To be irrationally annoyed by women putting their make up on on trains?!

[stillstanding]

There is a woman who gets the same train as me in the mornings and every day she spends half an hour gazing into her mirror applying her make up and generally having a good look at herself. I find it incredibly annoying but I'm not sure quite why ... I just find grooming like this in public quite off-putting.

I mean, I know that it can be a huge rush in the morning to get out the door and I for one have certainly left the house with a naked face in my time but I then go to the loo at work and sort myself out. I wouldn't dream of doing it in front of a carriage load of onlookers and certainly not as daily ritual.

Anyone else feel like this or am I alone in my irrational pet hate??

[stillstanding]

Anniemac, I don't think it's all in the same camp. I think people who suggested otherwise were being flippant and joking.

There is obviously a question of degree - a quick application of lippy wouldn't annoy me anymore than a quick call on a mobile would, if only because I wouldn't even notice. It sounds like your 2 min application probably falls into much the same category - it is over before it's begun and doesn't draw attention to itself (although given how quick it is it does make me wonder why it can't be done at home but that's not my point). A long drawn out process for half an hour where someone is effectively grooming themselves in front of you and making you privy to what (imo) is a private thing does annoy me. Similarly applying eyeshadow isn't anywhere near squeezing your spots or clipping your nails (which I think we can all agree is a step too far) on the "spectrum".

[Eyeballls]

What about being covered in the powder that they are gaily flicking over the seat next to then or having to wear their perfume as well as your own? Ugh, one of the many reasons why I drive to work. The Great Unwashed have some horrible habits.

[hellsbelles]

I find it absolutely compelling...I once watched (and yes I know it's rude to stare) a women do a complete make up - including full shading of cheekbones & nose - it took her about 45 mins! But it was like a masterclass in make up techniques.

Having said that - I have to admit I was always told it was a bit 'common' by my grandmother.

Not quite sure why - perhaps because snapping open a hand mirror and putting on a lipstick in front of man was somehow seductive in the 50's (!) and therefore putting on a full face of slap is tantamount to foreplay!!! Not my view by the way but it's so ingrained I've never done it.

[Eyeballls]

As for the staring thing, if they bring it out in public then it's fair game to stare. Same as people who put their living room light on and don't draw the curtains. You can't expect privacy on a train.

[RedTartanLass]

LOL at some of the comments on this thread. Selfish and slapper being the funniest ones!! As you can probably guess I put my make-up on the train. Never considered myself selfish though, unless you include the time I gave my make-up bag a seat to itself while everybody else had to stand. Taking 5 mins to chuck a bit of lippy and mascara on does not make me a slapper. Honestly....

[LaurieFairyCake]

In all the books about etiquette it says it is 'common' to put make-up on in public apart from a very swish compact for a tiny bit of nose powdering and putting a slick of lipstick on.

I have always stuck to this.

I have never seen anyone putting make-up on in public so you all must be terribly discreet.

[stealthsquiggle]

Laurie - "all the books about etiquette" - you own/have read multiple books on etiquette ?

[slapdash common ignoramus emoticon]

[edam]

Love the list of rules for public transport.

Making men shut their ruddy legs so they only take up one seat would be top of my priority list.

Is it OK that sometimes when the train is quite empty I do put my feet on the seat opposite but cover it with newspaper first so I'm not getting any dirt on the seat? Or am I being too precious about it?

[LaurieFairyCake]

They were my grans - can't remember any now - may even have been things from mags like 'the Lady'.

I have seen it written down myself in a book called 'elegance' which was about a book about etiquette.

[roneef]

You are all common - for travelling on trains in the first place.

[stickylittlefingers]

maybe it's a subconscious reaction to the fact that the maker-up doesn't care about you seeing her w/o the make-up and is getting ready for someone else (who clearly matters more)?

Otherwise - who cares? I fell ill on a train a month or so ago and was very close to losing consciousness altogether, so was sweating buckets, head between my knees etc. And no one batted an eyelid. I crawled off the train and lay on a bench for a bit til I was up to calling DP. And the people walked on by...

So what makes me laugh is that although some people will be incandescent with rage about someone applying foundation, eating smelly food, or, hey, perhaps dying a bit - they will say not a word

[stillstanding]

What an awful experience, stickylittlefingers. I think people don't say a word because, in the case of eating/putting make up on, it's not their place to and, in the case of you being ill, they figure that you will ask for help if you need it.

I don't think people ignore people in distress because they don't want to help but rather because they are trying very hard to respect everyone else's space. When I've seen people who really are in trouble and not able to ask for help, eg when someone faints, everyone around has been very helpful.

[MrsMerryHenry]

What a bunch of whingers. I can't see how it could possibly affect another passenger if someone decides to put on their makeup on a train. What about if you're at the gym in front of the mirrors - would that offend you?

How very odd indeed. Next time stick your head in a book and mind your own business.

[MrsMerryHenry]

PMSL at hellsbelles: "snapping open a hand mirror and putting on a lipstick in front of man was somehow seductive in the 50's (!) and therefore putting on a full face of slap is tantamount to foreplay!!!"

[stillstanding]

Lots of things that don't physically "affect" a person can be annoying, MrsMerryHenry - doesn't make it any less so.

Re the gym, do you mean in the changing rooms or on the gym floor? Either way I wouldn't care. In the former it would seem perfectly sensible to do so - that is what the mirrors and a changing room is for. I would think it odd if I saw someone doing their make up on the gym floor (and certainly wouldn't do it myself) but it wouldn't annoy me as I'm not forced to be physically close to them in anything like the way I am on a crowded commuter train.

On a train your personal space is crowded and you are very conscious (and often distracted) by what those in your immediate vicinity are doing so you can't always bury yourself in a book although I certainly try to no matter anyone else is doing!

[MrsMerryHenry]

Who's talking about 'physically' affecting someone? I still don't see the point of your 'vicinity' argument. How on earth could someone applying make-up be more irritating than someone reading a newspaper or having a quiet convo on the phone, or staring out of the window, or writing a letter, etc etc? Bizarre.

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

As long as people don't mind me watching so I can work out how they do it to get different effects then I don't mind them putting on their make-up.

[hellsbelles]

because it's foreplay in public Mrsmerryhenry ;-)

[MrsMerryHenry]

Now that's an explanation I can accept!

[stillstanding]

It is - to me - more irritating. I consider putting make up part of someone's grooming process - it is quite personal and not best suited to doing in public. There is quite a lot of fiddling around (or at least there is in the case that I have to deal with daily) with things being taken in and out of bags and elbows being raised etc. It all sounds trivial because it is trivial but it is annoying.

[MrsMerryHenry]

you do sound easily annoyed, stillstanding!

[MorrisZapp]

Couldn't give a toss about the make-up thing. Each to their own.

It's the noise related stuff that does it for me - ipods and mobiles.

I'm the queen of the quiet coach. Sadly no quiet coach available on the bus.

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

I find other peoples phone conversations fascinating

[expatinscotland]

Read a book or magazine or newspaper instead of paying attention to what others are doing.