Women & Make Up/Products..

Beetlebum

Hi Guys,

Myself and my flatmate (who's a guy) were talking about this last night. I walked into the kitchen having just had a shower so I was bare faced with damp hair. He looked at me and said
'You look so lovely right now, way nicer then you do on nights out. You're way better looking when naturally'.
It really got me thinking about make up and hair products and GHDs etc. I spend so much time and money on all of these things and I'm starting to wonder if it's worth it.

Day to day I don't wear much make up at all. I only wear foundation and mascara. At the weekends though I love having smokey eyes so I pile on the dark eye shadow and eye liner. I always get complimented on my eyes. I've had barmen tell me my eyes are striking (they're pretty big and even bigger when enhanced with make up). I feel confident and pretty when wearing make up and with my hair straightened/curled.

During the week I feel like a troll. I can barely bring myself to look in the mirror, in fact I'd often keep my head down when washing my hands to avoid looking in the mirror. I feel pig ugly!!

There's a guy at work I like and I've said to my flat mate I really want him to see me at the weekends so he maight fancy me. My flat mate thinks this is nuts. He claims that women look better without make up and that all he thinks of women in make in is 'There's a girl wearing make up '. He said if she's ugly he'll think...there's an ugly girl wearing make up and conversly if she's pretty he'll think there's a pretty girl wearing make up.

What do ye think? I honestly think I look like 2 completely differnt people with and without make up. Without I'm low in confidence and genuinely look awful...but with I'm a pretty girl!

Maybe I'm just nutz:pac:

edvedfan

totally get you.

My boyfriend and his friends would often say if a girl wears too much make up and that it's not attractive. If a girl is naturally pretty, that's what they appreciate.
I also think that if i was going on a night out with my boyfriend and a different night with the girls i would be much more inclined to get dressed up and put more of an effort in with the girls. I definitely think that girls dress up for other girls. Without a doubt, i would use make up to boost confidence, like if a girl goes out and puts on make up, she can feel gorgeous!

i think it's natural to feel better with make up!

NextSteps

I think your flatmate is right in the case of a lot of girls - they do look much prettier without foundation, whatever about mascara. Foundation (unless you're an expert) can cover up the aspects that make you different and pretty, and leave you looking much like everyone else.

Are you using the make-up as a mask?

Beetlebum

UB wrote: »

I think your flatmate is right in the case of a lot of girls - they do look much prettier without foundation, whatever about mascara. Foundation (unless you're an expert) can cover up the aspects that make you different and pretty, and leave you looking much like everyone else.

Are you using the make-up as a mask?

No, I'm not using make up as a mask. I wear very little on a daily basis.

My favourite feature is my eyes. They are big and green and people always comment on them. I have dyed red hair too so when I wear black smokey eye make up, my eyes look amazing! My flat mate always says wowza when I have my eyes done. This same flat mate only last night said yeah but I prefer natural.

I just find it strange. On nights out I get alot of male attention and men in genral would be nicer to me. I put this down to me looking good. During the day men aren't as nice when I look plain and wear no make up. I even notice on a Saturday afternoon shopping guys in shops, guys walking down the street etc are nicer to you and look at you more when wearing make up! Yet most men claim they prefer no make up!

Also, all the girls my male friends check out are wearing make up! The lads all fancy girls who have dark eye make up on etc yet they say they prefer natural. I'm not convinced!!

Pyr0

Yeah a girl is nice to look at with a bit of make up on during a night out, it fits the situations and pulls you in so to speak.

I'd rather be attracted to the bare faced girl as opposed to the girl with make up on all the time. What if she takes it off and you're not attracted to her at all ? Women shouldn't feel the need to wear make up for guys to be attracted to them, that's not natural.

I found my last girlfriend most attractive when she was bare faced, that doesn't mean that I didn't find her attractive with it on and I always did appreciate the effort, I always saw it as a nice thing every so often. Not something to be done 100% of the time as it loses it's appeal in that case.

princess-lala

I love my make up and wear it for me to make myself feel better about myself not for my friends or any males!

In my job your expected to wear make up and for obvious reasons have the hair done but I love wearing it.

