Girls who say they "have" to wear make up for work?

aDeener · 07-04-2010 06:22PM

grindelwald wrote: »

Dont use make up unless im going out, I used to work as a hotel receptionist and never wore make up for that. If by chance i go to funeral then i would put on natural make up. I dont like being an umpa lumpa (the orange men out of charlie and the chocolate factory).

you're dead right, sure who would like looking at them proddy so & so's.....:pac:

vicecreamsundae · 07-04-2010 07:01PM

there is definitely a case where some women have to wear it for work, crazy as it sounds.

when i worked in retail, my boss told one of the girls who stopped wearing make up that she should start wearing it again, and that it was part of the "looking presentable" part of the contract.

i went for an interview for aer lingus cabin crew once, thinking it might be a nice way to get some travel in for a a year after uni. during the interview i was told that the training course included MAKEUP LESSONS. what the hell??
i couldn't get over that, and the fact the female cabin crew are required to wear heels.. screw that.

also i know lots of women who, if they don't wear any, get asked a million times if they are sick or tired etc. and its not that they wear so much they are unrecognisable or anything. the whole point is that people dont even notice thats what different about them is that they're not wearing makeup, but they look tired/ rundown.

i wear [non drag queen] makeup most days, it only takes three minutes and i dont see the big difference between wearing makeup and brushing your hair or wearing an outfit you like. it doesn't take much effort but makes me feel a bit more confident in how i look.

but i do think it's crazy that certain jobs demand it, and think that should be illegal, apart from some very specific jobs -actor, model, makeup counter sales person etc and in those cases it shouldn't depend on gender.

Snowie · 07-04-2010 07:27PM

So women should if there greating meeting clients ive seen waitress handed a bag of make up and told to sort it out and full agreed, If I own my own compnay which is hightly unlikely but if i did. Id expect women as well as men to be dressed exceptionaly well. never mind make up i dont wanan see a woamn tak aout portable paint sprayer..but it does help.... make a woman a bit more colourfull. and give her face more depth...

Miss Lockhart · 07-04-2010 07:40PM

I wear mascara every day as I have very light eyelashes. Other than that I only wear make up if going to a nightclub or wedding, so hardly ever. I think it looks nice but hate the way it feels. When I worked for a particular Irish supermarket chain it was in our staff handbook that we must wear light make up and also shoes with heels - no flats. I resented both these requirements.

robinph · 07-04-2010 08:23PM

a few different posters wrote:

... women who, if they don't wear any, get asked a million times if they are sick or tired etc.

Why do men not get asked if they are ill all the time then?

By continuing to wear makeup you create the false image of what you look like, when someone sees you looking different from that they then assume that something is wrong.

yosemite_sam · 07-04-2010 08:30PM

My wife would not leave the house without make up

Magenta · 07-04-2010 08:40PM

Snow-Monkey wrote: »

So women should if there greating meeting clients ive seen waitress handed a bag of make up and told to sort it out and full agreed, If I own my own compnay which is hightly unlikely but if i did. Id expect women as well as men to be dressed exceptionaly well. never mind make up i dont wanan see a woamn tak aout portable paint sprayer..but it does help.... make a woman a bit more colourfull. and give her face more depth...

If I were you and I intended on ever running a professional business, I'd be more worried about my own horrific English than about whether or not my female staff wore make up.
Do incorporate a proof-reader into your start-up budget

Abi · 07-04-2010 08:46PM

The air-hostesses are woeful for plastering it on. Whats more is, I think while they're in training they get lessons on how to walk like snotty bitches.

Its quite funny to see them trying to throw a models walk while dragging their trollies as you drive past the airport..

RacoonQueen · 07-04-2010 08:47PM

robinph wrote: »

Why do men not get asked if they are ill all the time then?

By continuing to wear makeup you create the false image of what you look like, when someone sees you looking different from that they then assume that something is wrong.

I blame the media for the way they portray women as beautiful and perfect.

Iolar wrote: »

pics or something something ...

Too good even for a camera...

