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Do you wear makeup to work?

82 replies

HS1990 · 20/06/2025 07:03

Potentially Starting new role soon on site after long stint of WFH. I'm not fan of makeup day to day, but will make an effort for special occasions. It doesn't even look that good on me IMO and I have quite clear skin touchwood (provided thresholding, plucking all done lol).

Just debating whether to bother as it will mean buying new fresh makeup as I haven't updated it properly for a while.

It's an office role in finance.

OP posts:
Ladyymuck · 21/06/2025 05:26

Yes I wear foundation, blush and lip oil but like a natural look. I used to wear mascara or have lvl lashes but since developing an eye infection haven’t done that for a couple of years, save mascara and eyeshadow for special occasions now.

dEdiCatEdFeliNeEntHusiAst · 21/06/2025 05:44

I haven't gone out of the house without putting my face on for the last 38 years 😱
Even when not going out I wear full make up (unless I'm ill). Even during lockdown when I was WFH coz of a lot of Zooms. On holiday I used to pair down a lot as I would be tanned and looking gorgeous but would still put my face on in evening.
I now hate it and tbh feel trapped as I feel that I look so ugly without make up.
I wish I could just casually wear a little mascara and bronzer but I just can't.

Doyouthinktheyknow · 21/06/2025 05:46

No, used to wear foundation and mascara but mascara went when covid hit and we had to wear masks. Now I seem to have given up on foundation too.

I'm 50, not sure if the foundation improves my skin or not, just really can't be bothered.

PollyBell · 21/06/2025 05:48

No i dont wear it at all

Goodlorditssummer · 21/06/2025 05:55

Usually yes, takes 5 minutes in the morning. But if I can’t be arsed, I don’t bother. I can take it or leave it for work. Wouldn’t go for a night out without it though.

WhereAreWeNow · 21/06/2025 06:20

I do but I always wear make up. I'd say most women in my office don't wear make up.

BCBird · 21/06/2025 06:33

Never. Once me and boss were at a colleagues wedding. He said that I looked different. I'd got make up on. He said why didn't I wear it at work as it really suited me. Told him I wasn't faffing around at 6 am every morning 😃

PiercedMrsP · 21/06/2025 06:36

At best a bit of mascara, maybe a tinted lip balm if I'm really pushing the boat out. I hate the way foundation and concealer feel on my skin - it's just ugh!! Am I naturally beautiful with perfect skin? Not even close 😆 Do I care? Also no, at least not anymore.

At 41 I care far less about people judging my appearance than I did 10yrs ago. Interestingly, many of the other senior female figures where I work (including our chief exec) also don't bother with much makeup. I remember when I was in my twenties my mum telling me that I'd get more comfortable in my own skin as I got older, and she wasn't wrong. Smart woman, my mum 😊

BeamMeUpCountMeIn · 21/06/2025 06:40

Never.

PepsiForEva · 21/06/2025 06:45

I am very envious of people who can get away without makeup!

I have very sallow mottled skin. So I even it out with concealer and then a light foundation. I then have blush, a fairly neutral lipstick and mascara. That is about it. Sometimes I use a light burgundy eyeshadow just on the eyelids as my eyes are green and it brings that out a bit.

I am 52 and am about to start watching youtube videos about how to put on makeup for my skin type. I am never entirely happy with how I look and don't have alot of skill. I realised recently I am still putting on makeup the way my mother taught me to in the late 80s.

RosesAndHellebores · 21/06/2025 07:07

Yes. Always. For me. Just a little and it makes me feel and look better.

A light foundation
Under eye concealer
Translucent powder
Blusher
Mascara
Lipstick

Takes about three minutes.

Parker231 · 21/06/2025 07:17

No - my skin feels better without it. I always wear moisturiser with spf.

HelenCurlyBrown · 21/06/2025 07:22

Yes, always. I love makeup.

Now that I don’t go into the office that much, I really enjoy the whole clothes/hair/make up bit.

familyissues12345 · 21/06/2025 08:18

Apart from at the moment, as my hayfever is so awful, I always wear mascara. I look ill if I don’t wear anything - pale and fair.

If I feel the urge, I might add a little eyeshadow, liner and blusher. I don’t wear foundation, and rarely anything other than maybe tinted lip balm on my lips

TaggieO · 21/06/2025 08:25

SPF, tinted moisturiser, a little bit of blush and bronzer, lip balm, and mascara. Oh, and eyebrow pencil because mine did not survive the 90s well!

