Tell me about your "going to work" face..

[Bluesheep8]

Hi, I work in a small office with 3 other women all aged between mid 30's and 50. I noticed yesterday that I'm the only one who wears make up-mineral foundation, blusher, eye pencil and mascara and I'm thinking that might be too much for work (I'm 44). How old are you and what's your everyday work face for an office environment?

28 and I wear quite a lot, foundation, concealer, contour, blusher, fill in my brows, mascara and tinted lip balm.

I never used to wear that much but I feel so much better wearing it to be honest and it's fun putting it all on.

Last week I was up late and only in for the morning so I skipped make up and 2 people told me I looked tired! To be fair, I am tired.

I work in a big investment firm. About 350 people in my office. However I work in a bit of a niche role in a team of one. Usually I do brows and mascara and lip gloss. Sometimes I do a full face and sometimes if I come straight from the gym it's wet hair and bare face. I would say I'm on the unglamorous side of average.

Mid 50s here. I work in a small school office and I wear a light foundation, eyeshadow, blusher, mascara & lipstick. I stick to neutral colours, but it's part of my office uniform and I would feel uncomfortable without it. When I work in the school holidays it's jeans, t shirt & no makeup (bliss!)

Mid thirties teacher here so my makeup for school is very minimal. I have my lashes and brows tinted so I don't use mascara, Chanel Vitalumiere foundation, a smudge of Nars Orgasm blusher and a clear lip balm. I think any more would be overdoing it in a Reception class.

I'm not one for loads of 'done' makeup unless I'm going out. Love makeup, though, and love seeing the looks on Mrs Gloss.

25, wear foundation, bronzer, powder, blushes, eyebrow pencil, mascara, lipstick. Pretty much a full face but don't bother with eyeshadow. Work with only men so guess I'm alone on the makeup

I can't imagine going to work 'bare' - would definitely scare the students. My makeup takes about 5 minutes in between putting clothes on in the morning - foundation, translucent powder, eyebrows filled in as getting sparse, mascara. I don't get on with lipsticks or gloss but use lip salve.

I'm 40s and work in a male dominated academic field. Can't look too manly, and can't look too feminine either. So wear minimal make up to work, and not usually trousers.

Early 50s and work in a bank.

Mascara once in a blue moon otherwise nothing. Same with my other colleagues of same age.

49 and 7 months ..... moisturiser, foundation, (found a mousse one in Wilko and it's cheap and fabulous), mascara, lippy, bit of blusher. I think less is more as a rule but might wear eyeshadow sometimes if I want them to think I've got an interview!

44 and work in a huge office of professionals, no customer interaction.

I wear virtually no make up, just mascara and maybe some Vaseline on my lips. I look much better with more but just can't be bothered to spend the time and money on it and tell myself my skin prefers to be bare.

I'm at the lighter end of make up wearing in my office.

Yours sounds fine if that's what you want to do. Sure you could get away with more or less if you want to make a change.

37, office-based. I wear a tinted moisturizer, cream blush and mascara. Clear lip balm. I get my eyebrows and eyelashes tinted and often use a light fake tan, all of which means I need to wear less makeup.

The under 30s at work fall in to 2 camps; fresh and clean faced and experimental. Most over 40's are like me, foundation lips and eyes. I gave up blush in my 30s as I decided it was aging.

Mid 40s and professional client-facing non-office role.

No make up at all, ever. Never felt like I ought to. None of my female colleagues do either.

Wear what you like. I'm always surprised when women say they feel it is expected of them to wear make up and heels. Expected by whom?

Field rep. So doing everything from merchandising to meeting clients.

Full face of makeup, takes half an hour...

Brows, eyeshadow, Foundation, contour.

Probably be quicker if I didn't have such shakey hands. And I stick to a neutral colour palette. So nude lipstick, taupes and browns with a little shimmer on the eyes.

I definitely hit "polished" not "night out"

Lab based work, late thirties, wear about the same as you op. Plus nail varnish and light perfume.

I know I'm going to get flamed for this, but I think women who make no effort with hair and make up are lazy. I'm all for a very natural look but I think women should look groomed. I work with very highly qualified women in a scientific area, it's not going to strip them of their professional credibility to pick up a lip gloss. Especially when presenting at conferences.

I work for the civil service. I only wear makeup if I have an external meeting - then it's foundation, powder, eye liner, eye shadow and lipstick. Usually done on the train to London.

Easilyflattered but surely if someone is clean and tidy, that's enough? You may think a woman looks better with makeup on - others may prefer a fresh-faced and natural look. One person's "groomed" is another person's "overdone"...

Mine is minimal and I only wear it if I'm in the office; concealer if I need it for blemishes, bit of powder to take the shine off, fill in eyebrow gaps and a coat of mascara. I'll use a sweep of blusher if I feel I need it. Takes about 5 minutes.

As I am getting older I find I am wearing less rather than more. I think you have to be careful not to be too heavy handed, otherwise it can look very ageing.

Because as you say, it only takes 5 minutes just to do a few small tweaks to make yourself look more presentable.

I feel like when the face is on, I'm in work mode. It goes with the work clothes

I'm 28, a lawyer. When I was a trainee I used to wear a full face everyday but now all I do is a bit of concealer under the eyes and a tidy up of the brows. My rationale is I'm not there to look pretty, I'm there to give legal advice! Also I'm a bit lazy!

Because as you say, it only takes 5 minutes just to do a few small tweaks to make yourself look more presentable.

You've misunderstood my point - which was that it's your opinion that make-up makes women look more presentable. It may be their opinion that they are perfectly presentable without it.

What exactly is wrong with a naked face? Children don't wear make-up and we think they look fine without it - so out of interest, at exactly what age does it become an issue and you start looking less "presentable"? 13? 15? 21?

@Easilyflattered presumably you also think the same about your male colleagues? That they're lazy because they don't wear make up or do their hair? If you don't, then that's your problem right there - double standards for men and women plus judging women more harshly than men for the same "transgression".

I'm not trying to "flame" you, I'm curious about how you feel about this.

Lots! Not customer facing
Eyeshadow x 3, eyeliner, mascara, brow gel, primer, foundation, highlight, blusher, powder, concealer. Sometimes lipstick or just lip balm

Assassinated, equality for the sexes! I love a sharp looking bloke too. Suits, aftershave, looking like they spend time in the barbers, nice clean nails, all good in my books.

Skincare ranges for men, why not?

Age when it becomes an issue, I think I would provide gentle guidance for both my kids, a boy and a girl, from about 14 onwards. The truth is people treat you better if you look like you put effort into your appearance.

Work in reception and deffo "put a face on". The other receptionists don't really apaprt from lip balm as the air conditioning fries up our lips.

Depending how much time I have I do eyeshadow, liner, mascara, foundation and lipstick. Normally fairly quiet shades of shadow but need definition from liner. Lipstick colour varies, can be quite bright but then so is my hair - bright scarlet red!

So a woman who has a good haircut and clean nails, but no make up, isn't lazy then?