home?