ThisTooShallPassApparently · 21/06/2025 10:44

I'm early 30s, spent my 20's religiously wearing it, wouldn't be seen dead outside without it. Started working shifts and realising I'd rather have the time in bed and started cutting it down, had 2nd child and covid hit and I scrapped it altogether.
Haven't worn it for years, mix of wfh and 2 days in the office and feel weird if I do wear it now for a rare special occasion and can't wait to get it off! More women on my team who don't wear any at all than those who do actually thinking on it

BiddyPopthe2nd · 21/06/2025 13:04

I was able to pick and choose in previous roles in my current organisation, and lots of days were makeup free. But then, I was also able to do “casual Friday” back then, even in the office (pre and post-Covid).

in my current role, I need to be reasonably suited and booted on a daily basis, and that includes makeup realistically for me. I have it at a 90 second routine - foundation, blush, 2 eyeshadows, blend, lipstick. Done. I found having the right brushes really helped - I have a blusher one, an eyeshadow brush (basic flat one) for the base coat, an angled line one for the contrast colour over the edges, and a blending one to merge the 2 colours nicely, and a lipstick brush as that helps it stay better. I have a foundation brush too but often still use fingers for that.

If I am going out to an event or having a social night out, it takes longer, involves different colours and also mascara, sometimes eyeliner, sometimes more elaborate eyes etc.

I found getting the foundation colour matching your skin well really helped (I had a decent shade but when replacing it a while ago, the lady had time to check a few neat colours and found an even better match).

And also getting blush with a blue undertone (I am a cool winter) rather than a peach undertone also made a huge difference.

For my eyes, I now go to MAC and have their changeable palette - so 2 base colours (1 everyday, the other a little deeper for more dramatic looks), an everyday and a 2nd colour corner contrast either a Matt finish, and 2 much deeper shades of the normal corner colours with shine for drama times (so I can build up a browns/maroon look or a greens look).

Radionowhere · 21/06/2025 13:23

BlackBean2023 · 20/06/2025 07:10

BB cream, mascara and a bit of tinted Vaseline. Takes a couple of minutes but makes me look a bit less knackered!

Same! I used to make more of an effort but I think this is enough to be presentable.

DramaAlpaca · 21/06/2025 13:33

No, never wear makeup to work.

Except for the Christmas party, when I go full-on glam ✨️

OddBoots · 21/06/2025 13:50

Once in a blue moon if the mood takes me - there is a real mix in my office at all grades, some do and some don't so it really doesn't matter.

Parker231 · 21/06/2025 14:35

BiddyPopthe2nd · 21/06/2025 13:04

I was able to pick and choose in previous roles in my current organisation, and lots of days were makeup free. But then, I was also able to do “casual Friday” back then, even in the office (pre and post-Covid).

in my current role, I need to be reasonably suited and booted on a daily basis, and that includes makeup realistically for me. I have it at a 90 second routine - foundation, blush, 2 eyeshadows, blend, lipstick. Done. I found having the right brushes really helped - I have a blusher one, an eyeshadow brush (basic flat one) for the base coat, an angled line one for the contrast colour over the edges, and a blending one to merge the 2 colours nicely, and a lipstick brush as that helps it stay better. I have a foundation brush too but often still use fingers for that.

If I am going out to an event or having a social night out, it takes longer, involves different colours and also mascara, sometimes eyeliner, sometimes more elaborate eyes etc.

I found getting the foundation colour matching your skin well really helped (I had a decent shade but when replacing it a while ago, the lady had time to check a few neat colours and found an even better match).

And also getting blush with a blue undertone (I am a cool winter) rather than a peach undertone also made a huge difference.

For my eyes, I now go to MAC and have their changeable palette - so 2 base colours (1 everyday, the other a little deeper for more dramatic looks), an everyday and a 2nd colour corner contrast either a Matt finish, and 2 much deeper shades of the normal corner colours with shine for drama times (so I can build up a browns/maroon look or a greens look).

You don’t need to wear makeup to look ‘suited and booted’. I’ve spent my working life presenting to Boards around the world looking totally professional without any makeup.

Natsku · 21/06/2025 15:19

Do men have to wear makeup to look suited and booted? No, so why should women have to?

Disturbia81 · 21/06/2025 15:22

Always, but don’t care what others do

SirChenjins · 21/06/2025 15:38

Natsku · 21/06/2025 15:19

Do men have to wear makeup to look suited and booted? No, so why should women have to?

The poster didn't say women should wear makeup to look suited and booted - she said for her.

Parker231 · 21/06/2025 15:50

SirChenjins · 21/06/2025 15:38

The poster didn't say women should wear makeup to look suited and booted - she said for her.

She said in her current role she needed to wear makeup to be suited and booted. I can’t think of any role where makeup would be required or necessary?