I'm sick of wearing make up. How can I look "made up" without it?

[LoudSnoringDog]

I'm 44 this month and just loathe the process of having to put make up on to leave the house.
I'm naturally pale and freckled so do look a bit washed out.
Any tips to look a bit made up ( tinted moisturiser? )
I don't think I can leave the house without mascara though

@Coffeepot72

not sure I replied but Clinique City Block tinted moisturiser, Glossier tubing mascara, concealer for under eyes (any now), Rimmel tattoo eyeliner in a metallic rust colour, add a blush (any really, Daniel Sandler watercolour is quite subtle) and then a lipstick/pencil in a subtle shade. I also use a Nivea watermelon lip balm or an Argan oil lip gloss/balm in a clear colour (bought in Waitrose) which makes my lips look very glossy.

That's not exactly a 'no makeup' regime, is it ?!?

@Coffeepot - compared to what I used to do before it is.

The point of make up is to look how you feel (or want to feel.) There is zero point in going without makeup if your natural look is washed out and exhausted when inside you are bouncing and happy. A bit of mascara to brighten the eyes, a bit of tinted moisturiser or tanning drops to give a healthy glow and some lip gloss to give a bit of definition to thinning pale lips. These tiny additions don't make anyone look caked in slap. They just make you look radiant. Nothing wrong in that!

I had my eyeliner tattooed on 11 years ago. Game changer. I wear nothing else anymore.

@Moonface123

l only use a tinted moisturiser, natural lip colour as my lips are very pale and mascara. It just makes me feel better, esp at work under the harsh lighting. l do think less is more at my age, 53, l keep my hair and make up as natural looking as l can.

Try this! It burns like a bugger at first but it makes my lips really rosy and youthful! Does plump them out a bit too. I'm on my 6th repurchase. I don't think I've ever finished a lipstick or gloss in my entire life before.

The point of make up is to look how you feel (or want to feel.
I don't entirely agree. I think the point of make up is to express yourself and have a bit of fun with your appearance. If you enjoy it then crack on. If you don't - and the op has said she doesn't - then I don't see the point.

@Floisme

The point of make up is to look how you feel (or want to feel. I don't entirely agree. I think the point of make up is to express yourself and have a bit of fun with your appearance. If you enjoy it then crack on. If you don't - and the op has said she doesn't - then I don't see the point.

Couldn't agree more. I don't actually care about what people think of my bare face if I go to the supermarket for example. I will put on makeup as part of my work 'look' to feel 'done' but it's more psychological than anything.

I’m pale with freckles and I too can no longer be bothered with make up! I have my lashes and brows tinted once a month (brows waxed as well), I stick some tinted moisturiser on and lip balm and jobs a good’un!

I Dye my eyelashes and eyebrows at home with a kit. Last 4-6 weeks. And I mix a splodge of foundation with a splodge of moisturiser or primer and off I go. If I want to look more made up I mix my lippy with a bit of vasline.. z

Have you tried Trinny London. BFF gives a lovely dewy boost to complexion. Just a touch - dab on to cover any blemishes. Comes in little pots and all aimed to take the effort out of make up. I’m a big convert and make-up takes 2-3 minutes, always receive complements. But more along the lines of ‘you look nice’ rather than your makeup looks good. Most products can be used for more than one purpose and last ages

If I had to do just two things it is the tinted moisturiser with spf (ultrasun daily tinted as very sheer, heliocare for more coverage) and neat eyebrows (microblading if possible).

I've tried a few face tanning drops/ creams but they all made me look orange, which would you recommend for a pale face who doesn't do orange.

I stopped wearing make-up every day when I started swimming before work. Trying to put make-up on when you're hot and damp from exercise is pretty much impossible.

I have my eyebrows waxed and dyed, which gives my un-made-up face more definition (I'm pale and freckly too). I also try to take care of my skin, in particular exfoliating and moisturising, which makes it look less dull. I always use a day cream with an SPF.

You can have it lightly tattooed on.
Microblade brows
Eye shadow
Liner
Lip tint

I have just discovered tightening. Take a brown/ bronze eyeliner and draw it underneath your top lashes. It enhances your eyes and lashes but doesn't look like make up. It makes my eyes kind of glow. It's a really lovely effect and literally takes seconds.

**tightlining (stupid autocorrect)

Haven’t done make up for decades I simply don’t care lipstick when I remember and a pale nude as I’m so pale.

At 44 you’ll probably only need a tinted moisturiser and upper lashes - get the wand as close to the roots as possible. It’s all about the upper lash line as we get older. Tinted burts bees on your lips also a good plan to balance your face. Less is so much more after 40ish

Pale and freckly sounds beautiful. I don't wear any make up day to day but I've had quite a bit of work done to look ok without.

Under eye filler
Forehead Botox
Lip blush ( my favourite thing ever)
Microbladed eyebrows

I too am pale with freckles and I have a lash and brow tint every month. With this, I feel completely confident leaving the house without anything else on.

Little bit of tinted primer and glowy powder ( love hourglass ambient lighting) plus a good skincare regime to glow from within ( personally recommend drunk elephant or dermalogica)

I’m 42. Was wearing make up everyday but it was making my skin flare so would then wear more to cover it and it became as vicious cycle. One day I just stopped wearing it ! Now I only wear mascara and eyebrow stuff and Vaseline on my lips :)

I have pale skin and look washed out in Winter. I use Clarins fake tan on my face and décolletage once a week or every 5 days. It's great, I barely use much, and it just takes the pallid look off my skin and I look healthy and some lip balm.

I was thinking the same! Lots of people saying they use a tiny drop of foundation, a slick of mascara, a small swoosh of blusher, a dot of concealer……who are they kidding, that’s a full face of slap!

I have micro bladed brows and use a lash serum and home dye my lashes.

Quite happy to leave the house with only my Super City Block but usually tight line my upper eyelids and comb through lashes, followed by glossier cloud paint on my cheeks and a balm on my lips. Done

My eyebrows are faint so I always use a natural-looking brow powder, even when going to the supermarket. Nothing else is mandatory. But my lips and cheeks are naturally quite red, and my skin has improved a lot on tretinoin. I do enjoy using lipstick but I don’t need it.