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Dressing

Makeup

MuseumGal

Veteran

Except for a swipe of lipstick, I don't wear makeup unless it's an EVENT. Which means I don't wear makeup hardly ever. You all made such a big deal about my madeup face yesterday for the Style Challenge, that when I got dressed to go out to dinner this afternoon, I decided to see if it really makes that much of a difference.

Photo 1 - overhead light, unmadeup and madeup face

Photo 2 - natural afternoon light, unmadeup and madeup face

Verdict: I'm not 22 anymore, and maybe I need to think about doing this more often!

ETA: I'm wearing foundation, concealer, eyeliner, mascara, blush and powder.

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Dressing

29 replies

Latest reply was from Beth Ann

carter

Veteran

Your skin is beautiful either way, but the make up really brings out your eyes and lips so beautifully. I think it looks very "finished". I vote yay for make up.

Lisa

Veteran

You look lovely either way. Your 'made up' look is with a light hand and just enhances your features. A great 'no makeup' look.

Helena

Veteran

Yes, me too - it just adds some polish and brightness. Very nice and natural-looking!

rachylou

Veteran

I feel... it makes you look more grown up.

Em

It makes a difference on everybody. Your make-up is not heavy. You just look like a better and more polished version of yourself and that should be the goal anyway.

rabbit

Veteran

You have great skin and pretty eyes and lips, the makeup you have put on just enhances these without looking noticeable. It's not necessary, but it's a small touch which adds something like a great accessory would.

I pretty much wear what you listed everyday (except for the blush and foundation, and it's usually lip gloss rather than lipstick). On a long and possibly sweaty/rainy day I skip the mascara. I even wear concealer backpacking (gotta look good for the bears) because it just feels as routine as brushing my teeth.

MuseumGal

Veteran

It's interesting that you all think this is a light natural makeup look - it's actually the heaviest that I know how to do! The only way I know to go "more" is darker lipstick and jewel colored eyeliner rather than brown. I feel very unnatural and madeup and like there's a neon sign pointing at my face.

Echo

Veteran

I agree that you have beautiful skin either way. It is likely you could achieve a polished daily look with just a tinted moisturizer or sheer foundation, but your features really look great with a bit of colour on your lips and a little eye enhancement. You don't look "made up" at all, and I think you look GREAT!

Neel

Veteran

I too think yours is a lovely subtle make up. But I know the made up feeling far too well. I still don't wear make up unless its a really big event! Takes time to get used to it I guess!

cciele

Veteran

Just repeating what others have said -- you look great either way and the make-up is so natural and gives a bit of polish!

sarah

Veteran

I think you should do what you feel comfortable/best doing. I don't wear makeup, generally, either, except for events. I know I'm a pretty extreme outlier around here, but I've made peace with what feels best for me (and in my work environment, where hardly anyone wears makeup). So, I would go with your gut/heart and do what makes you feel good!

rabbit

Veteran

Is it your skin that feels 'made up' or your eyes/lips? Because you don't need to use foundation at all I'd bet if you just use a little concealer set with powder instead or tinted moisturizer (if you wanted to for that look, of course none of this is necessary.) I never do, even for big events.

Also if your lips look too strong to you (I sometimes feel that way in lipstick) just mix a little of the color into a gloss instead or pat it off/tone it down with a little powder. Your eyes really don't look heavily made up - I always remember no-one else is going to be looking as close as me with my face an inch from the mirror, except the husband, and he's super honest

I actually started wearing a little more makeup after seeing how my face read in photos, and that I looked more like what I saw in the mirror (with all the feature detail and color) with makeup, then without in video/photo records of events.

Alexandra

(website)

Veteran

MG, it is interesting that you called it heavy. Is it the foundation and concealer that make it feel so? Or the total number of products used?

I like the look. Nice, natural, and polished. If you did this every day for a week or two, you'd get used to seeing yourself like this and you imaginary neon sign would likely disappear. And you'd get it down to a 5-minute routine.

DonnaF

Veteran

IMHO, the biggest difference in your appearance is when you wear lipstick which you pretty much wear anyway, right? Also, you have beautiful and beautifully groomed eyebrows, and I think that adds a lot to your polished appearance. The rest is frosting, which you can wear or skip as you wish since you have such a great natural foundation!

