Ever consider going without makeup for a week?

[Maria D]

I realize I'm in a tiny minority but I wish our culture accepted and valued everyone's natural appearance, with all the variation and evidence of the passage of time, instead of fighting time and nature and striving to look peak reproductive age our entire lives ... but again to each their own.

hahahaha, THAT'S why you think women enjoy wearing makeup?

I never said the reason women wear makeup is because they 'enjoy' it.
I seems reasonable that each woman wears makeup to look closer to how she wants to look, and usually that is to appear a bit closer to whatever their culture's ideal is.
Our culture's ideal to look closer to how women look during their peak reproductive years.
It is the elephant in the room.

Don't shoot the messenger.
Oh, go ahead and shoot me.
I'm used to it.

You think you have "the message" but I don't agree that you do. Women don't wear makeup to look like they are 25, any more than people get tattoos to look like they are 25.

I don't wear make up to look "closer to" anything. I wear it because I enjoy everything about it - buying it, experimenting with it, how it feels on my face, how I look in the mirror. Do you wear diamond rings so that your hand looks "closer to" how you want it to look? And how is that - engaged? married? more sparkly? And would that be because the cultural ideal is to be married and sparkly? If that sounds ridiculous, that's how your thinking (about makeup) sounds to me.

I think Kenny's right - we're none of us existing in a vacuum. Individually, no, I have no ambition to look like a fertile 18 year old. But when "conventional beauty" tends to emphasize the same markers as chronological youth ... it's hard to deny. When I shave my legs or redden my lips, I'm doing things that please me aesthetically, but I'm a product of my culture.

Honestly, I think we'd all be better off if we could split the difference ... men get more freedom for the fun makeup, women get less pressure for the boring kind.

Nah, I still don't agree. When I wear makeup, I look like I'm in my late 40s, early 50s. When I don't, I look like I'm in my my late 40s, early 50s. I think I look *better* with makeup, but I don't look younger. In fact, what makes me look younger (the late 40s part) is when I weigh less. And that's because when I weigh less I tend to wear clothes that are more currently fashionable.

So, if conventional beauty may emphasizes youth, I am not conventionally beautiful. If someone were to think I'm attractive, they'd be thinking "there goes a good looking woman in her 50s."

So how do you explain tattoos? And jewelry? Kenny never responded about what he's trying to get his hand to look closer to. And I believe you have tattoos Circe? Are those to fit some cultural ideal as well?

 

[CJ2008]

I also don't think I look younger with makeup on...just better...if I look ANY younger it's not decades for sure...

 

[Circe]

I realize I'm in a tiny minority but I wish our culture accepted and valued everyone's natural appearance, with all the variation and evidence of the passage of time, instead of fighting time and nature and striving to look peak reproductive age our entire lives ... but again to each their own.

hahahaha, THAT'S why you think women enjoy wearing makeup?

I never said the reason women wear makeup is because they 'enjoy' it.
I seems reasonable that each woman wears makeup to look closer to how she wants to look, and usually that is to appear a bit closer to whatever their culture's ideal is.
Our culture's ideal to look closer to how women look during their peak reproductive years.
It is the elephant in the room.

Don't shoot the messenger.
Oh, go ahead and shoot me.
I'm used to it.

You think you have "the message" but I don't agree that you do. Women don't wear makeup to look like they are 25, any more than people get tattoos to look like they are 25.

I don't wear make up to look "closer to" anything. I wear it because I enjoy everything about it - buying it, experimenting with it, how it feels on my face, how I look in the mirror. Do you wear diamond rings so that your hand looks "closer to" how you want it to look? And how is that - engaged? married? more sparkly? And would that be because the cultural ideal is to be married and sparkly? If that sounds ridiculous, that's how your thinking (about makeup) sounds to me.

I think Kenny's right - we're none of us existing in a vacuum. Individually, no, I have no ambition to look like a fertile 18 year old. But when "conventional beauty" tends to emphasize the same markers as chronological youth ... it's hard to deny. When I shave my legs or redden my lips, I'm doing things that please me aesthetically, but I'm a product of my culture.

Honestly, I think we'd all be better off if we could split the difference ... men get more freedom for the fun makeup, women get less pressure for the boring kind.

Nah, I still don't agree. When I wear makeup, I look like I'm in my late 40s, early 50s. When I don't, I look like I'm in my my late 40s, early 50s. I think I look *better* with makeup, but I don't look younger. In fact, what makes me look younger (the late 40s part) is when I weigh less. And that's because when I weigh less I tend to wear clothes that are more currently fashionable.

So, if conventional beauty may emphasizes youth, I am not conventionally beautiful. If someone were to think I'm attractive, they'd be thinking "there goes a good looking woman in her 50s."

So how do you explain tattoos? And jewelry? Kenny never responded about what he's trying to get his hand to look closer to. And I believe you have tattoos Circe? Are those to fit some cultural ideal as well?

