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Original poster

Do you wear make up every day and if not, why not?

358 replies

purplepeony · 08/02/2010 09:50

Can't get my head around why so many bright, lovely women don't use a bit of slap and would rather face the world with grey, pale, or sun-spotted complexions when 5 minutes with a bit of slap would transform them.

Don't we want to look as good as we can all of the time for as long as we can?

(And don't say you haven't time- I can do full war paint in just over 5 minutes.!)

OP posts:
traceybath · 08/02/2010 13:17

I do agree with PP that make up formulations particularly foundation are very different nowadays - it really shouldn't ever look or feel like polyfilla.

Kathyjelly · 08/02/2010 13:21

PurpleP, I'm with you. It's six months since I saw any sunshine and I'm the colour of uncooked pastry. Some people look good without but I'm definitely not one of them.

I'll never be what my mum calls well-groomed but I can manage eyeliner, mascara and a bit of lipgloss while eating toast.

CatIsSleepy · 08/02/2010 13:22

i think plenty of women wear waaaaaay too much make-up

I wear mascara for work,maybe lip gloss if I remember, that's about it unless I am going out (doesn't happen very often )

have no idea about foundation, blusher etc so don't bother as I don't want to do a bad job
I probably would look better if I wore a bit more, on the other hand I don't want to get to the point where I can't bear the sight of myself with no make-up and would be unable to leave the house without applying the stuff with a trowel...

alypaly · 08/02/2010 13:22

i just hate that clogged up feeling....i think subtlty(sp) is best

twoisplenty · 08/02/2010 13:25

But what about the hundreds of chemicals, heavy metals, that go into make up? Doesn't that bother anyone? That's the reason I don't wear any.

Dumbledoresgirl · 08/02/2010 13:27

Funnily enough, although I agree with those who say that people who can't go out without make up must have some sort of self-esteem issue, the truth is, I don't wear make up partially for the same reason: self-esteem issues. I am not attractive and I feel wearing make up would just enhance that.

I am fascinated by the comment that make up makes people feel more groomed. What does that word mean exactly? Groomed to me means clean and tidy.

Also, the poster who said she would wear make up to an interview to show "respect". Really? Because if I were interviewing someone, I wouldn't see the presence of make up as denoting respect, more a tiny degree of self-obsession. Just my opinion.

Bobbiewickham · 08/02/2010 13:29

Yes I do, because I have a face that would scatter a plague hospital without it.

Piggy little eyes, blotchy skin and as pale as milk.

Bit of foundation, blusher, eyeliner, concealer and mascara, and voila! Human.

Low self-esteem? Probably.

But that is soon cured with a bit of Mac. Result.

Irishchic · 08/02/2010 13:29

After a certain age (different for every woman, for me it was about 30) woman start to look a bit ill and washed out without makeup. 9 times out of ten I wear it when I am going out of my house, tinted moisturiser blusher and mascara take 2 mins, as long as it takes to brush your teeth, and it makes me look pleasant, not caked or overdone, just healthy.

Why do (some) woman think that make up = clogges up and over painted look? If its applied propery it can make the world of a difference.

alypaly · 08/02/2010 13:31

when you have seen first hand how they test make-up on rabbits eyes then it would put you off completely. Dont know why they have to bring anymore toiletries and cosmetics on to the market and hurt these poor little animals

MollyRoger · 08/02/2010 13:32

when i go to, for example,school playground with no make up, people ask me if I am ill. I am very pale, but not in a lovely Bella-from-Twilight way, more of a plate of porridge sort of way.
I don't wear heavy make up every day but even a little makes a massive difference to me. Yes,feel free to feel sorry for me, I have self-image ishoos, but I don't need therapy, just a tiny bit of tinted moisturiser, mascara and some lip gloss.

MollyRoger · 08/02/2010 13:32

x-posted with bobby,

kitcat1977 · 08/02/2010 13:33

Sounds like the OP either isn't particularly lucky with her natural complexion or hasn't got the confidence to grin and bare it (ho-ho at my crappy pun!) Bit odd to criticise those who aren't vain enough to let minor imperfections bother them though.

