Am I the only one who doesn't wear makeup?

amother

Linen

Wed, Nov 18 2015, 10:38 pm

If by makeup you mean foundation AKA goop all over your face, only for my kids weddings and under duress. Don't own the stuff. But I do put on moisturizer almost every day.

I do have a concealer so when I'm getting dressed up I'll touch up under my eyes in addition to eyeliner and blush, and lipgloss if I remember though I don't like how it feels. Mascara for special occasions.

Some days I wear blush & eyeliner. Most days not.

But always earrings. That's my way of saying I care about my appearance.

{I also don't own a "model's coat". I am dressed until bedtime unless I have serious fever & then stay in a nightgown & robe. But that could be a spin-off if anyone cares.}

Dolly Welsh

Wed, Nov 18 2015, 10:51 pm

It's not about being "naturally beautiful", it's about "being a reasonable candidate for". It is reasonable if it can make the person more attractive without taking too much time or money, and that is indeed possible, depending on the person.

There are people who could do one simple thing with their appearance, who don't, and it is sort of a shame. They could be happier if they had the knowledge, or the resolve.

I know one woman who looks fine but, from a childhood illness, has brown stained teeth. She is not the type to get that covered with bonding. There is a subtle shadow on her. I think it would have been a good idea. You couldn't talk to her, and I never said anything.

I knew another woman, quite nice looking, but pale white, and a bit over the hill for marrying, in her circles. Her white pallor screamed her age. She was a very annoying, bitter person. I used to grieve that a good dose of well applied blush, very natural looking, would have taken that obvious signage off her face. Rosy color disappears early on some people, and this was one of them. In general, after age 25, a woman who used to have rosiness won't have it any more. (There are some Mediterranean types who never had it.) Now, that was a woman who "needed" makeup. I certainly never said anything. You couldn't talk to her one word.

So, some people "need" makeup for the happiness of their lives.

Plenty don't. You are supposed to know yourself and, without emotionality, take needed steps. It's not about not being good enough, or envying someone who doesn't need it. It's simple life hygiene.

In fact there are people who wear it and shouldn't. Or not the way they do.

There are no easy answers and each case is different.

Should looks matter so much? Maybe not, but if the stew needs oregano, you put it in. You don't argue that it shouldn't.

jade

Wed, Nov 18 2015, 11:05 pm

I wear it if I am in the mood; if not, I won't, even to go out. It does feel like paint to me, but in a good way, like I get to do something artistic with my face. My husband doesn't really care either way; he says I don't need it to look good, but doesn't mind if I want to. Basically, I don't feel deeply about it and it's not tied into how I feel about myself. I don't think it is strange to never wear makeup, and I don't like when it is equated with good grooming or when people are otherwise made to feel like they forgot to get dressed if they don't have a face full of slap.

DrMom

Wed, Nov 18 2015, 11:26 pm

funnyface wrote:

To me, wearing makeup is like putting on a nice outfit. Someone who never does is like someone who is always wearing an old sweatshirt and dirty slinky skirt

It is odd that you should associate an *absence* of make up with dirtiness.

If anything, I feel dirty with makeup *on*. I want to wash my face and clean it off.

ckk

Wed, Nov 18 2015, 11:31 pm

funnyface wrote:

I've been wearing makeup daily since I was 14, and a full face since I started shidduchim. That includes every. single. day. Even post birth. I have terrible skin and very light hair, so without makeup I look gross. With makeup I look great. I wish I didn't have to have a mask to feel confident, but that's just the way it is.
I think most people [even naturally beautiful ones] look more put together/classy with even a touch of tinted moisturizer and mascara, maybe a drop of lip gloss. It can take literally two minutes to do and makes you look like you respect yourself enough to show your best face to the world.

There may be a connection there...

Dolly Welsh

Wed, Nov 18 2015, 11:37 pm

So here you see the usefulness of makeup.

I knew a woman, who I once, once only, saw without her blush. I walked in and she was about to put it on. I was astonished because she was very high-color, and always looked outdoorsy. I didn't even know she wore any. What a difference. I saluted her intelligence; she looked like utter heck without it, and great with it. Astonishing.

It is a tool, that some use and some don't. To each her own.

Some people who never bothered with it when younger might find it useful now. Life goes on. Situations change. One's realities can change. But yes, you have to get used to the physical feeling and the concept.

Each case is different.

etky

Thu, Nov 19 2015, 4:19 am

chani8 wrote:

Clinique anti-blemish foundation keeps the pimples away. Just a little. And only in the pimple zone.

Yes - if you choose wisely, foundation does not have to be acnegenic.
Also, a dermatologist once told me that it actually serves as a buffer bt. pollution and other environmental stressors and your skin.
And if it has SPF all the better.
I've been wearing makeup - as in foundation -(lip gloss, blusher and eye liner I started wearing in HS already) daily since my early twenties. At first I needed it to cover a bit of acne in my T-zone but b"h my skin has been clear now for many, many years.
At my age (late 40s) I need it only to even out my skin tone a bit (this often becomes an issue in middle age). As I got older I transitioned away from the oil-free very matte formulas to something less drying and with a bit of sheen to it but still quite sheer.
Sure I could definitely get away with not wearing it but it makes me look so much more polished.
Blush and lip color are an absolute must for me though. I am very light and look quite drab w/o them.
I gave up eye makeup decades ago except for special occasions. For me personally it was not worth the patchke and I hated having to remove it.

chaiz

Thu, Nov 19 2015, 4:38 am

morah wrote:

I don't wear makeup, I'm very sensory and can't stand the feel of glop or powder on my face, even in very small amounts. I did tolerate some for my wedding to please my mother, haven't worn it since. Not even to Dh siblings' weddings. I will say, I do take very good care of my skin, and that helps people not notice that my face has nothing on it.

What do you do for skincare?

notshanarishona

Thu, Nov 19 2015, 6:16 am

funnyface wrote:

To me, wearing makeup is like putting on a nice outfit. Someone who never does is like someone who is always wearing an old sweatshirt and dirty slinky skirt

That is not very nice.
First of all , Can I guess that you live in NY? Most out of town cities have lots of people who don't wear make up.
Second, many people have sensitive skin and don't have a budget to spend $50 a month on make up.
Third, many people are busy,with work, young children,etc. and don't have 15 minutes in the morning to make up their face.
Fourth, some people prefer natural looks and there is nothing wrong with that.

chani8

Thu, Nov 19 2015, 6:28 am

etky wrote:

I was told the same thing by a dermatologist, regarding foundation.

In my mid 40s, I need it in the opposite of my Tzone now, for acne. So weird. And then a moisturizer for the Tzone. I use a clinique moisturizer with color to even tones.

I recently started wearing eyeliner again, and always wear lipstick

I can't wear blush or mascara or eye shadow. They all bother my sensory sensitivities. I can't wear nail polish either.

etky

Thu, Nov 19 2015, 6:59 am

rachel6543 wrote:

I wear makeup, but very little. A little concealer and mineral makeup to even out skin color and some blush. Sometimes some lip gloss. No eye makeup for me. Takes me 1-2 minutes max to put on. I don't have patience to put on more. Plus what I do wear looks very natural.

I also find it takes bt. one and two minutes to put on. Not more.
I'm using a foundation now that is actually a BB cream so it is forgiving and doesn't require precise application. A brush of blusher over that and a swipe of lip gloss and I'm done.
I find that it's the eye makeup that takes more time and requires a steadier hand.
That's why I abandoned it. Also I feel much more 'made up' when I wear eye makeup, which is fine for special occasions but not for everyday.
Oh, and perfume of course. Not fully dressed w/o it!