Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Style and beauty

Looking for style advice? Chat all about it here. For the latest discounts on fashion and beauty, sign up for Mumsnet Moneysaver emails.

Original poster

so what do you think to women that wear no make up?

271 replies

lovelysongbird · 31/07/2008 20:10

after reading a few threads on here its got me thinking,
if people can't stand to see other or children in certain clothes what do they think about non make up wearing women?

OP posts:
Califrau · 31/07/2008 21:39

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

berolina · 31/07/2008 21:48

I don't wear makeup. Tbh I have no idea whether or not I need it. I have started to get one or two little lines but I'll be damned if I'm hiding them - I'm not 21 any more. I do use moisturiser.

LittleMissBliss · 31/07/2008 21:58

I love make up and will not leave the house with out it unless i am ill.

I look so much better with it I have large eyes that look much nicer outlined and dressed with mascara. I don't tend to wear foundation that often as i have a dark skin tone wich is hard to match and generally have good skin when i eat properly and manage to have a full nights sleep. Oh i also have to fill in my eyebrows or i just look really odd.

I think allot of people who don't wear make up would still look better with a little make-up, done well.

but i do admire people that are happy to leave the house with a naked face.

But unless you are trully stunning or a child then i think allot of people can look drawn, ill, old, tired. I look really tired without make-up.

I have to add that i wear very little make-up on holiday because it makes me feel gross all hot and sticky pluss i don't know anyone so can't freak anyone out on how i really look!

Oblomov · 31/07/2008 22:00

I wear hardly any.
When I put on loads, it consists of eyeshadow and lipstick.
I don't need mascara becasue i have very very long eyelashes.

TheOldestCat · 31/07/2008 22:01

waves at fellow Califrau another one with Welsh skin here (and more than the odd spot, goddammit).

I don't wear make-up at home, but I do put a little concealer over the eye bags before venturing to work as otherwise I frighten the horses.

Like a few others have mentioned, I don't notice people not wearing make-up, but have come across women wearing far too much.

littlelapin · 31/07/2008 22:04

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

LittleMissBliss · 31/07/2008 22:05

I'm 21 but feel as i get older i will wear less make-up. I think you can get away with bolder make-up in your late teens untill your mid 20's. I think its also about the clothes you wear. My make up often sets off an outfit.
I love 60's clothes so often try to achive 60's make-up. Or if i'm going out the smokey eyed look. If i'm off to the beach swimming or gym just mascara and trusty eyebrow penicl.

JumpingDizzy · 31/07/2008 22:05

I wear less the older I get (40 now) and think less is more to be honest. Go without it some days. I think it's nice to wear when you're out for a night out though.

cyteen · 31/07/2008 22:15

"We don't look 'better' with makeup, we look painted with makeup"

I know, that's the look I'm going for when I wear make up. That's why I don't wear it every day, as I don't particularly feel the need to alter my looks on an everyday basis. But when I'm going out I enjoy transforming my face in different ways, wearing a different look, according to how I'm feeling. It's fun

traceybath · 31/07/2008 22:19

Am fair and have my eyelashes dyed. Everyday make up - foundation, blusher and lip gloss takes about 90 secs. I like to think its just a slightly improved version of natural.

Realised i don't wear much any more though as was going out the other night and had eye shadow on and my 3 year old nearly poked my eye out trying to figure out what was on my eyes. He also laughed hysterically so not sure i looked that good.

Quattrocento · 31/07/2008 22:20

LOL at Booboo

My SIL was (and still is) of the pile-it-high persuasion. The trouble is she now looks perfectly dreadful without any make-up. She stayed over recently and I was horrified when I saw her natural skin. She looked about 1000 years old. This is because her skin has gone grey - I believe through years of not going out unless make-up has been caked on.

My DH (my SIL's brother) has the same skin as my SIL started out with. Which is absolutely fabulous. Lovely and creamy and healthy and v v attractive ...

So I am now quite positively scared of foundation. Does mascara have a similar ageing effect on eyelashes do you think? Or is that paranoia?

Booboobedoo · 31/07/2008 22:22

Do you remember being told by other girls at school that mascara makes your eyelashes fall out?

They still tell each other that, y'know.

