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Style and beauty

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Original poster

Has anyone just stopped wearing make up?

119 replies

LadyContrary · 23/02/2020 07:03

It’s a complete non issue and I’m well aware of it but....
I’ve been wearing make up all my life (since I was maybe 13-14). My twenties and early 30s - full face on every day. I’m now nearer my 40s and possibly just having a midlife crisis Grin
I stopped colouring my hair and have a lovely salt and pepper mix on my head now. I still cut and style my hair, obviously. I wear a lot less make up (for my standards) too: mascara, eyeliner, matting powder and concealer, possibly a bit of bronzer if I’m feeling wild.
I have a professional job, I try and look presentable for work (most days anyway Grin). Last couple of weekends I went without make up and actually felt great.
Here comes the big question: has anyone ditched make up completely and avoided all the stupid “oh you look tired” or “are you ill” comments? I don’t think I can cope with them.
Or is make up a part of tidy professional look?
I’m not really sure what I’m asking, excuse my ramblings.

OP posts:
Purplecatshopaholic · 23/02/2020 09:41

Stop wearing makeup?? Nooooo, I bloomin love the stuff! Lol. Dont wear it every single day right enough, but defo to the office, if going out, etc.

OneKeyAtATime · 23/02/2020 09:52

As a rule I don't wear make up. Could not care less if people think I would be prettier or not with.

Gwenhwyfar · 23/02/2020 09:56

"will people treat my differently just because I all of a sudden turn up bare faced? "

Sounds like you're only wearing natural look makeup at the moment so it's quite likely nobody will even notice. People generally notice with people who usually wear heavy makeup - something you see in soaps a lot is a woman who usually plasters it on with a trowel going bare faced when she's not well and that's very obvious, but for the average woman who wears a bit of foundation and mascara, not so much.

Original poster
LadyContrary · 23/02/2020 12:22

This thread overall is so interesting to read. Thank you for all the opinions Flowers

OP posts:
TantricTwist · 23/02/2020 12:28

I have a mini make up kit in my work bag with foundation, powder, mascara and lipstick.

I go to work with no make up on and depending on how I feel that day I'll either apply some makeup at some point or not.

Sometimes I'm so busy I just forget, other times I catch myself in the mirror and think wow I need to apply right now.

TantricTwist · 23/02/2020 12:30

Oh and if I'm going out in the evening it's the full works I just love putting makeup on when I have proper time for it.

OneToThree · 23/02/2020 12:33

Even if your eyebrows are grey and sparse you still don’t have to do anything to them though.

allthegoodusernameshavegone · 23/02/2020 12:34

i very rarely wear makeup apart from lippy which I quite like, maybe on special events I’ll add mascara,I don’t own foundation and don’t have a clue about eye shadow etc.

PhoneLock · 23/02/2020 12:57

I have no idea what to do with it which doesn't help. If I tried to put it on, I'd probably end up looking like a clown.

Anyway, lack of it hasn't seemed to disadvantage me in any way, so I don't really see any point in learning.

EatenByDinosaurs · 23/02/2020 13:15

I absolutely love makeup, its a hobby and a joy to me. My skincare and makeup are small oasis(ses?) of calm and alone time in an otherwise hectic schedule (DC, horses, DH in military).

I don't wear makeup everyday, and I don't think twice about going out to lunch or an appointment without it if I'm running late or have been busy with other things, but I love doing it when I have the time.

Nogoodwithgoodbyes · 23/02/2020 13:16

I’ve toyed with this idea but alas, I look so much better with make-up on! I didn’t started wearing it daily until my mid 20s. I see photos of me from back then and I look so pale! It’s hard to go back, I think ... I do try to put it on lightly though.

Original poster
LadyContrary · 23/02/2020 13:54

@OneToThree theoretically no but because I decided to stop colouring my hair, I feel that not doing anything about my eyebrows makes me look really really old and unkept. Again, it’s something probably largely in my head.

OP posts:
OneToThree · 23/02/2020 14:04

Agreed. I just know the older I get the more I ask myself why am I actually doing something. I don’t colour my hair, I don’t shave my legs, I don’t wear heals and very rarely wear makeup. It feels liberating at 46 that there is a whole heap of stuff that I don’t have to be doing. It helps that dh doesn’t notice one bit if I do or do not do the above.

Original poster
LadyContrary · 23/02/2020 16:11

That sounds very liberating. I started changing things slightly after I had DC. It strangely gave me a lot more confidence in myself and, obviously, the priorities have shifted anyway. For example, I’d rather sleep a bit longer than spend time on contouring Grin

OP posts:
squishedgrapes · 23/02/2020 16:41

I barely wear it. If I'm feeling a bit drained I might put some mascara, blusher and tinted lip balm on. But I generally don't have time 8n the mornings. It's so freeing when you first stop wearing it and realise that no one has died at the sight of you

Original poster
LadyContrary · 23/02/2020 16:58

@squishedgrapes I think that’s what I’m worried about. That I’ll be scaring small children on the school run.

OP posts:
Floisme · 23/02/2020 18:06

I'm not against make up - I still wear it. But we look fine without it and I think it's time we stopped running ourselves down.

LilyJade · 23/02/2020 18:18

Sometimes when I'm late for work I don't have time to apply makeup.
I feel awful all day then & lacking in confidence!
But because I'm a care assistant on a busy ward wearing a tunic & with my hair in a bun no one notices really it's just how I feel.
The thing is my brows & lashes are quite blonde & I'm pale without it.

I wear serum, moisturiser, pore minimising primer, bb cream, anti shine pressed powder, under eye concealer, blush, eyebrow pencil, eyeshadow, liner & mascara usually.

I've noticed with the bb cream that I get told I look healthy when I wear it.

LilyJade · 23/02/2020 18:19

Oh yes & I wear lipstick! If I have time when I'm out or at work I just reapply the powder & lipstick.

katy1213 · 23/02/2020 18:21

Do your male colleagues wear makeup?

MikeUniformMike · 23/02/2020 18:33

I wear a lot less. Often it is BB cream or concealer, eyeliner, blusher and tinted lip salve/

Blibbyblobby · 23/02/2020 18:36

I used to wear makeup to work, then about 10 years ago I started cycling and my face was too hot to apply it when I got in, and I kept forgetting or being too busy to apply it later, so I just stopped bothering.

Drum2018 · 23/02/2020 18:44

I rarely wear makeup. On a day to day basis I don't. If I was going out for dinner or to an even then I would wear concealer, powder, lipstick and one colour eyeshadow. As I am heading into my late 40's I couldn't care less what anyone thinks of me Grin

Drum2018 · 23/02/2020 18:45

'or to an event...'

MotherOfAllNameChanges · 23/02/2020 18:48

I often don't wear it.

Here's what I do:
Wash face with water & apply Facial oil at night, pluck eyebrows/ any other stragglers/ wax top lip.
Dye the grey hair on my head with an Organic dye.
If I do wear makeup it's a very light foundation & lippy. Occasional blusher.

I'm happy Grin

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