To those who wear zero makeup

[damnthatanxiety]

Did you ever wear makeup? Did you stop at some point or have you never worn it? Did you ever think about wearing it? Why don't you? Do you generally put much thought into your appearance or are you not at all interested?

I wear make up on nights out or if I’m going to something like a wedding - if I do wear make up it’s a full face as in I use primer, I contour... I blend diffferent eyeshadows etc.

But day to day and to work I don’t wear any at all.

“Why don't you?”

Too much effort tbh - it takes just as long to do a subtle daytime face as full on glam... only the pay off just isn’t worth it to me. I can’t be bothered spending that much time to just look a bit different.

“Do you generally put much thought into your appearance or are you not at all interested?” Well I do my hair and I pick clothes I like, so... yes... but I don’t think make up adds that much really.

I'm a "wear it on nights out and weddings" person too.
I hate the way it feels on my skin, and dislike the thought that I've got it wrong and look like a clown.

I used to wear make up every day in my 20s when I worked in an office, then a bit less once I had children, but still most days.

In my early/mid 30s I had a breakdown (not sure what the correct term is, but could not function at all) and from that point on, stopped wearing it altogether.

If I go out in the evening now, I’ll wear light make up - mascara and lipstick - but that’s about it. I’ve got fairly decent skin and I’m basically lazy!

Other than that, I’m really into clothes and spend a lot of money on new things. Not particularly fashionable, but hopefully stylish. I have my nails and eyebrows done regularly, so really it’s only the make up I am rubbish with!

I used to wear a full face of makeup every single day between the ages of perhaps 17 and 26. I stopped wearing makeup as I was on Roaccutane and my skin was SO good that I didnt want anything on it and wanted to show it off as makeup less yet perfect!
I then got out the habit of wearing makeup and feel a bit self conscious when I do wear it during the day as people always comment now!
I do wear it to go out in the evening though.

I spend money on getting my hair done & take pride in my appearance in what I wear but make up requires good vision without glasses & Mine is naff - I feel the assumption that people don't take pride in their appearance because they don't work make up - that doesn't sound right to me. & I don't like texture or feeling of make up on my face it feels not clean somehow but I like to feel clean & fresh & wear perfume & than goodness dh isn't keen on make up - I wore make up when young & single (& my eyes weren't as bad!) I think at that stage there was a pressure to wear it

I just can't be arsed, mostly. On a day to day basis I'd rather have the extra sleep, and I don't hate my natural face.

I do more general maintenance though - I have my eyebrows threaded and tinted frequently and I periodically have LVL done on my lashes.

I can and will do a full face of makeup for an event - I just don't, as a matter of course.

I wear makeup occasionally when going out however day to day haven't worn for more than 15 years. I used to wear minimal makeup but very toned down as in my 20s worked in very male work env so used to try and not make myself noticeable.

I vaguely ponder if I would like to find new make up that sits better on older skin but am not bothered about it enough to do anything...

Never worn it and I’m now in my sixties! I use a bit of cheap moisturiser on my face in the winter, wash with soap and water and that’s it as far as any skin care routine.
I’ve never smoked, have always eaten plenty of fruit and veg, and try to get a good night’s sleep. My skin is therefore in good condition and has never been caked in chemicals, so it looks fine.
I’ve been a feminist since the 1970’s, and regard make up as sexist. Nobody expects men to plaster that crap on every day to be considered acceptable.

I wear about as much as I always have done - more than some, less than some

its a sign my mental health is dipping a bit when I stop wearing it (I know for some people they wear MORE when they are struggling with their mental health)

I got my first makeup when I was 11. this sounds very shallow but makeup is one of the things I really love in my life

what does change over the years is how much I spend on makeup - when ive been flush over the years Ive worn more expensive stuff and when ive been poor ive worn cheap stuff.

Mid-teens to mid-50's - yes, very rarely left the house without the full works, although I used naturalish colours. Then I decided I hated the look of eyeshadow and stopped using it.

Gradually ditched the rest over the next few years and now only use a BB cream, eyeliner and browny-pink lip gloss on special occasions.

I do put thought and effort into my appearance although the way I chose to look may not be to everyone's taste. When my hair turned grey, I started dyeing it unnatural colours and it's currently past my shoulders and various shades of green. I am also extensively tattooed.

My appearence matters to me but the opinion of those who don't like the way I look don't matter a bit.

i used to wear very basic makeup (powder, concealer, mascara, blush), but tbh I'm shit at putting it on and often feel like i look worse after. and i rarely see anyone irl who i think is improved by makeup (only in photos). very recently i've been to a bare minerals counter and got colour matched for some tinted foundation and new concealer which i've been dabbling with, plus cheeks and mascara. that's been nice but i don't really want to get into it as essentially i think it's a bullshit occupation and my time and money would be better spent either bumming about online or overthrowing the patriarchy.

Did you ever wear makeup?

Sometimes when I was younger and went out more and sometimes I still do on a night out, but hardly at all.

Did you stop at some point or have you never worn it?

The older I've got the less of a shit I give about fitting in so gradular wore it less and less often. I've never worn it day to day but now don't usually bother for a night out.

Do you generally put much thought into your appearance or are you not at all interested?

I put thought into my appearance. I think about my clothes and style my hair. But I can't be arsed with the time, effort and money that make up takes. Also, as a feminist I think it holds women back somewhat. Men don't have to take the same level of care over their appearance to be considered "normal" looking, why should women?

