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I love to be feminine....I can't not be feminine & I have a straight sexual orientation ...BUT ofc there are different lifestyles & gender identities that don't want to be. That was really part of my question & reason for my interest tho in my O.P. Lots of nurses don't wear a lot of makeup at work.......but most of us usually have on a BB cream & a little lip color...mascara at least. Some of the female nurses that are gay don't wear makeup at all.........& they are very open about why. A N D I've seen gay males that will wear it......so possibly gender identity makes lots of sense IMO....
It's not a gender identity thing in my case. I'm not shooting for masculine, I just don't have a lot of investment in pumping up the feminine energy in my personal image. I've always been more interested in being a "cool person" rather than a "hot woman." Though I can do the latter, it feels like wearing a costume...which is fun sometimes, but not who I genuinely am. I've never wanted to be male, though, and I'm not androgynous either. People look at me and know I'm a woman. Even without makeup! I don't wear it to work, either. Some of the women in my office do, and some don't.
I identify as "lazy." lol!
But this isn't really a self esteem thing. It's more a question of just...where my priorities are and what I choose to put time and energy and money into. I want to be clean, to smell nice, and to have healthy hair and skin, so I do my cleansing and moisturizing and all that jazz. But makeup, maintaining hair dye or even styling my hair, painting my nails...not so much, no. I've got great self esteem, I think, but it's based more on my mind, taste, personality. I do work very hard to keep a clean home. I take a lot of pride in that. So yeah, we invest importance in different things, which is cool IMO, how boring life would be if we were all the same!
Oh and as for lesbians, I have known some VERY femme (even "high femme") lesbians. You know the term, "lipstick lesbian" right? Totally a thing! And they don't always go for the "butch" types either, I've known femme-femme couples aplenty. While I technically consider myself to be bi or pansexual maybe, I am in all honesty more straight than not. And plenty of straight women, who identify as women, don't wear makeup. I'm not sure that there is really a link, there.
Though for whatever it's worth, as they've got a term for everything, they have a term (or two) for what you're talking about here. "Gender expression" or "Gender performance."
I never wore makeup except on very rare occasions. I was dark complected with plenty of dark brows and lashes and olive skin with high coloring, so I never needed it and still looked good. Now I'm older, grayer, and more washed out (and would probably look better if I did), but I'm also too old to care. Still low-maintenance after all these years... Old habits die hard.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sonic_Spork
It's not a gender identity thing in my case. I'm not shooting for masculine, I just don't have a lot of investment in pumping up the feminine energy in my personal image. I've always been more interested in being a "cool person" rather than a "hot woman." Though I can do the latter, it feels like wearing a costume...which is fun sometimes, but not who I genuinely am. I've never wanted to be male, though, and I'm not androgynous either. People look at me and know I'm a woman. Even without makeup! I don't wear it to work, either. Some of the women in my office do, and some don't.
I identify as "lazy." lol!
But this isn't really a self esteem thing. It's more a question of just...where my priorities are and what I choose to put time and energy and money into. I want to be clean, to smell nice, and to have healthy hair and skin, so I do my cleansing and moisturizing and all that jazz. But makeup, maintaining hair dye or even styling my hair, painting my nails...not so much, no. I've got great self esteem, I think, but it's based more on my mind, taste, personality. I do work very hard to keep a clean home. I take a lot of pride in that. So yeah, we invest importance in different things, which is cool IMO, how boring life would be if we were all the same!
Oh and as for lesbians, I have known some VERY femme (even "high femme") lesbians. You know the term, "lipstick lesbian" right? Totally a thing! And they don't always go for the "butch" types either, I've known femme-femme couples aplenty. While I technically consider myself to be bi or pansexual maybe, I am in all honesty more straight than not. And plenty of straight women, who identify as women, don't wear makeup. I'm not sure that there is really a link, there.
Though for whatever it's worth, as they've got a term for everything, they have a term (or two) for what you're talking about here. "Gender expression" or "Gender performance."
