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 tried it a few times when I was younger, but never liked the feel of it. I'm 59 now, and don't own any at all, not even a lipstick. Most of the women I work with wear little to none. I went to the dermatologist recently, and she commented that I have nice skin, so I guess there's that. I don't look 40. I think I look 59.

I used to as a teenager/early 20's. Not daily but often enough. Now I wear it once or twice a year when I go out. I think I look ok without it and that's enough for me.

I don't particularly care about what other people think I look like, but I have some things I do care about like having my nails done or doing various colours in my hair . One because it keeps my finger healthy and not bleeding and it looks nice and the other because it actually brings me joy.

Very very very rarely wear makeup, although I do have eyelash extensions as my eyelashes are shockingly short and fine, and Iike the way the accentuate my eyes.

I will wear occasional lipstick and eyeliner on an evening out.

But I don't need it or want it, I look at some of these beautiful beautiful young girls in their teens and 20s and they look like pantomime dames to me.

But I understand it's a mask and the more makeup someone has on the more insecure they are inside. It gives some people confidence and that's great. :)

I'll put some on for a party or event, but even so rarely and minimalist and as discreet as possible.

I just can't be arsed and then all the effort to remove it makes it even worse.
It also makes the skin feel weird.

For some reason I almost always travel with make up my bag and it's probably when I wear it the most.

It doesn't make me feel better looking, just looking with make up, tbh.

I do put thought in my appearance, most times, but it's mostly clothes and hair.

Having said that, the "thought" doesn't involve anything too fashion. Just fitting well, colours not clashing too much and looking groomed. Just not painted.

Growing up my mother never wore make up, I never really used any as a teen.

Now I still wear none. I have very good clear skin, nice complexion,etc. For weddings etc I will wear mascara, brows and lips with blush but no base or eyeshadow. Daily basis is nothing.

Why? I guess I don’t like the feel, don’t enjoy doing it, don’t want to spend my time doing that as would rather prioritise my time in other things, I think I look nice enough without it and often get asked what I’m wearing which is nothing. Sometimes people don’t believe me which is funny.

I do get my brows and top lip waxed, hair done, do my own nails, try to look nice and relatively stylish.

I used to wear it but every foundation started to look cakey on me or I had dry bits of skin or it didn't last longer than a few hours before it all came apart and separated on my face so I stopped.

I will wear the odd bit of mascara now and again but it's rare. I will wear it for special occasions like a wedding but that's it.

Never worn it. I wanted it as a teenager so my mum got me some for a party. I tried wearing it but it seemed such a faff I never bothered again - except black lipstick or whatever for halloween. Lipstick tastes horrible, make up makes me feel like my skin can't breathe and I feel compelled to fiddle with it!

I can't imagine feeling naked or tired without applying makeup. This is me, my face. I don't think about enhancing it any more than I think about enhancing, say, my arm!

I do remove the whiskers that appeared on my chin! That's about it really.

I used to wear it every day when I worked with public face to face now I'm a sahm I can't be assed I wear it to make me feel better on occasional days.

Although my mum got me make up when I asked and although she does wear it herself she only wears minimal make up and often didn't wear it at home when I waa young.

Plus she's a feminist and always instilled in me that I didn't have to act how society expected girls to if I didn't want to (and often, I didn't) so that probably had a lot to do with it. I had no heavily made up "role models" in my real life and no expectation that I would wear it. Also not allowed to play with it as a young child.

@anon2000000000 sounds like you need foundations that aren’t Matt based.

Foundations stick to dry bits unless they’re made to make skin glowy.
I love nars sheer glow for this, it doesn’t stick to your dry bits or look cakey, it’s nice and dewy and makes you look really healthy.

Feel a little bit sad that a number of pp have said that they are not attractive and they feel it's pointless trying to use makeup to improve their looks. That's sad. Not wearing makeup because you don't like it/don't like the feeling/don't like what it represents/can't do it well/happy without it etc are all great reasons. But feeling too ugly to wear makeup is sad 😔

My mum didn't wear make up either. I wonder if there is any link between mothers and daughters wearing/not wearing make up?

I’m in my late 40s and look like death warmed up without mascara and a bit of blusher. I do actually love make up and have lots of it but really that’s all I wear

I have always had make up free days and made up days. Just depends on what I'm doing/wearing/feel like.

I don't wear it at work or at home. I am happy with my face as it looks, wrinkles and blemishes are just a part of me (late 40s).

Occasionally I might put a bit on if going out to a restaurant at night but it's very subtle and even then I only do it if I feel like it and then wonder why I bothered.

I've worn it on and off since my teens. I think i probably do look a bit 'better' with it (until it starts sliding down my face!) but i don't like the shiny look of foundation - i think it exaggerates my lines.

And a big part of me resents that i'm expected to have a fake face sitting on top of my actual face, just to look 'acceptable' whereas men absolutely don't! Are their faces naturally 'better' than ours? Is that why they get paid 20% more?