Well, keep in mind, I'm not saying you (or for that matter, I, or for that matter, any given individual on this thread) wear makeup because our motivation is to conform to the social expectation that women try to look young. But I do think that the overall cultural zeitgeist leans that way. Yes, there are definitely exceptions - goths! pin-up lovin' rockabillies! artistes! that chick from the Man Repeller site! - but the overall cultural message places more value on women who either are young, or at least commit to looking that way. (See also, recent Renee Zellweger controversy.) Think about the slew of anti-aging creams: the insistence that women depilate to within an inch of their lives; the preference for slender figures more common among the young; the fact that makeup is generally used to make our eyes bigger and more childlike, our lips poutier. I think the lowest common denominator for female beauty standards is that they make us look younger. If you can find me the mainstream trend to turn the tide, I will be delighted. For about three weeks last year there was a thing for dying one's hair grey ... but that seems to have gone the way of the pet rock.

I think jewelry and tattos fall into a slightly different set of social pressures. Jewelry can advertise one's wealth/success, or it can speak to a slew of more personalized in-group messages ... but it's not nearly as gender-specific as makeup is at this point in time. Dudes can wear rings, but show me the guy who won't catch some side-eye if he reapplies his lipstick after dinner in your typical restaurant. (And I reiterate ... I think they should be able to, I just don't think society's quite there yet.) Tattoos even more than jewelry tend to be a specialized, in-group sort of thing, though one could argue they've gotten considerably more mainstream over the course of the last forty years ... but when I got mine, I certainly fit a specific set of social pressures for young, alt-spirituality identity-defining rebellion! And while I do want more ... at this point, that, too, would fit my boho/intelligensia community.

I value my autonomy as much as the next gal, but whether we're conforming or rebelling, I think we have to admit that, a) we're influenced by our social environments, and, b) those social environments tend to have default preferences. I think when it comes to makeup, the default preference is, as Kenny said (K, apologies if I'm misstating your argument) to mimic the period of peak fertility. So if we disagree ... could you tell me more about where we split? I'm curious as to whether it's a question of individual agency or a disagreement on the default preference ....

 

[kenny]

+1 Circe.

 

[kenny]

Kenny never responded about what he's trying to get his hand to look closer to.

That is correct.
I didn't.

Often, I don't respond when I see no point.

 

[Calliecake]

Can men and/or women tell/see the difference between no makeup (sunscreen doesn't count) and light makeup (BB cream, light powder only, no foundation but with mascara, and the like) on other people?

Yes, I definitely notice...I notice mascara and eyeliner on someone for sure...I notice makeup, even if it's subtle.

One thing I've been doing lately, that nobody would notice, but definitely makes me look better: curling my eyelashes (and not necessarily adding mascara afterwards). It really opens up my eyes. And more if I put mascara on top.

Unfortunately for me, I have to wear foundation if I want to look polished, because otherwise my skin is uneven in tone and somewhat shiny. I have not found a BB cream that I like (although admittedly I've only tried drugstore brands) - either they are fragranced (some have so much fragrance it's unbelievable), the tint is way off in tint/color or darkness, or it just doesn't cover enough (although I realize BB creams are light/subtle...I want some coverage so that it evens me out.)

Curling my eyelashes makes a big difference too but I tend to lose them more frequently when I use the curler. Anyone else have this problem or know of a curler with minimal risk?

I baby my lashes and use a heated curler like this:
http://www.lovelyskin.com/o/blinc-heated-lash-curler?lsat=FALL2014&ref=gbase&gclid=COLMwdmD0MECFc1Z7Aodh2IAiw
I'm not sure how it compares to traditional lash curlers (I would guess that it maybe doesn't give as much curl just based on the different mechanical designs), but there's no breakage and/or loss associated with regular use because it doesn't pull/squish/bend the lashes.

Thank you Momhappy. I will have to try this.

 

[Sunstorm]

Momhappy thanks for the idea about the lash curler, that may be the way for me to go too.

Sorry, I have not been really busy and missed your comment that you were shocked by my saying most men are bothered by makeup. Ok, first I must say that English is not my first language and sometimes I probably use the wrong expression, so it comes out wrong and when I am tired and reading threads enjoying them and commenting fast with not enough time, again I could choose better ways to say things.

I think what I meant was and I am definitely not assuming I know everything and know what most men like, it was simply an informal comment I made but the men I knew which includes friends and family members mostly said that they preferred women without makeup. This does not mean they can notice it, as I also agreed with another poster many are clueless but if asked they will tell you that they like no makeup on a woman or light makeup at the most. Not to say that if they see you with fake lashes, nails, face done at the salon they will not prefer you, most the time they just want the makeup to be unnoticable, well that is what I personally experienced, heard and others from the opposite gender shared with me but again I am definitely not a know it all, just sharing my personal views here. I hope that is not a problem.

 

[missy]

Momhappy thanks for the idea about the lash curler, that may be the way for me to go too.

Sorry, I have not been really busy and missed your comment that you were shocked by my saying most men are bothered by makeup. Ok, first I must say that English is not my first language and sometimes I probably use the wrong expression, so it comes out wrong and when I am tired and reading threads enjoying them and commenting fast with not enough time, again I could choose better ways to say things.

