When wearing makeup becomes important

I haven't worn make up for years. DH and I were lucky to "winter" in Spain for many years and this gave me a bit of glow to my face. When going out for the evening I would use a lipstick but that was it. We stopped doing this when DH became poorly which co-incided with our only DGS being born and my time was taken up with other things! After DH passed away I got so many remarks made to me about how I looked poorly and needed to look after myself. I felt fine just sad so took myself off to Boots cosmetic counter for the first time ever. I don't know whether I just landed lucky or what but I got the best of attention and it wasn't just a hard-sell to buy their products. I did buy their foundation which I now use every day and found eyebrow pencil and lipstick in a drawer which I have now upgraded. I laughed out loud the other day when I found myself touching up my lipstick mid-morning (it is so "not me"!) but it really does make you feel better.

I may have said previously that I was divorced a while ago and have been through a period of bitterness that I now understand has made me into a grumpy and frumpy woman. I'm now trying to reverse that, and am looking to buy some new clothes (probably from charity shops due to price) and start wearing makeup to give me an inner boost. I used to when I was younger, and not sure I stopped.

Full works for me too, at all times.

Haven't taken it off since 1978.

Only DP has seen me without it. Briefly.

I wear make up daily , mainly to even out skin tone and add a little colour to my cheeks! I emphasise my lips these days as opposed to eyes when I was younger, occasionally wear mascara - helps me not feel my age !!

I try to put on foundation/powder, eyeliner and lipstick before I go out, does me good....when working did the full works!

I have been reading this with interest, I do make up in fits and starts, then I looked in the mirror in the local supermarket on Thursday and saw a mad cat lady looking bac at me.
Taking DGs to Basketball practice tonight and got the hairdryer out and put on a bit of slap.
Thanks Ladies I even feel better.

By the way, I’m a big fan of bb cream- lighter than foundation, and giving a natural look. I use Estée Lauder, but tbh can’t see any difference between that and Aldi’s own brand!

I wonder if any of you know about this:
www.bergenbelsen.co.uk/pages/Database/ReliefStaffAccount.asp?HeroesID=17&

To summarise, it is about a consignment of lipstick that was sent to Bergen-Belsen concentration camp just after its liberation, and the effect it had on the morale of the women. The last three sentences are moving.

Moisturiser, bb creme foundation with a tint and spf 15 (decleor), Mac eyebrow wand, Mac light powder and coral lipstick. Takes 10 mins max and lasts all day. When working from home I have make up free days. I never plucked eyebrows in the 70s so still have some! Mascara bit of a marmite thing for me but currently using Clinique as doesn’t give me red eyes. I get eyelashes dyed for holidays! Wish I could learn how to do eye make up properly. Great thread.

*Parfume

Hello there.
I like Makeup although I use a mixture between both the cheaper brands and expensive brands I love watching Trinny (of London)and I am thinking if trying her Makeup...I enjoy her almost daily videos re both Make up and clothes ...
Another person I like to watch is Wayne Goss...at first ut may seem strange a guy teaching us to apply Makeup but I soon grew to like him.
I use Oarfune every day and My fav is Cest et Belle ..I dont wait for special occasions.Do what makes u happy

Oh, always look your absolute best! Make-up, jewellery, clothes ...

Slop around at home, by all means. But when you go out make a splash!

Although I haven't gone grey yet (one benefit of red hair!) I look washed out without make up. I don't wear it if I'm not going out but otherwise I use foundation, eyeliner & lipstick. I can't wear mascara as they all irritate my eyes but I sometimes get my eyelashes dyed.

With foundation, the secret of it not looking obvious is to apply it with a brush. A beautician showed me how to do it and it works well, plus it's economical so I don't mind splashing out for a better quality brand.

I had some surgey this week which necessitated no make up or nail varnish and with hair scraped back into a net-type thing.

I glanced in a mirror as I left the room and was astonished to see my mother looking back at me, just as she was before she passed away aged mid-eighties.

I am sixteen years younger - the lack of make-up really aged me and it was scary!

I think I look tired and ill with no make up on and, because I look like that, it makes me feel tired and ill too

I'm early 60s, always been a tomboy, I have hardly ever worn make up and doubt I will again. In my mid-teens my friends and I used to keep a tube of Miners eye shadow cream in our school skirt pockets, to slick on as soon as we got outside the gates. At 15 I started going out with a boy from the school next door, his mother and older sister wore a lot of make up and he liked the fact that I didn't, so I ditched the pocket eye shadow! I did wear a minimal amount for my wedding and even now I just don't think the photos look like me.

My dear, late ex-MIL had a knack of looking me up and down as she was talking to me and then dropping in a comment about someone who 'doesn't really make any effort... if you know what I mean...', but she had been an 'IT' girl in her day, and a face full of slap really mattered - cake foundation, powder, rose pink lips, blue eyeshadow, rouge (as it was called before blusher), eye liner, mascara. Often lilac rinsed hair too!

Unfathomably my two daughters are career girls who have to look the part, but they'd never leave the house without a full make up. They think I'm a lost cause who should be living in a cave.

RedRidingHood Oh sorry you have to wait so long but it's well worth waiting for. I only had to wait a few weeks but that was many years ago.

Suki70 yes I have heard of the Look Good Feel better sessions and I have my name down but there is a 3-4 month waiting list and I won't get a place until about February!

I've always felt that makeup on older skin is very aging as it accentuates the wrinkles.

I have always worn make up. If I am staying indoors lipstick and eyebrow pencil. When I started work in 1939 the girls encouraged me to pluck my eyebrows in the then fashion. They never grew back. When I go out I use a little foundation, eyeshadow, mascara, blusher as well. Always use perfume.

nanasam Have you tried Boots Natural Collection make up.
I can only use that for my eyes as I have allergies too.
I don't use eye shadow but have the mascara and eye pencil.
I used to try the hypo- allergenic mascara's too but they still made my eye water.
Have a try of the Natural Collection one. It's only about £2 something.

RedRidingHood Have you heard of the Look Good Feel Better charity that holds make up workshops at hospitals around the UK for women having cancer treatment? There were about ten women on the one I attended and four beauticians who, after establishing our skin tones , gave each of us a bag of make up products and then demonstrated how to use them. With their guidance we then made up our own faces. All the products are donated by well known companies and I worked out my bag contained £250 worth of make up.

I don’t leave the house without eyebrows. They are the frame of your face and , as mine are now white, they look non existent. I also use a little lipstick to brighten things up. Going grey or white can be very draining on the face. A little colour goes a long way.

I never wear it - as the saying goes, you can put lipstick on a pig, but it's still a pig. Good for those who do - but I don't see the point personally.

The full slap for me. Love it. ?