I do love having a "day off" too though where I wont wear any.

I do agree though that some women wear it to compete for want of a better word with their friends! One of my friends wont even come to the shop with me unless her face is done and shes hawt!

Contessa Raven

I think make-up enhances our best features which is what we want it to do. So, on a night out when a lady knows she's gonna be seen by lots of people, she will generally make the effort.

I don't wear much make-up. I wear eyeliner, mascara and maybe eyeshadow if I'm going out on the town. I've never worn foundation in public (I've only worn it to see what it was like). I don't like the feel of it on my skin and my skin is clear anyway.
On a day to day basis, I'll wear eyeliner and mascara but even then it's prob 3 or 4 days out of 7.

I think I look like the same person. The only difference being that I am enhancing certain qualities about myself. My OH loves me when I'm bare faced as he thinks I look "fresh". He also loves me with eye make-up on and tells me I look "gorgeous". It's the situation though. Casually, people look better with minimal make-up, imo. On a night out it's nice to make the effort.

xzanti

princess-lala wrote: »

I love my make up and wear it for me !

Snap!!!

G86

I'd wear foundation and mascara most days, I kind of have to for work really, I don't know...I just wouldn't feel as professional going into a meeting bare faced! At the same time though, my skin got a bit dodgy a while ago and my boyfriend pointed out that it could be from my make up, and lo and behold after 2 weeks of being sick and not wearing any it's cleared up..! I think I just need to make sure I take it off properly after nights out, I'm a demon for just crashing into bed and waking up with a make up smeared face!

I do love doing my make up for nights out though, and I'm a huge fan of MAC eyeshadows - I love experimenting with different looks I think there's a big difference between girls who use make up to mask their features and those who use it to enhance their features. I mean, I wear a foundation that matches my skin colour - so I don't look like an oompa loompa with an orange line on my neck; and I don't wear gigantic false eyelashes or anything too extreme. On a night out I'd wear eyeshadow, eye liner, mascara, foundation and some bronzer on my cheeks - and it never looks too overdone. It just gives me a wee bit of extra confidence and sure what's the harm in that

Beetlebum

Beetlebum wrote: »

I feel confident and pretty when wearing make up and with my hair straightened/curled.

During the week I feel like a troll. I can barely bring myself to look in the mirror, in fact I'd often keep my head down when washing my hands to avoid looking in the mirror. I feel pig ugly!!

Without I'm low in confidence

I just find it strange. On nights out I get alot of male attention and men in genral would be nicer to me.
...guys walking down the street etc are nicer to you and look at you more when wearing make up!

Don't you think confidence could be the problem? Nobody will look twice at someone who feels ugly, keeps their head down and puts themselves down - but when you're out feeling gorgeous and flaunting your confidence, ofc you will get more attention.
I think the next step here is to work on feeling confident without the makeup and you may notice a difference

Xiney

I wear very little makeup on a daily basis, and I don't own a GHD (although that's more down to the fact that I can't afford one.... I keep meaning to get one though)

Thing is, if I "go out" without wearing makeup (or well, what I would call "going out" makeup) it's as if I don't exist. Not to men... I don't really give a **** about men. I'm married anyway. But no... women don't even seem to see me as one of their own. Like in the loos. If I'm not wearing makeup I'm just there. Whereas if I'm wearing makeup they're chatting away and including me in the loo convo. Weird.



Anyway I love crazy eye makeup. 90% of my youtube subscriptions are to makeupy people :P

LeahK

This thread reminds me of one in the TGC....

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055864646



Sorry ladies,Generally speaking, I honestly do not think men prefare women with no makeup on. I do think they say it to make us feel better though Your room mate sounds like a gent..maybe he has a different motive :rolleyes:

I know for a fact I look better with makeup on, I wear it every day. I really dont like going out without it, thats why I wear it. Not to impress anyone else but to make myself feel better! Its not a mask for me, its knowing that I look better maes me feel better.

I have also come to the conclusion that most men havent got a CLUE about how much makeup you have on. If you wear enough to enhance your features they probably think you have none on at all! My OH cant understand how it takes me so long to just "look normal" on a regular day....