The need for make up is largely down to self-esteem, like the whole tanning thing. I used make up a lot more as a teen than I do now, but even then I didn't use much it was just so that I[/i] knew I had it on. Even for a big night out I'd only wear foundation, powder and mascara..who can really be bothered sitting in front of a mirror for 30 minutes?

stepbar · 07-04-2010 08:52PM

Abitar wrote: »

The air-hostesses are woeful for plastering it on.

Aye, some like they're scudding a wall....

biko · 07-04-2010 09:14PM

Magenta wrote: »

If I were you and I intended on ever running a professional business, I'd be more worried about my own horrific English than about whether or not my female staff wore make up.
Do incorporate a proof-reader into your start-up budget

We all know S-M is dyslexic.

SherryD · 07-04-2010 09:15PM

I had a job where we had to wear make up, it wasn't in the contract but was assumed in the looking presentable section. Head office had the manager/supervisor of the day check all the girls to make sure we had it on.

N1njapirate · 07-04-2010 09:20PM

well I look a 1000000 times better with make-up. I'm wear a natural coloured foundation, but it improves me so much. I hate lots of make-up on girls. I suppose there's a happy medium..

But I started a new job two days ago, and I'm not allowed wear make-up.. far worse!

Alessandra · 07-04-2010 09:20PM

I've never had a job where I have had to wear make-up. I put on my make-up to hide my spots and blemishes and to accentuate my best features. I try not to trowel it on in the daytime. I always wear a concealer and eyeliner and the rest of my make-up varies depending on the necessity or where I am going. I would look deathly pale without some colour on my cheeks. Make-up makes me feel better and I don't think it's a crime./
I love the way some fellas here are saying they prefer the "natural look", chances are some girls who look like they are wearing no make-up have some form of a concealer or tinted moisturiser on! Sometimes make-up is very subtle too which I like.

Magenta · 07-04-2010 09:23PM

biko wrote: »

We all know S-M is dyslexic.

No we don't.

N1njapirate · 07-04-2010 09:26PM

Miss Lockhart wrote: »

I wear mascara every day as I have very light eyelashes. Other than that I only wear make up if going to a nightclub or wedding, so hardly ever. I think it looks nice but hate the way it feels. When I worked for a particular Irish supermarket chain it was in our staff handbook that we must wear light make up and also shoes with heels - no flats. I resented both these requirements.

Funny that, I've worked for Super Valu, Centra, and Tesco Ireland, and in every one of my contracts, it specifically said that:

- we were not to wear a high heel. Either flats or extremely low heel
- If make-up was to be worn at all, it had to be light and minimal.

The 'having to wear light make-up' requirement is there to say it can't be heavy and tacky, not that you have to wear it.

biko · 07-04-2010 09:29PM

Magenta wrote: »

No we don't.

Now you do.

Magenta · 07-04-2010 09:32PM

biko wrote: »

Now you do.

Sorry, I do apologise for not knowing a complete stranger's medical history.

rainbow kirby · 07-04-2010 09:33PM

I'd be very annoyed if I was going for a job and wearing makeup was part of the contract. I feel really uncomfortable with it on, and haven't worn it for any reason in a very long time.

robinph · 07-04-2010 09:37PM

If your looking really pale without makeup on, might that not be down to the fact that you usually have you face covered in stuff so therefore don't get exposed to the sunlight?

Neyite · 07-04-2010 09:39PM

i wear it out on a date with the OH, but not to work. they dont pay me enough to waste my gorgeousness in there.

McChubbin · 07-04-2010 09:50PM

Urgh. Make-up. I come from a family of "dollie boirds" and I really hate the whole make-up obsession. My aunt and grandmother rarely leave the house without troweling on the Clinque whilst my mother has on many occasions left myself, brother and stepdad waiting for +3hours whilst she gets her "face" on.

I myself never really bothered with it that much. Aside from having sensitive skin, I never felt the need to wear it everyday if I wasn't going somewhere important or eventful. Only time I ever wore it on a daily basis was back when I was a Goth and even then, nothing more than heavy eyeliner and lipstick. (Natural skin tone is "Bottle Of Milk" anyhoo. Wooo.)

These days, tinted moisturiser has become my handbag main stay. That's about it. Occasionally, I'll use a bit of eyeliner but other than that, I see no need to cake my face in a layer of greasy oils, powders and creams.