I think what I meant was and I am definitely not assuming I know everything and know what most men like, it was simply an informal comment I made but the men I knew which includes friends and family members mostly said that they preferred women without makeup. This does not mean they can notice it, as I also agreed with another poster many are clueless but if asked they will tell you that they like no makeup on a woman or light makeup at the most. Not to say that if they see you with fake lashes, nails, face done at the salon they will not prefer you, most the time they just want the makeup to be unnoticable, well that is what I personally experienced, heard and others from the opposite gender shared with me but again I am definitely not a know it all, just sharing my personal views here. I hope that is not a problem.

Ovi, there is no need to apologize. I think we all understood what you meant and I agree. Most (all perhaps) men I know prefer women with a "natural" no makeup look. Of course that doesn't mean no makeup as I think many men can be clueless when it comes to if women are wearing a bit of makeup or no makeup.

If I use cover up to cover my dark circles and any blemishes I might have that day I doubt any man could tell I was wearing makeup. However, as you say, if I am wearing lipstick and eyeliner/mascara/eye shadow well yes then they can tell I am wearing makeup.

In my personal experience most men like women who have a flawless complexion but where it doesn't look like they are obviously wearing makeup and let's face it-if done correctly that's how makeup in everyday life should look.

We aren't talking about runway models and such where makeup is part of their "look" and is supposed to be obvious. For us everyday gals less is more and no matter how much makeup one is wearing if it looks subtle and just makes you look like a "prettier/better/less tired" you it's a win (for most people's preferences I think).

 

[momhappy]

Momhappy thanks for the idea about the lash curler, that may be the way for me to go too.

Sorry, I have not been really busy and missed your comment that you were shocked by my saying most men are bothered by makeup. Ok, first I must say that English is not my first language and sometimes I probably use the wrong expression, so it comes out wrong and when I am tired and reading threads enjoying them and commenting fast with not enough time, again I could choose better ways to say things.

I think what I meant was and I am definitely not assuming I know everything and know what most men like, it was simply an informal comment I made but the men I knew which includes friends and family members mostly said that they preferred women without makeup. This does not mean they can notice it, as I also agreed with another poster many are clueless but if asked they will tell you that they like no makeup on a woman or light makeup at the most. Not to say that if they see you with fake lashes, nails, face done at the salon they will not prefer you, most the time they just want the makeup to be unnoticable, well that is what I personally experienced, heard and others from the opposite gender shared with me but again I am definitely not a know it all, just sharing my personal views here. I hope that is not a problem.

No worries! I wasn't shocked by your comments - I simply didn't agree with them. I guess that some people get uneasy when someone disagrees (I'm not saying that you do OVincze - just making a general observation about what sometimes happens on the forum) or maybe I didn't speak as eloquently as I could have. I was not offended by your comments at all. In fact, I appreciate the dialogue and I respect your opinions, so thanks for sharing them
I understood your comments to mean most men in general, not most men that you know, so thank you for clarifying that My experience is the opposite because most men that I know prefer women with a little makeup as part of their overall appearance. I agree with you that in general, people (men and women) prefer a physical appearance that doesn't look overly fake (lots of makeup, fake nails, fake lashes, etc.). Sometimes, less is more when it comes to this sort of thing.

 

[GliderPoss]

In answer to original question - no never. I have some pigmentation and I'm very self conscious about it so I wear tinted SPF50+ sunscreen every day and would not ever skip that step! Everything else - mascara, lipstick etc... yeah I have and would happily go without. I work in a corporate office where makeup is somewhat expected and I quite enjoy putting it on and changing styles each day so I don't really mind. On holiday - it's just tinted suncreen all the way baby!

 

[Sunstorm]

Thanks girls! Ah, sometimes it is hard to understand what others mean on an online forum because you do not see the other person, their expressions, etc. and you cannot clarify if you are expressing yourself wrong. I agree that it is sometimes nice to hear the opposite of what I said as it makes you think and of course vive la difference! I am happy to hear that you had the opposite experience Momhappy, I think I have known a couple men that really liked makeup, even enjoying that but even they mostly preferred if a woman could achieve a flawless look with perfect outfit, makeup, etc. in two seconds.) Again it is easy to misunderstand what I am saying, I do not mean that men like unkept women in general, just that it seems to me that often a lot men do not really place emphasis on what a woman is wearing, how well her hair is done, nails, etc. and then it makes me think why I am doing it. It feels really nice if someone notices that you are putting money, time and energy into style and beauty even if we mainly do it for ourselves. That raises the old question of whether women dress and wear makeup, do their hair, nails, etc. for themselves, for other women or for men or all of the above.

 

[Sky56]

I never wear makeup. I get frequent complements on my skin. I am kind of like a guy - I don't do "makeup, nails, hair". My feminine touches are: Very long hair and jewelry.

 

[Begonia]

Sure. I go without makeup for a week or more at a time.

When I'm stricken with the flu! Otherwise no. I don't wear a whole lot, but I don't leave the house without some on. Unapologetic about it too.

 

[Lulie]

I also don't think I look younger with makeup on...just better...if I look ANY younger it's not decades for sure...

My eyes look lighter/brighter w/o make up, but I must curl my wonky lashes at least