I would say to you OP,wear it as often as you like and as much as you like,once it makes YOU feel good. Makeup rules IMO!

Erren Music

I prefer no make up.

The way the big companies and media attack female confidence so you will buy their products sickens me.

speedboatchase

As a guy I think yeah, we do say you look great without make-up quite a lot to score points In general a girl will look better on a night out with make up, I think that's fairly obvious - I think most men would agree we like if a woman has obviously put some effort into her appearence when going out, but isn't too high maintenance when it comes to everyday things - I'd be turned off by a girl that slept with make-up on or had shovelled it on just to go the shops. Conversely any girl that is obviously wearing a lot of make-up or going overboard with eyeshadow etc on a night out would be a turn-off, I'd think maybe she was wearing that much because she felt like she "had" to and wasn't that naturally pretty - there's some girls you might see and you can't imagine what they would look normally cos they're wearing so much.

So in general I think we do play up the natural card a little to score points BUT we do prefer women who aren't as high maintenance in terms of having to wear make-up so often and when they do, not wearing so much. I understand the whole "I'm wearing it for myself, not for guys" aspect but to an extent you're wearing it for the outside world and the confidence you want to project - I think if anyone is constantly relying on it they have confidence issues to begin with

ps. Fake tan should be banned

MaybeLogic

Different for different women, OP, but too much is too much.
+1 on fake tan.

pinkpigs

Wow that's weird, my ex used to say that he liked me au natural. I just thought his beady eyes went working well that day. Hmmmm maybe less is more :cool:

PP

MistyCheese

Beetlebum, it sounds like your flatmate has it baaaaad for you!

Maybe I'm wrong and you're just really close but it's very odd for a man to offer that kind of opinion. He might think it alright but not a lot of men would comment on a woman's make-up. Or do I just not know the right men?

John Mason

i never wear make during the week

i wear occasionally when i go out not all the time.

i am trying to think when the last time i wore make was - i cant remember

i dont own a GHD

my hairdryer is over 20 years old. it mainly gets used for blowing dust off some intricate woodwork wall hangings i have.

my boy doesnt like it when i wear make-up but thats not the reason i dont wear it, was never into make up. the lipstick i wear most is about 16 years old

i never had a problem pulling. when i met himself, i wasnt wearing any make up.

its just not me

pearliefan

I only really wear make-up when I go out drinking. Keeps my face from going too red :rolleyes:
Would wear mascara most days and a bit of concealer if needed but I've often gone outside without any make-up if I'm not bothered or don't have time!

jujuB

Beetlebum wrote: »

My flat mate thinks this is nuts. He claims that women look better without make up and that all he thinks of women in make in is 'There's a girl wearing make up '. He said if she's ugly he'll think...there's an ugly girl wearing make up and conversly if she's pretty he'll think there's a pretty girl wearing make up.

This irritates me!!! I don't wear makeup for other people to comment or to make me feel better, I wear it for myself because as you said, it makes you feel confident and pretty! Of course it does! That's what its supposed to do, makeup isn't really supposed to be worn as a mask, it is supposed to enhance your natural beauty! I'm sure you're stunning without makeup on too, im not debating that but men like your flat mate irritate me! Those kinda men with those kinda opinions strike me as controlling and only say these things to their gf's/friends to smash their self esteem so they start to not look after themselves etc, just in case another male might look your way!!! Also i sincerely doubt your friend is just saying "oh look theres a girl wearing makeup" when he's trying to get into a random girl at a nightclub or bar! ok rant over!

Wibbs

Just logged in from a session of ales with a mate, so......

Speaking as someone with external gonads, I'm not especially keen on makeup. If it makes the woman I care about happier in a given situation, then game ball, but beyond some mascara and lippy, I check out for the most part. And yes I can tell when "natural" isnt. :D

Fake tan? Oh god no. If you have it built in, or you don't sticke with what you have. So much nicer.