(I know, because I used to run children's drama classes, and had to reassure them when it came to wearing make-up for the school production).

littlelapin · 31/07/2008 23:25

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Quattrocento · 31/07/2008 23:32

see. SEE! I knew that no good would come of mascara

I have a small vanity of Lancome juicy fruit lip gloss (peach)

Will my lips drop off? Will they?

llareggub · 01/08/2008 00:08

I used to wear make-up, but at some point in the last few years I stopped.

I'm off to a wedding tomorrow...Thomcat, wonder if it is the same one?! I am not looking forward to wearing make-up but feel like I ought to make an effort to do so.

My mother never wears it, and never showed me how to wear it either. I was so jealous of the girls at school who had mothers who showed them things like shaving legs and make-up. Mine just stamped off to Greenham Common in a strop!

thumbwitch · 01/08/2008 00:16

I very rarely wear make up now - when I was a teenager I would never leave the house without eyeliner on; in my twenties it was mascara instead of eyeliner; and steadily over the years I have given up. Now I think it actually makes me look older if I wear it (not good) and anyway I can't be bothered. I have never worn full foundation and only use it on special occasions such as my wedding - being very pale indeed, even the lightest foundations looks orange on me.

I never blowdry my hair as it would go into the most almighty Crystaltips static frizz if I did.

And worse than all that, I don't use any products on my skin at all (apart from deodorant), not even soap. I wash in Dead Sea salt water. BUt I do use shampoo from the Aveda range (not the absolute best but good enough).

P.S. - I am not a hippy. Not that there is anything wrong with being one, but I'm not. Nor am I a vegetarian (ditto) although lots of people have told me I look like one (probably v.pale and no make up contributes to that !)

thumbwitch · 01/08/2008 00:21

I did once wear a black pageboy wig to work for a week as a joke and I HAD to wear makeup with that as I looked most peculiar without it - had to black my eyebrows, wear mascara and red lippy - quite enjoyed it for the week but couldn't be doing with it for every day. (normal hair colour is sandy/vaguely strawberry blonde)

solidgoldbrass · 01/08/2008 00:23

I used to get into 'discussions' at various workplaces because I mostly didn't bother with make up and would, if challenged, offer to wear it when the male staff did. I don't dislike make up: like one or two others have mentioned, it's fun to pile on the lurid colours for a night out. And I have a long standing major weakness for make-up on men, anyway (nothing makes me quiver like a bloke with messy eyelliner).
And there is actually an equally-genderist type problem for men: facial hair. The man who just lets his beard grow (as opposed to trimming it so it looks like a minge)is often treated with the same amount of suspicion and 'helpful' advice as the make-up free woman - and when you think about it, having to shave one's face every day is not that much of a thrill though the being paid more than women, having higher status than women just about everywhere etc would sort of make up for this bit of suffering on a daily basis I kind of think.

Mind you I now wear much more make up much more often than I used to. But that's because I'm an Avon rep and therefore feel that wearing make up actually is part of the job when it wasn;t at all relevant in my office-work days.

whenyouarethemoon · 01/08/2008 00:24

I don't wear make-up, or very rarely. When I do I feel weird and think it actually makes me look more than my 41 years...
maybe I never got into it because I was traumatised by seeing my Mum shave all her (lovely) eyebrows off and then reshape them in pencil every week.

Quattrocento · 01/08/2008 00:26

See we are all living in different worlds:

"The man who just lets his beard grow (as opposed to trimming it so it looks like a minge)is often treated with the same amount of suspicion and 'helpful' advice as the make-up free woman."

In my world, a woman slathered in make-up would be treated with rather more suspicion than a make-up free woman. If suspicion is the right word ...

gigglewitch · 01/08/2008 00:29

when i saw the title and op i started to wonder if i must be even more weird than i thought, as i only wear make up for nights out and performing (dancing or musical) on stage. Very rarely in the day, never for work. I have three kids to get out in the morning - need i say more?

whenyouarethemoon · 01/08/2008 00:37

I marvel at friends who can perform this makeup feat. I just about manage to get myself and three kids out of the door having brushed my hair. I do like to catch friends in the morning (camping, say) and stare (rudely, and point) at their faces without makeup. They always look about twelve years old, but much better imo.

gigglewitch · 01/08/2008 00:42

ok, you win MOON, you get to brush your hair. My hairbrush lives in the car

thumbwitch · 01/08/2008 00:53

who needs a hairbrush when you have a scrunchy?!

gigglewitch · 01/08/2008 00:55

good point, fellow witch