For similar reasons I hate being seen without concealer on the broken veins around my nose (had them since my early teens for some reason), and will always cover the odd spot. However, if I wore full make-up every day I'd feel 'ordinary' on special occasions. Now and again I love to put on some slap and feel a bit special as a result.

Prior to my wedding I had a makeover at a Clarins counter (by a girl whose skin looked as if it had been tinted with Oxo!) My HtB actually laughed when I got home. We both thought I looked ludicrous with the full beauty counter look.

alypaly · 08/02/2010 13:34

thats very rude of others to suggest you are ill just because you have no make up.how misguided of them to feel that make-up makes you look well.

BelleDameSansMerci · 08/02/2010 13:34

PP, I enjoy the difference when I make the effort.

I work from home most of the time so just take DD to nursery and come back home to work.

If I'm going to a meeting though, I do the whole "work" make up thing (which is low key but sexy eyes still - I do have some standards) and I love the feeling of power that it gives me (I'm sounding like a loon here).

Going out, also, is different. A totally different look and, again, I love that it looks so special.

So, to echo many of the posters here, I actually can't be arsed most days but love it when I can. Also, really don't give a stuff what anyone thinks of what I look like. I think I might be a bit arrogant like that! Still get told I'm beautiful without it

bibbitybobbityhat · 08/02/2010 13:35

I am an old gimmer but it does seem to me that people are wearing more and more makeup these days (although perhaps not in Mumsnetland ).

The creatures who are the Loose Women look sooooooooooo overdone to me. And the female guests on The Wright Stuff, for eg.

I watched a programme presented by Mariella Frostrup the other day - featuring her out and about interviewing people, not in the studio. It suddenly struck me that she looked different to everyone else you see on tv because she was wearing hardly any make up. She did have some on, but just a touch. She looked great, actually.

Bobbiewickham · 08/02/2010 13:36

Blimey, molly, I have therapy as well.

I really am fucked

Bobbiewickham · 08/02/2010 13:37

And I can't do bold.

Even more fucked than I thought.

coldtits · 08/02/2010 13:39

I don't need to wear it every day. My skin is clear, not grey, pale or sunspotted.

I don't need to wear make up to get myself noticed, I have a tongue in my head!

vesela · 08/02/2010 13:39

One of the reasons I don't wear eye makeup (except for the very occasional bit of eyeshadow) is that with blusher and lipstick you can put it on and forget about it, or reapply it if you want. With eye makeup, though, however supposedly smudge-proof, I'm always having to remember not to rub my eyes and I just can't be bothered with that.

StellaLovesPotato · 08/02/2010 13:43

IMO older ladies in particular look better without slap. I just think their skin looks better naked.

I wear the works every day- foundation, mascara, lippy, eyeliner... It is sad really. It is because I have self-esteem issues if I'm honest, although many would say that I actually look worse with make up.

As I always think when reading threads like this one....

Live and let live

Bobbiewickham · 08/02/2010 13:45

And if I stop buying makeup, the economy will go under.

Am single handedly keeping it afloat with my mascara-hunt alone.

Can't find one that doesn't give me black face-dandruff.

It's a quest.

MillyR · 08/02/2010 13:47

It is very sad that people are judging each other for wearing or not wearing makeup.

SO what if someone looks orange? They probably think they look nice and their friends may well be orange and think so too.

How is it any different from someone wearing a necklace that someone else doesn't like?

There is no need for all this sniggering and judging.

wigglybeezer · 08/02/2010 13:48

If women over thirty look dreadful without make-up on due to pasty, blotchy skin then men over thirty must look dreadful too, maybe they should start wearing foundation and blusher in order not to offend anyone with their ugliness...maybe we should make bald men wear wigs and we could ban beards...

Bobbiewickham · 08/02/2010 13:50

My theory is that men have stronger features, big eyebrows, big noses, stronger bone structure etc.

My features more or less disappear without makeup...my dh's don't.

Like I say, just a theory...

Blackduck · 08/02/2010 13:50

Do you wear make up everyday? - NO
If not, why not? - because I don't want to.

Like DDG I don't even OWN any makeup!!

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