The beauty industry and wider society has very unrealistic expectations about what women should look like and it is harmful - especially for young girls. I don't want my daughter (or my son) to think that appearances are so important. It's a cliche but it is what's inside that counts.

I didn't have time when DD was small, then she started crying when I had a makeover for something through MN, when she was 6. She said I didn't look like Mummy. Now I'm quite happy with the way I look, so I don't bother.

No, I never have. I have special needs, and I have problems with my hands. So find it difficult. I would like to eventually try to learn to use lipgloss or something.

I have had people do make up for me on the Acacian or two, but I’m so used to not wearing it, but I don’t mind.

Rarely wear makeup.

Working 24hr shifts at 18 and makeup at 4am was too much hassle.

I do wear it for events, nights out etc but not day to day.

Never really been commented on, never had any problems 'attracting' men with out it.

I do care about my appearance but don't feel comfortable with a face on and can't wait to take it off.

False lashes give me a headache after about an hour

Never worn it except for very occasional use of mascara and eye liner when I went out in my 20s and early 30s. I am now in my 50s.

I was never really into it for a variety of reasons:

My mother did not wear it

I am very cack handed and have no eye for detail so I could never apply it properly

I have never thought of myself as pretty or beautiful and when I did wear it, I didn't feel it enhanced my looks, just drew attention to how unattractive I am

I obviously don't leave my face alone as whenever I wore any, within 2 minutes I would absent mindedly rub my face and smudge it

I am too lazy to spend the time applying it and reapplying it

I prefer to be valued for my intellect and personality than for how I look.

I suppose I would agree with the idea that I don't care that much about my appearance. Of course, I do care, I wash myself, and brush my hair (though often only once a day!) and I wear clothes I feel good in, I don't just bung on anything, but I don't care enough to wear make up.

Never worn foundation , wore a bit of lip stick and eye make up in my teens and twenties , by my 30s I was only wearing it for a night out - now late forties and probably not worn any make up for at least 18 months .

I don’t think I really need it and don’t have the inclination to bother with it , my skins ok and my dark colouring probably helps ...

I rarely wear make up unless on a night out (no more than monthly, usually less).

I never have worn it much day to day, and I never think of wearing it more.

My skin is pretty ok so I don't need to cover anything major. My eyes quite sensitive so I don't bother with eye makeup.

I am otherwise otherwise interested in my appearance: look after my hair, use skincare, always have groomed nails & hands, moisturise, enjoy nice clothes etc. Just prefer a pared-back, natural look. If i do wear some out going out, it's kind of flushed cheeks, slick of mascara, clear gloss, fluffy brows kind of look. Never anything heavy.

Every woman I know who is vocal and proud about not wearing makeup has lovely brown eyes, thick brown or black lashes, defined lips, a natural pink colour to their lips etc. People literally ask if I’m unwell when I’m makeup free.

I wear very little makeup - some under eye concealer, a swipe of eyeshadow and mascara. A smudge of rouge on lips and cheeks. Get my eyebrows threaded and dyed every month. Takes me less than 5 minutes to make myself up. But it makes a huge difference. I have fair skin, light eyes with no definition and light eyebrows (but dark hair). My lips are big but very light in colour. Because my skin is fair, the area under my eyes looks darker than it would on other. I don’t have bags or wrinkles around my eyes.

I would go makeup free if I could get away with it and just concentrate on good skincare. I could not wear makeup and become someone who doesn’t care about their appearance. Wants to fade into the background. But I don’t want that. I like to look polished and wearing makeup supports that.

I've tried but have always found that:

• eye shadow always ends up in the crease no matter what you try to stop it
• eye liner and mascara always ends up looking like dark rings round my eyes (I think I must rub them a lot)
• lipstick is incredibly drying, doesn't stay in place or look good on me
• foundation gives either a jaundiced or plastic, featureless look I don't like and you can see the line where it stops

I also remember when I was 15 asking a friend if they were OK as they didn't look themself. She said it was just that she hadn't put on her make up that day. That instantly put me off regularly wearing make up as I wouldn't have wanted people to think I was ill if I didn't wear it.

I'd rather focus on good skin care but if I was better at applying make up I might feel differently!

I sometimes wear foundation and mascara. I wish I could wear more but I've got no idea how to put it on. I'm clumsy and not good at art, so makes sense I'm not good at make up either.

I wear a powder foundation, blusher, mascara, do my brows, pale lippy and sometimes eye shadow if I'm going out. Beyond that, I never wear any make up at all. I never have worn it often, and as I've gotten older, my eyes have become so sensitive to liquid foundation, BB cream, mascara, I hardly bother.

I don’t. At a teen I sometimes did but my parents were very judge-y about it so it was easier not to. (They hate vanity but also dislike scruffiness - sigh.) So in all honesty I think I just missed the period where most people get into it.

I have pretty good skin (people have complimented it before), I’m not very skilled at applying it and I’ve never formed the habit.

I occasionally wear mascara and on a night out might add lipstick, eye shadow and blusher. But that’s about it.

I have v dark eyelashes and brows though. Dunno if that helps.

I used to wear loads, but as my job became more demanding I resented the time professional women spend on grooming that professional men don’t, so I don’t bother now. Sauce for the gander is good enough for the goose IMO.

I have only worn makeup twice in my life. Once when I was 15 I tried wearing a small bit out shopping and the school queen bee saw me took the piss and then spent the next year reminding me how awful I looked. I have only ever worn it once since when I got married and the hairdresser insisted. I would feel self conscious and fake if I wore it.