In spite of this, however, I am CONSTANTLY asked if I'm sick/tired by various female members of my family who simply can't fathom the idea of going out with anything less than 3 inches of make-up stuck to their faces.

It's irritating to no end but I'm proud of being pale and interesting. It's better than looking like a Tango-ed drag queen anyhoo... >_>

Miss Lockhart · 07-04-2010 09:57PM

N1njapirate wrote: »

Funny that, I've worked for Super Valu, Centra, and Tesco Ireland, and in every one of my contracts, it specifically said that:

- we were not to wear a high heel. Either flats or extremely low heel
- If make-up was to be worn at all, it had to be light and minimal.

The 'having to wear light make-up' requirement is there to say it can't be heavy and tacky, not that you have to wear it.

I don't see what's funny about it at all!? Our staff handbook said female staff "should wear light make up in order to maintain a professional appearance". If they simply wanted to prevent people trowelling it on they could have said something along the lines of "any make up should be subtle/natural etc". That said, nothing was ever said on the occasions where I did not wear any make up.

On the other hand I WAS pulled up for wearing flat shoes - they were plain black and very presentable but I was reminded that our dress code required female staff to wear black shoes with a heel. I'm sure stilettos would also be unacceptable for H&S reasons but they were definitely not content with flats.

It was not any of the supermarkets listed above and it was nearly 10 years ago now.

G86 · 07-04-2010 10:43PM

OP it was probably my post you saw, I don't HAVE to wear make up to work but I definitely wouldn't feel as professional without it, especially when meeting clients. It's probably more down to the fact that I feel more confident.

Cook!eMonster · 08-04-2010 01:45AM

its in my contract that i have to wear make up

il dig the contract out and find the actual paragraph where it says that

phasers · 08-04-2010 01:48AM

Cook!eMonster wrote: »

its in my contract that i have to wear make up

il dig the contract out and find the actual paragraph where it says that

What's your job? I mean if you work at a cosmetics counter or something that would be alright. It's all about context

Cook!eMonster · 08-04-2010 01:54AM

phasers wrote: »

What's your job? I mean if you work at a cosmetics counter or something that would be alright. It's all about context

i work in retail, in a clothes store!

epgc3fyqirnbsx · 08-04-2010 01:58AM

Cook!eMonster wrote: »

i work in retail, in a clothes store!

I really think that's ok so becasue it's all aboot fashion and appearance. A man who worked in a clothes store would also have to be stylish and clean shaven, unless he had designer fluff. If male make-up was ever popular in the mainstream they would be required to wear it too i'd imagine.
Btw, not doing a whole male/female thing, just rationalising it for me.
But bar something that was retail or meeting clients face to face as a representative, it would be extremely wrong to require make-up.

Cook!eMonster · 08-04-2010 02:02AM

Judith Numerous Cylinder wrote: »

I really think that's ok so becasue it's all aboot fashion and appearance. A man who worked in a clothes store would also have to be stylish and clean shaven, unless he had designer fluff. If male make-up was ever popular in the mainstream they would be required to wear it too i'd imagine.
Btw, not doing a whole male/female thing, just rationalising it for me.
But bar something that was retail or meeting clients face to face as a representative, it would be extremely wrong to require make-up.

Oh, I'm in total agreement that retail is all about fashion and appearance, and to be honest I probably wouldnt go out without make up anyway, but in that respect, I dont "HAVE" to wear it, I choose to wear it, it makes me feel more confident. As for the lads? Clean shaven isnt an issue at all, they arent even required to wear the clothes off the shop floor like the girls are!

epgc3fyqirnbsx · 08-04-2010 02:09AM

Cook!eMonster wrote: »

Oh, I'm in total agreement that retail is all about fashion and appearance, and to be honest I probably wouldnt go out without make up anyway, but in that respect, I dont "HAVE" to wear it, I choose to wear it, it makes me feel more confident. As for the lads? Clean shaven isnt an issue at all, they arent even required to wear the clothes off the shop floor like the girls are!

sure it's all good, you probably get a nice discount anyway

Girls who say they "have" to wear make up for work?

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