Marmee

Veteran

You are so beautiful both ways! You look more polished with the makeup, but I like the natural look too. You could also try just eyes and lips if you're feeling like the foundation is too much.

I should try this, too!

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Everyone looks brighter, stronger featured, and more defined with make-up - men too. I love the polish that make-up can provide. Have you tried a tinted moisturizer instead of foundation? Also, leaving off the liner and applying mascara is plenty eye make-up. That's all I ever do. EVER.

I LOVE the way you applied your make-up. xo

Emily

Veteran

You have naturally gorgeous skin, beautiful features, elegantly groomed eyebrows, and clearly a skilled hand at makeup. You carry off a dark lip perfectly. I think you could achieve a look just as polished with a bit of colour on your eyes and lips, and touch of concealer if you like, rather than a full face of foundation.

Golden

Veteran

You look very pretty with your make up! Definitely more polished.

April

Veteran

I tend to prefer a little makeup -- on everyone -- to nothing, so I'm a fan of this look.

The neon sign effect, IMHO, is just because makeup isn't an everyday thing for you. It will fade. I think makeup finishes things off and makes everything look a little more deliberate. And it's so much fun!

deb

Veteran

Your eyes look much brighter and more pronounced with the makeup. Your skin is beautiful both ways. You are beautiful!

Peri

Veteran

I'm a big fan of makeup as well, and the way you have done this looks great. I think it is just part of a polished appearance...no more vain than fashion and caring what we wear.

Caro in Oz

Veteran

What Angie said You don't have to look made up.

Mo

(website)

Veteran

Yay for a flick of mascara and swipe of lip color for most of us to polish off our every day look a bit!

Kristin L

Veteran

You have beautiful skin. But, like everyone has said, the make-up adds a bit of polish. If you want a lighter foundation, you can try Bare Minerals. It's never felt heavy or very "made-up" on me, if that makes sense.

Gigi

Veteran

I agree with the others, that you have a beautiful complexion but the makeup just makes you look more polished.

I think that part of your reaction has to do with simply not being used to seeing yourself like that. I am going through something similar—I am starting to wear makeup after not having worn it for years. Today, I just wore mascara and blush and a very light lip color. When I looked in the mirror, I was quite startled! It looks so different. But others won't have the same strong reaction. They'll just think, "She looks pretty."

I got a makeup consultation before I bought the makeup I'm wearing now (I'm terrible with picking colors myself), and when I came home and really got a good look at myself in the mirror, I was stunned. I said to myself, "I will never have to worry about having a good hair day again, because with properly applied makeup, my face is so eye-catching as to make my hair almost unimportant!" And it's true. Well-applied makeup adds that polished look that Angie is always talking about. I am starting to see that if a person takes care to be polished—some well-chosen, well-applied makeup, nicely groomed nails, nice hair (doesn't have to be perfect, though)—she looks fabulous even if her outfit is only so-so. I am starting to feel like makeup is one very helpful part of an overall fab look. It's kind of like an accessory.

MuseumGal

Veteran

Lots of good advice, thanks all. What feels heavy and unnatural is the foundation on my face. I think I will do as several of you suggested and experiment with just concealer and/or a lighter tinted moisturizer. I've always had a hard time finding a foundation that matches my skin tone, and what I have now matches, but feels too heavy. If I take it to a makeup place will they be able to show me something the same color but in a different formulation?
I'm currently using Pur Minerals foundation and concealer, and the concealer in particular feels very heavy on my face - but the foundation (actually tinted moisturizer) doesn't give enough coverage on its own.

Anonymous

You could try findation to help find other matching foundations. You are beautiful with and without the makeup!

deb

Veteran

Check out the Clinique CC cream. They have a good range of colors for tinted moisturizers and have the only one that matched my skin.

Beth Ann

Veteran

Deb's recommendation is a good one. I love Garnier's BB cream -- more coverage than a tinted moisturizer but less than foundation. In summer, I've used a mineral powder base -- it's easy to control the amount of coverage.

For someone who "doesn't wear makeup," your application is light and beautiful!