My mum didn't wear make up either. I wonder if there is any link between mothers and daughters wearing/not wearing make up?

You might be on to something here. My DM used to put on a bit of lipstick for a night out but nothing else. I guess I was bought up to not think you had to hide behind makeup. When I see people with lots of makeup I do feel they must be trying to hide behind it rather than using it in a subtle way to simply enhance. But then I don't dye my hair either and am happy with the fact that I am growing grey e.g. showing my age.

The only time I wear make up is on a night out. But those are very rare these days, only a couple of times a year! I used to wear foundation every day but since i met my now husband and had children, make up isn’t my priority anymore and I’m happy just being me. To be honest I’m not very good at putting it on so I end up not looking much better 🤣

Another bare faced ‘beauty’ here - I did wear makeup in my teens/student days. Not really day to day, but definitely on an evening out. At one point I had a big thing for glitter and lots of it. For many years now I haven’t really worn any. I might for a night out (but post kids those are few and far between), or for a job interview (to make people think I take pride in my appearance).

To be honest, I don’t like the way it feels on my skin, it feels as though my skin can’t breathe. I also find it causes spots, so if I were to put a face on because I wanted to hide a spot I would have many more. I actually like the ritual of making oneself up, but I don’t really have time. We barely make it out the door in the morning as it is!

I’d say I take minimal pride in my appearance. I have some nice clothes but I’m very happy in jeans and a top. This was a bonus after DC1 because i just looked the same. Other mums had abandoned makeup but I hadn’t had it in the first place so I had lots of compliments about my ‘fresh-faced’ appearance.

Another bonus —that I might get slated for here— is that DH apparently prefers me without makeup. So there is usually a comment about how I look better without if I do put it on. This actually works for me because I don’t really want to be a makeup wearer. Though if I want to put some on for whatever reason I will!

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

I used to, from maybe 16-19. Then I got to uni and wanted more sleep more than looking prettier. Would, and still sometimes do, wear something for a special occasion like a dinner or whatever. Wouldn't generally even wear make up for a date now, except maaaybe lipstick. I was going to start wearing it again for work but we had an induction by a rude lady who said we needed to wear it to look put together and never wore it again.

Did you ever think about wearing it? Why don't you?

I mean I can make my eyes look bigger and less tired with it, so I guess I can look more aesthetically pleasing with it, but my skin is clear and even, my lips are defined and pink and I look pretty good without it. So I just can't be doing with the hassle. I do think ooh maybe I ought to before big things or parties and sometimes compromise now by wearing lipstick.

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

I put thought into "how can I be comfy and still look nice" but comfy wins every time. I get quite a lot of compliments for my dress sense and comments that people wish they dressed like me, so I think it works. My general fail area is shoes as I'm just not prepared to get blisters and I walk or cycle everywhere as often just wear trainers. But I will take heels to change into sometimes.

I sometimes wear mascara, but it makes my eyes itch. I sometimes get my eyelashes & brows dyed as I'm very blonde. I'm a bit over 60 but most people think I'm at least a decade younger than that (my PT thought I was in my mid-40s when he started training me). I have very good skin with few wrinkles (courtesy of ezcema as a child and Nivea now). I'm not pretty (quite the opposite) but you know - "looks" are a whole package - most people think I'm attractive and pleasant-looking.

I was once watching a young woman put on her (very heavy) make up on the train. She did it very skilfully, but oh my - it aged her about a decade - maybe this was her aim - a 20-something trying to look older.

I really had to resist the "old lady" advice to her "Oh my dear, you were much prettier without the make up."

My 'regime' is wash my face in the shower with water, slap on a lot of Nivea, eat well, gets lots of sleep, drink water, exercise to exhaustion 3 days a week (I am fit as fuck), and the killer element: good genes - you either have them or you don't. My parents are in their 80s but both very healthy and with activity levels of people at least a decade younger. I'm also in a demanding but very satisfying job with a high level of expertise and esteem.

I used to when I had loads of time to fill. Once I got older and life was busier I prioritised other things.

I do wear it very occasionally, like for my wedding etc but generally I’m not that bothered about what I look like to other people these days. I have great hair and skin so makeup doesn’t add much.

I was insanely worried about my appearance when I was younger, feeling secure about myself is very liberating.

I love make up but only wear it occasionally, maybe about 4/5 days a month. Really just depends on my mood and what I'm doing.
I never wear it for work, mainly as I just cba. I'm more interested in skincare now and looking 'bright' /healthy. But I do love make up and when the mood takes I go for full on glamour

I've never worn make up. Didn't dabble as a teen and have never felt inclined, not even for my wedding. I'm healthy, wear good quality clothes, have a regular good haircut and as I get a lot of exercise and fresh air I have a natural glow. I run a successful people-facing business and have a very happy marriage so I don't feel my lack of make up has ever been a disadvantage. People always comment that I'm happy and smiley, nobody has ever commented on my lack of mascara or whatever.