Women, do you wear makeup?

[No_Go]

. Washing my hair, shaving, blow drying my hair, and putting on a full face of makeup takes me no less than 1.5 hours..

 

It is just a matter of practice like anything else. I never spent over 10-15 min for full face of make up (including the skin prep). I hate blow drying and I'm lucky to be able to go without it, but running a flatiron usually takes me another 10-15 min if that (and I have very long, thick and wavy hair).

[Els]

I guess to me the whole "people treat me better when I'm wearing makeup" thing is kinda like "people treat me better after I got rich and starting buying dinners for them". Sure they might... but is that really what you want? I know it's not what I want, anyway. If someone needs me to wear makeup to treat me right, I'd rather have as little as I possibly can to do with them.

 

I suppose with jobs it can be a bit more iffy - certainly it would be extremely frustrating if you found yourself passed over for promotions due to that. But I personally have never found that to be the case - as I said, I never wear makeup and am currently leading a development team 2+ years after graduating. I think that this may be a bigger issue in some fields than others.

[Els]

Edited to add: It does somewhat annoy me that the standards of "looking dressed-up" for men and women are so different, lol. The female version takes hours (hair removal, hairstyling, makeup, choosing undergarments, accessories), and the male version (slicking up your hair and putting on a suit and shiny flat shoes) takes 15 minutes! Plus all the added discomfort for women with foundation garments, tight garments, having to be more careful with your hair and makeup, and wearing heels.

 

E.g. for our wedding, it's estimated that it will take me 3 hours on the day to get ready - and that's not including all the prep (manicures, much more shopping, etc) beforehand! The SO will likely take 15 minutes.

 

But I'm okay with it on rare occasions, I guess. Not a huge deal.

[BC1980]

I always wear makeup to work or if I am going out anywhere important like church or to lunch/dinner with friends. I don't wear it if I'm just running to the grocery store, ect. I wear under eye concealer, a little powder and blush, some neutral eye shadow and mascara, and usually chapstick or a neutral lipstick. I like to stick with the natural look and use as little makeup as I can get away with.

[BC1980]

At least women get the socially acceptable option to wear makeup to cover their flaws. A man has to live with them every day.

 

The world can be cruel, period. This is not a gender-specific issue, nor do we need people to try their best to make it one.

 

That's a good point that I hadn't even considered. On a kind of different note, every man I've dated has preferred me without much makeup. My last ex preferred me with no makeup at all actually. I wonder if that's how most men think?

[Els]

That's a good point that I hadn't even considered. On a kind of different note, every man I've dated has preferred me without much makeup. My last ex preferred me with no makeup at all actually. I wonder if that's how most men think?

 

Personally, I think the SO likes a bit of it for special occasions, but not for day-to-day use. It isn't the makeup itself that bothers him for the everyday use but rather how much time it takes, though. We pride ourselves in being able to be at the door in 5 minutes if we spontaneously decide to go out - and much of our going-out is spontaneous.

[littleblackheart]

I only wear make-up when I have to - weddings or big occasions like that, more in an effort to 'blend in' than because I like it. I feel even the slightest bit of make-up or cream on my skin as I'm hyper-sensitive to that kind of things, so for me it's a chore and it's physically uncomfortable.

 

I don't feel more feminine with makeup on either - if anything, I probably feel at my most feminine when I'm as natural as possible.

 

That said, if others find it improves their appearance or their confidence or they just like it, good for them too.

[lucy_in_disguise]

I guess to me the whole "people treat me better when I'm wearing makeup" thing is kinda like "people treat me better after I got rich and starting buying dinners for them". Sure they might... but is that really what you want? I know it's not what I want, anyway. If someone needs me to wear makeup to treat me right, I'd rather have as little as I possibly can to do with them.

 

I suppose with jobs it can be a bit more iffy - certainly it would be extremely frustrating if you found yourself passed over for promotions due to that. But I personally have never found that to be the case - as I said, I never wear makeup and am currently leading a development team 2+ years after graduating. I think that this may be a bigger issue in some fields than others.

 

When it comes to relationships and friends, I'm definitely with you- I expect people to accept me as I am and avoid those who judge me based on appearance. Ive even stopped dating guys who indicated they preferred my (naturally curly) hair straightened- it's very important to me to be with someone who appreciates me just as I am.

 

When it comes to jobs and networking, though- to me the extra effort I put in to my appearance to increase my credibility is worth it. While my role is very technical, I work in consulting, where unfortunately perception- and appearance- often seem to trump quality of work. I also work with a bunch of men, many of whom are older and more than a little paternalistic, and sadly being an attractive girl helps a lot in getting heard. I am not the best at this aspect anyway, and it's a depressing fact to me about my job, but I see no point in trying to ignore the rules of the game. Maybe some day I will leave the industry behind and will be able to afford to have a different outlook...

Edited January 10, 2018 by lucy_in_disguise

[Fair]

At least women get the socially acceptable option to wear makeup to cover their flaws. A man has to live with them every day.

 

The world can be cruel, period. This is not a gender-specific issue, nor do we need people to try their best to make it one.

 

Sure, both sexes get a little bit of everything... it's the imbalance in the way it's doled out... women get treated much worse, and more blatantly if they don't look how society says women should look... it's just a fact.

 

This is a day to day thing for women... in the work force everyone has to look as presentable as possible, of course. But I shouldn't have to wear makeup just to go out of my house or to wear dark glasses to ward off unwanted/unasked for opinions about how I look. My face and body are nobody's business.

Edited January 11, 2018 by Fair

[RecentChange]

But I shouldn't have to wear makeup just to go out of my house or to wear dark glasses to ward off unwanted/unasked for opinions about how I look. My face and body are nobody's business.

 

I don't wear makeup a good 80-90% of the time and I have never once encountered this.

[Fair]

I don't wear makeup a good 80-90% of the time and I have never once encountered this.

 

I have. If you haven't good for you.

[lucy_in_disguise]

I don't wear makeup a good 80-90% of the time and I have never once encountered this.

 

Then you are lucky! I get these comments frequently enough as well. In my experience it is almost always from people who have very poor social skills to begin with and with whom I normally have a good rapport, so I assume they have good intentions and try not to take it personally, but it's still not pleasant.

 

What may be a little harder to pick up on but more depressing is the more subtle differences in treatment ( attention) from people with reasonably good social skills depending on how I am dressed and made up.

[Cookiesandough]

Nevermind.

Edited January 12, 2018 by Cookiesandough

[springs]

I used to enjoy doing my makeup. Lately, I have lost the will. I can barely will myself to put some mascara, eyeliner, and lipgloss on, and even then I try to go quickly and it feels like a chore. I wonder if it’s just because I am getting older or if it’s because I’ve gone a long time without wearing makeup out and about it seems pointless

 

It’s become a standard for women to wear makeup. Even in the workplace, when who wear makeup are taken more seriously as it makes them look more “polished” and “put together”. Often the woman wearing makeup will get most jobs over the one who doesn’t. My skin doesn’t benefit from skin makeup like foundation but I imagine for those that it does you get comments like “you look so tired today” on days you don’t wear eye circles concealer.

 

My ex said he preferred me to not wear makeup(surprise). Eveey woman notices how men invariably say this, yet invariably lust after women with make up on? And he met me with make up on.

 

Just wondering how many women here wear make up. Is it by choice? Do you actually enjoy it or do you just do it because you like the way you look afterwards or both? Do you ever get sick of it?

 

Most of the time I don't wear makeup. I have a love hate relationship with makeup. I enjoy applying it but I become very critical of my face and try to cover all flaws and turn myself into some beauty idea which I can never achieve.