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Original poster

Make up on the train

467 replies

failingmammalian · 07/03/2014 06:16

Is it acceptable to do your make up on the train .. Powder blush mascara and lip balm. Nothing gross like eyebrow plucking
I do get some funny looks. Isn't it normal/acceptable?
What's a girl to do?

OP posts:
procrastinatingagain · 07/03/2014 14:44

I wouldn't do it, but only because I'd be self concious, and my day make up only takes about 3 minutes anyway. I don't mind anyone else doing it though. I would probably be pissed off if I was wearing a white outfit and someone was flinging bronzer about, but not bothered otherwise.

FamiliesShareGerms · 07/03/2014 14:49

I put foundation on at home and do blush, mascara type additions on the train or tube. There are lots of other people who do similar.

I think the thing is that other commuters aren't really there, as in no one acknowledges each other's existence anyway. Sometimes that's anti social (loud music, smelly food), sometimes it just means that things like face painting which you'd normally do in private are fine.

HellonHeels · 07/03/2014 14:57

I don't really care. I get more bothered by people eating or listening to loud music. I don't like hygiene-type activities - flossing, brushing hair, filing nails (or clipping nails ewwww) but makeup is OK. Am often amazed by how grubby and unappealing some people's makeup is though.

However I do my makeup at home - it takes five minutes max because I don't do anything too elaborate.

atthestrokeoftwelve · 07/03/2014 15:32

Who cares? I wouldn't do it but there are a lot worse things happen on trains, loud yobs swearing, vomiting, heavy petting, chucking food, women changing dirty nappies on the table.
Doesn't bother me in the slightest if someone want to put on make up.

Kaekae · 07/03/2014 15:45

I suppose I am not that bothered. I do have an inward giggle when some women pull really odd faces or insist on having their mouths wide open whilst applying their mascara!

coffeeinbed · 07/03/2014 15:49

This is what I saw today, on the tube.

A woman - young, well dresses, make up on - in huge pink velcro rollers.
All her hair was very neatly rolled onto the biggest pinkest rollers.

This being the Tube, no one stared, or at least tried very hard not to. It was quite extraordinary.
I'm still Confused about it.

Pollyputthekettle · 07/03/2014 16:26

Up to you. I am not sure what people mean by contaminating others. Its make up not nuclear waste Confused

I wouldn't do it myself as I would be too self conscious. It is essentially a bit of an attention seeking thing to do. The type of make up routine you are talking about would take , what, 90 seconds at the most. You can't do that at home?

pourmeanotherglass · 07/03/2014 16:56

I rarely wear make up, but I wouldn't be bothered if someone sitting next to me put it on on the train.

CynicalandSmug · 07/03/2014 17:10

I tend to look like I have put on my make up on a rickety old train. Actually applying it on a train would be disastrous! I am rather jealous of people who can apply make up very well, especially if on a train. Sometimes I stare with fascination and other times I am, unreasonably and inexplicably, irritated.

vivatregina · 07/03/2014 17:11

Too cringey - why not change your tampax while your at it? though I'm in my fifties and can't understand how people can tuck into an entire smelly picnic in front of everyone else either - even the 'tidy eaters' who appear to be trying to eat something with their entire face in the bag a bit like a horse with its oats attached in the nose bag thingy. You are just sitting too close to everyone.

atthestrokeoftwelve · 07/03/2014 17:14

viva- changing a tampon is different though and would be quite unacceptable. You don't normally display your vagina in public, but your face is always on display.
What's being in your fifties got to do with anything?

Original poster
failingmammalian · 07/03/2014 17:16

Wow I have never had such an amazing response to a post. Food for thort. I did say I didn't do anything gross tho.... And deo/perfume!! Please!

OP posts:
burnishedsilver · 07/03/2014 17:20

I see this a lot. Women sleeping on the train, looking like they just got out of bed, waking up a few stops before work and producing a large make up bag and mirror.

I wouldnt do it. Then again, I rarely leave the house without make up.

AngryPrincess · 07/03/2014 17:25

Yes, it's perfectly acceptable. I used to do it if I had a long journey and an interview. (think the make up would be for the people you're going to see rather than random people on the train). Why would you do it before you go? Then you'd have to get up earlier. I would do eyelash curling, mascara etc when the train was stopped at a station.

Capitola · 07/03/2014 17:31

I think it's rather unbecoming, I don't like to see it.

DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 07/03/2014 17:40

It's fine, nothing wrong with it at all. I expect the people who are frothing at the mouth about it are also the ones who rant on threads about doing a million washes a week, have new towels every day and no sharing towels with other family members in case of cross contamination. I do wonder how such people manage to have sex with their partnersWink

trixymalixy · 07/03/2014 17:44

Make up doesn't bother me at all.

What does bother me though is people spraying things. Twice in one week I had people spray evil smelling deodorant on the train. The woman opposite me had to use her inhaler as he sprayed so much the air was thick with it. So anti social!!

squoosh · 07/03/2014 17:44

Yes, spraying things is vile. Can't believe people clip their finger nails either. Blee!

trixymalixy · 07/03/2014 17:45

Oh and chips should be banned in the train unless they share them with me!!

minderjinx · 07/03/2014 17:48

I find it quite rude. It's like saying I need to look good for my destination but you lot on the train don't matter a bit.

JRsandCoffee · 07/03/2014 18:55

Used to do it every day, get on, park coffee on table (got on early) put make up on, extract book, read and drink coffee...... I miss it rather now I drive! I assume the people around me who also sat in the same seat daily (unless an interloper got there first, dammit) didn't care!!

Lozza70 · 07/03/2014 19:05

For some irrational reason it irritates me hugely. I just cannot work out why people cannot get up 5 minutes earlier. People putting on powder, bronzed or blusher in particular. I have got into work with blusher on my skirt from someone else one morning. However brushing hair is just the worst! I do not want your discarded hair all over me thank you very much! Oh the joys of the tube......

DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 07/03/2014 19:07

It's good use of time. I love watching people do it and the products they use. Have no clue why people think it's un hygienic, make up isn't dirtyConfused

Spraying is a definite no no.

coffeeinbed · 07/03/2014 19:15

Brushing hair is disgusting.
Filing nails os not nice either.

And sometimes I despair at the state of the sponges used for foundation.
I've also seen women dropping a brush, picking it up and continuing.

And honestly, doing it on the Tube, with the light there? That concealer is never going to be placed where it's needed.

Bluestocking · 07/03/2014 19:19

I don't think it's unhygienic, but I do think it's bad manners and makes the perpetrator look as though they don't quite understand the rules about how people should behave in public.