I didn't say that gender identity was a thing in your case.....I just asked because for the women that I personally know at work that don't ever wear any makeup....it is. I know it's not the *only* reason for all women......I said some of the different reasons it can be in my O.P. & I am sure there are more too. Retirement is given as a reason lots of times too.........that would make sense IMO. Somebody else said lack of time & that makes no sense to me as a reason for *no makeup* because a basic program for skin care....& a BB cream.....& a touch of lip color or mascara can take 5 minutes. IMO....it's stuff more like gender identity......or retirement & they just don't want to be bothered with the cost of it........stuff like that. I never said it was a self esteem thing for you or my friends.....or anybody....& we all have minds, tastes, personalities.....but this thread isn't about that. I know there are "lipstick lesbians" too........but they don't usually gender identify as male....but some "butch" types might. Not all gay men wear makeup either. Sexual orientation is different than gender identification & IMO not wearing makeup...or wearing it... has nothing to do with being straight or gay......but for some it does have to do with their gender identification............
Seriously I might wear it more if I could manage to find something that didn't feel gross to me or that didn't look like crap within a matter of hours. Even with expensive and new product, and a conscious effort to not touch my eyes, if I wear eyeliner (which is a favorite thing for even a basic look for me) then by about 4-5 hours it'll be smudgy and messy looking, no saving it unless I wash it off and re-apply. Lipstick too, always ends up looking like crumbly crud on my mouth, or it fades out utterly in no time (stains do that.) I had one product that was a matte thing that looked good the first few times I wore it, but now it's doing the same as the others always do. My lips dry out when I'm wearing it, and then it's all icky looking.
Frankly part of my reluctance to wear the stuff is that I've just given up trying. So if I consider it a fuss or hassle, that's what I mean. Not the time it takes to apply (though every second is precious in my mornings.) This.
No makeup here - 63. On occasion, MAYBE a little lip color. If I am really putting on the dog, I do have some mascara. I also have some foundation in case something needs to be covered up.
I never really wore it throughout my life. Just experimented a little as a teen. Heck I remember when mascara came in a cake with a little brush you rubbed on it.
I didn't say that gender identity was a thing in your case.....I just asked because for the women that I personally know at work that don't ever wear any makeup....it is. I know it's not the *only* reason for all women......I said some of the different reasons it can be in my O.P. & I am sure there are more too. Retirement is given as a reason lots of times too.........that would make sense IMO. Somebody else said lack of time & that makes no sense to me as a reason for *no makeup* because a basic program for skin care....& a BB cream.....& a touch of lip color or mascara can take 5 minutes. IMO....it's stuff more like gender identity......or retirement & they just don't want to be bothered with the cost of it........stuff like that. I never said it was a self esteem thing for you or my friends.....or anybody....& we all have minds, tastes, personalities.....but this thread isn't about that. I know there are "lipstick lesbians" too........but they don't usually gender identify as male....but some "butch" types might. Not all gay men wear makeup either. Sexual orientation is different than gender identification & IMO not wearing makeup...or wearing it... has nothing to do with being straight or gay......but for some it does have to do with their gender identification............
What is this thread about? You seemed to initially ask to try to gain more understanding, but you then make snide remarks about how women who don’t wear makeup seem to have problems with gender identity, lower self esteem, don’t have valid excuses, etc. Just because it isn’t your practice doesn’t mean those choices aren’t valid ones. This is 2020 and women no longer have to wear makeup. Your comments just show that there are still lingering stereotypes about how women SHOULD wear makeup, which is problematic.
If a woman doesn’t want to wear makeup, great. If a man or someone with a non-binary gender identity wants to wear makeup, fantastic. I think people should be able to express themselves how they want to express themselves.
I wear makeup. Fake eyelashes every day. My brows are microbladed and I love them!
Facial oil, foundation, mineral powder, five colors of contouring and highlighters, kohl eyeliner from the middle east, liquid eyeliner on top, mascara, red lipstick and red nails.