I'll admit I went through a phase of "only I get to see her sans makeup, so she must trust me" and yes that was and can be attractive, but now? Give me au natural anytime. Same goes for many other "enhancements" too TBH. Blame my women mates and learning from them, but at this stage I have an xray specs filter that pretty quickly removes makeup, push up bras, high heels and the best efforts of a GHD so that I can see what the real deal is. And the truth is I'm glad I can as the real deal is in 90% of cases so much better IMHO.

Crass it may sound, but I would liken it to a b'day present. I give not a jot to the wrapping, the present inside is what counts.

miss5

I agree I think the natural look can look most attractive, I definetly
agree with wearing it on a night out and a little during the week
if it makes you feel good about yourself.

skywards

I never wear makeup. To be completely honest, I am 19 years old and have no idea how to put it on, nor have I ever really tried. No real reason why, that I can think of.

Erren Music

pinkpigs wrote: »

Wow that's weird, my ex used to say that he liked me au natural. I just thought his beady eyes went working well that day. Hmmmm maybe less is more :cool:

PP

We love you all au natural, there is an excellent article in the times last week about men loving women with curves, I feel sad when I see youngs wans nowadays all looking like clones from an american tv show.

pikachucheeks

I like wearing make-up and doing my hair. I find it fun to try out new products and see what I can do with a few eye shadows etc ... different looks, effects ... all that sort of jazz.
I've just always had an interest in cosmetics and beauty stuff.

I don't wear much make-up going to college and once I'm home, I'll take any cosmetics I have on off to give my skin a chance to breathe. I really only doll myself up when I'm going on a night out.

Personally, I think I look better with make-up on. I feel more confident, my good features are highlighted, things I don't like (blemishes, pimples) are disguised and I feel good, when I've spent time applying my make-up well and have used products that I feel work and do what they say on the tin (Mac and Benefit ftw!)

Without make-up, I don't think I'm hideous but I'm by no means any sort of supermodel. I look pretty average. And while I'm ok with "average" during the day, when I'm heading out, I like to put in a special effort

Nothing wrong with girls who wear make-up - or don't wear make-up, IMO. Each to their own etc etc.

Giselle

I only wear makeup at weekends when I'm going out, and I like the effects of it when I do. Mostly my male friends comments are in the 'you look better without it' camp. Proof I wear it for myself I suppose. I like the bit of ritual too.

I can't understand girls so insecure that they'll cover themselves in an inch of makeup to disguise a couple of spots. People have bigger things on their minds, they aren't counting your spots.

I know one girl who can't go out without a layer of greasy-looking thick makeup and black eyeliner ringed around her eyes. Its a shame because she's beautiful in lots of different ways, but all anyone notices is the makeup.

Novella

Ask a few men what turns them off about women and so many of them will say, "Too much make up". In fairness, there is nothing attractive about someone who you are too scared to touch 'cause they are covered in goo! Sticky lip gloss-y kisses? Ugh!

I love make up but I don't like it because I feel better or more confident. I just like it because it's kind of fun, making yourself look a little bit different every day. I'd happily go out without make up, do it all the time. Think I look the same, maybe just a bit younger without and probably a bit tired!

As for fake tan, no, just no. Never wear it, don't understand why anyone would.

Dudess

Thing is though, a lot of the time when guys say women look nicer without make-up, what they're actually referring to is subtly, naturally applied make-up versus orange/chocolate/spider-legged eyelashes ville.

rannerap

i dont wear make up really except for eye make up,i have good skin so i just dont see the point really,i do feel a bit naked without my eye make up though,but it doesnt mean i wouldnt go outside without any on

Dudess

Yeah I just wear eye make-up too - I love it. It really transforms me in a way foundation or lipstick wouldn't.

Asphyxia

I wear foundation, eyeliner, mascara and lipgloss most days, very light nothing heavy. When I go out I tend to do my eyes up to make them pop but I still keep the light look with the rest of my face just adding a bit of blush to my cheeks. I don't mind going out without make up at all and sometimes I could go two weeks without applying anything, I like letting my face breath.

I hate the way some girls plaster it on andthey end up looking ridiculous with pure orange faces and white necks. I did a course in beauty when I was at a college and I learned how to properly contour and highlight my face so I love doing that it boosts my confidence loads. I get loads of compliments about how my skin looks porcelain.