Wearing or not wearing makeup

My daily routine takes around 2 minutes - eyeliner, lipliner, mascara, eyebrow pencil and lipstick. I rarely bother if I’m not going anywhere, but I think I look better with it. If I’m going somewhere special I’ll take a bit longer, perhaps a tinted moisturiser, a streak of eyeshadow, a bit of rouge, maybe brush on some bronzer and highlighter if I’m pushing the boat out.

I can understand the youngsters dedicating time to their appearance and the latest trends, as I did the same back in the day. Anyone else remember the 3 or 4 coats of black mascara so your lashes looked fake, the “eyelashes” drawn in black liner under the bottom lids, the fake freckles and strategic beauty spot, the white lipstick? I used to think I looked fabulous - how I wish I had a photo to make the grandsons laugh!

Oh Maggiemaybe, you brought the memories back! I remember when I was about 12, watching a friend’s very glamorous mum putting her makeup on. To my disgust, when it came to the mascara, she SPAT (shock, horror) on the little brush and rubbed it onto the mascara block before applying it to her lashes. I was horrified! She used a cake foundation too, and applied blusher (then called ‘rouge’) liberally to her cheeks. Lipstick was applied, blotted, then applied again twice more. What a performance. The day I watched her do this, she was apparently going shopping! Goodness knows what lengths she went to for an evening out!

A good moisuriser, and nothing else.

Crossstitch I also remember seeing someone spitting into the mascara brush before rubbing it on the block. I always used mascara in tubes with wands so I was a bit taken aback by it 😆

I’m not sure mascara came in anything but blocks in the 50s, AmberGran. My mum had a block mascara but she dampened her brush by running it under the tap and shaking off the excess. She would never in a million years have spat on it!

I don't wear make-up very often, not because I'm beautiful and youthful-looking without it (I wish!), but because I'm lazy, don't like the feel of it and am so short-sighted that I'm useless at applying it.

I do have a reasonable skincare routine and wear skin and lip moisturiser.

I usually manage to jab the mascara wand into my eye, growstuff
Can't see without my glasses, can't apply it wearing glasses!

My apologies to Granmarderby10. I somehow quoted the wrong post in my post, on page 5. My strictures were aimed at dotscot's post just below Grandmarderby10

I just do not understand how that happened.

Or describe its natural colour as washed out without makeup?

Well, dotscot, I presume you are referring to my post.

If long-term illness can make someone look 'washed out' then I see no reason why they should have to go around looking pale and yes - washed out - and having people ask if they feel all right. Wearing a little makeup so that they don't look pale and 'washed out' can boost their morale and stop all the questions about one's health.

So I'll carry on using the blusher.

AmberGran

^Why do some people feel the need to perpetuate the pervasive denial of normal aging processes by making themselves look younger?^

Aging doesn't bother me in the least. However, I don't like looking as if I am at death's door. I am naturally pale, with very dark hair. I don't mind the pale skin but along with the dark circles and hollows under the eyes, plus red eyelids if I'm not sleeping well, I often do look ill. Some days I look fine, on others I don't. It takes 5 minutes to mitigate most of this, and the face I present to the world shows how I feel - healthy and cheerful, if a little tired.

Why do so many people who choose not to wear makeup assume that anyone who does has been brainwashed???

Well said!

I used to love wearing a bit of make up, but as I get older my eyes run with any mascara and I've tried lots, even the very gentle ones, which is a shame really as I would still like to wear a bit.

I can't even remember the last time I spent time with or spoke to a woman wearing make-up. They're all bare-faced hussies like me.