I didn't say that gender identity was a thing in your case.....I just asked because for the women that I personally know at work that don't ever wear any makeup....it is. I know it's not the *only* reason for all women......I said some of the different reasons it can be in my O.P. & I am sure there are more too. Retirement is given as a reason lots of times too.........that would make sense IMO. Somebody else said lack of time & that makes no sense to me as a reason for *no makeup* because a basic program for skin care....& a BB cream.....& a touch of lip color or mascara can take 5 minutes. IMO....it's stuff more like gender identity......or retirement & they just don't want to be bothered with the cost of it........stuff like that. I never said it was a self esteem thing for you or my friends.....or anybody....& we all have minds, tastes, personalities.....but this thread isn't about that. I know there are "lipstick lesbians" too........but they don't usually gender identify as male....but some "butch" types might. Not all gay men wear makeup either. Sexual orientation is different than gender identification & IMO not wearing makeup...or wearing it... has nothing to do with being straight or gay......but for some it does have to do with their gender identification............
The bolded isn't true. What about figuring out which product works for your skin type and skin tone? Shopping time? Time spent competent with technique? It's not a matter of the perfect selection of products magically appearing in your bathroom and you slap it on in five minutes and that's it. You have to think about it, plan, shop, and do. That's not something I care to use my time and brain space for. And no, that doesn't make me a lesbian, butch or otherwise, or someone in the middle of a gender identity crisis. Fer cryin' out loud, I thought we were past that sort of thing - women being expected to look a certain way or they must be [insert some weird thing].
I have seen lots of ladies in Fashion & Beauty & other threads that don't like makeup or think it's a waste of money....or because they are older....I've seen that too in this forum. So.....I want to take an informal survey & just ask if you don't wear makeup, what's the reason? Is it expense....or you just don't care.....or it's "too girly" for you.....or you did when you were younger but you don't think it's necessary or matters now?
As a lifestyle & beauty vlogger.....I get questions all the time about "simplifying" or fresh looks ....(& I love doing videos to answer those questions).......but hardly anything from girls & ladies of all ages that use *no makeup*.......ofc, they probably wouldn't be watching my channel tho......
I'm 59 and I never thought wearing makup was necessary. When I was a teenager my mother, tried to convince me to wear it. I never wanted to and thought it to be a waste of my time. She brought my father into the discussion, who of course had to take her side on the issue told me, 'even a barn looks better with a coat of paint on it'. She looked at him like what?
I ended up wearing it on occasion, just so as to make her happy and she'd leave me alone.
Any way, I have a sister that is 4 years older than I am that is a 'dress for success' type of person. The only time she isn't wearing makeup is when she goes to bed. And if she is caught without it on, which is a rare occasion, it's like awkward moment for her. She also won't wear an outfit that costs less than $300.00, because that is the world she is in. She would not be happy in any other world.
In my mid thirties, I entered college, later divorced, raising my kids as a single mom and I had to 'dress for success'. I can do this, I did do that --- makeup, suit with heals. Did the whole presentation, because I had to, not because I wanted to. I have a sister, I called her and told her, I need your help, I need clothes ... she did not want to send me her 'hand me downs', but she did it. because she knew.
Career wise things changed for me in 2001 and now I can be me, (and relax) except on the rare occasion the presentation is needed at a job interview. That's the only time I will paint my nails, too.
I just don't understand what all the fuss is about in wearing make up, because I happen to think that the natural wood color of a barn, is gorgeous. but then maybe that's just me.
The bolded isn't true. What about figuring out which product works for your skin type and skin tone? Shopping time? Time spent competent with technique? It's not a matter of the perfect selection of products magically appearing in your bathroom and you slap it on in five minutes and that's it. You have to think about it, plan, shop, and do. That's not something I care to use my time and brain space for. And no, that doesn't make me a lesbian, butch or otherwise, or someone in the middle of a gender identity crisis. Fer cryin' out loud, I thought we were past that sort of thing - women being expected to look a certain way or they must be [insert some weird thing].
I stopped going to have my hair cut. I like it short, like really, really short --- yep, who knew hairdressers would have issues. The person that cut it, she took a hunk out in the back, on purpose. So now it is long and I wear it in a pony tail --- people will drive me crazy if I let 'em.
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I don't wear it to work, either. Some of the women in my office do, and some don't.
She looked at him like what? 
but then maybe that's just me.
