Nemosmom, when I was in my 20s I worked with a woman who had been beauty queen. I distinctly remember studying her face across across a conference table during a meeting. Her makeup was designed to be seen from 20 or 30 feet away. The contouring was interesting to say the least.

Yep, I totally relate. A bare face just seems unfinished-like being without earrings. Silly cause men do it all the time and look normal. Maybe men have more contrast, or broader features, or thicker brows (and often lashes -grrr)?

....I don’t wear earrings

Whatever floats your boat. It’s all good!

In my 40s and I rarely wear make up. Occasional use of eyeliner, eyeshadow and brow defining powder, but rarely bother because of my glasses masking the effort. Sometimes mineral powder to conceal redness for official photos. I have rosacea and my skin is highly reactive. Almost never lipstick because I hate the search for one that I like. So, au naturel is my normal. The complete opposite of my mom who never leaves the house without half an hour applying make up. Perhaps my au naturel is a rebellion. I want to be wash and go, easy maintenance. Even my hair is wash, then finger comb leave in conditioner and go.

Being in sales and therefore in front of people a lot for work over the years, I always, always wear makeup in my professional life. But reading through this thread and reflecting, I admit that I actually almost always wear makeup if I am leaving my house! Other than 6:30 a.m. yoga, or when I used to seriously train for running and cycling, I will wear a little make up. For most of my life I wore eye shadow every day, as well as eyeliner, mascara and blush. Over the years I added foundation, then cut back to cc cream with sunscreen. I use a concealer under my eyes now, prior to the cc cream. I only wear serious eye shadow for evening in recent years. I do use a cream eye shadow that is almost skin tone, just to even out the veins that are visible. I recently discovered brow gel, and love it. I apply lipstick, but forget to reapply. It wears off so quickly.

I think makeup, applied correctly, makes everyone look more polished. I used to watch What Not to Wear, and when they spun those ladies around after their hair and makeup session, they always looked so much better and put together.

I am personally not a fan of the Instagram look, as someone so aptly put it, that many young women are into -especially the super defined heavy brows and fake lashes.

This is fascinating. I’ve never really thought about it but I’ve always worn makeup unless I’m going running or to the gym at 4:30 in the am. Foundation, eyeshadow, liner, mascara—the works with a light hand for a natural look. Like Lisa, my ”soft” features need definition especially as I get older. I know a lot of younger people who don’t wear makeup to work but do for going out socially.

I wear make up almost every day. The only exceptions being when I do not leave the apartment complex that day, which is rare.

I use foundation, blush, lipstick, eye shadow and brow pencil. With foundation I use a light to moderate amount. Lipstick to me is very essential.

I wear a bit of make up daily. With my lighter hair (and lightening eyebrows) I like the color and contrast that an eyebrow pencil, mascara and lip color give me. I almost always choose a bold lip color. I apply sunscreen and will sometimes mix a tinted moisturizer with it. I wear eye liner about 50% of the time. Without some makeup, I fear I might look colorless.
On the weekends I sometimes skip the lip color.
I don’t apply a full face of make up (foundation, blush, eye shadow) unless going to an event. DD is an aesthetician and will often do my make up for me.....what a treat and I never look overdone.

I wear makeup to work and sometimes not on weekends
Lipstick for me is hopeless! I like it but I can’t keep it on my lips and I have never found one that doesn’t dry my lips out... but I keep trying!

So interesting to read everyone’s responses!

I actually wear less makeup than I did when I was younger. My eyebrows have thinned as I’ve gotten older, so I use an eyebrow pencil every morning and a light foundation/sunscreen blend. And that’s it. I would wear a bit of lipstick every day, but, like Momo, find it dries out my lips so save it for special occasions. The other staff in my workplace are very casual; I may possibly wear more makeup than any of them! The youngest is 29; I’m the oldest woman on staff, in my mid-50’s.

I used to wear foundation, blush, eye shadow, mascara, and lipstick.

I'm a bit like Angie - I wear natural-looking makeup everyday, regardless if I'm cleaning the house, sick, going to work, going out ... it just feels like part of getting dressed to me. Occasionally I'll wear a brighter lippie but usually a tinted balm does the job. When my son was born, I would put makeup no matter what else didn't get done - including, some days, a shower! The odd day I'll skip it if my eczema is bad and I want to slather layers of moisturizer all day, but that's about it, and that's rare.

I agree that young people around here either seem to be fairly au naturel, or else full-on photo-ready makeup. I think it's such a shame when I see these beautiful young girls covering every inch of their skin with foundations, contours, and all - but I try to restrain judgement as I'm sure my mom didn't love my 90s all-brown lipstick/eyeshadow/liner look back in the day either

I wear almost no makeup most days. The most I ever do is a swipe of lip gloss or a bit of mascara if I'm looking particularly tired that day. I work in an academic lab, with lots of younger people and it's very casual. Even women who wear makeup daily go for a very natural, understated look and the majority are like me and wear hardly anything. The few women who wear heavy foundation, bright lipstick, or similar really stand out and not necessarily in a good way.

I live in a big city, i hardly wear makeup at all (foundation, eye shadow) but i always wear lipstick.. so that my face lighten up and look more lively haha otherwise i just look like just got out of bed