Ask Your Husbands: Makeup or No?
// 12.20.07 // Filed under: Thriving
OK, quick poll here. I just had a chat with a male friend who tells me he doesn’t think makeup makes any woman look better. He would prefer a supermodel in street clothes and no makeup as opposed to being dolled up. Personally, I’ve never heard another human being express this opinion.
Even as a woman, I prefer seeing other woman in makeup, nice clothes and attractive hairstyles. Ditto with men (except for the makeup). So what say you internetz? (For some reason the poll is getting pushed down under the advertisement below, so please scroll down a little bit to vote!)
Truthiness: In Which I Stretch My Limits
Homeschoolers, I’m Just Curious
It’s Tough Being on the Fringe
33 Responses to “Ask Your Husbands: Makeup or No?”
Leave a Reply
My Blog Design Portfolio.
My Webstream.
Yesterday |
|
|---|---|
|
Here's a job I want: Professional Game Guru/Host for Gamin' Ride. http://www.gaminride.com/ (Son just got invited to one of these parties.) [#]
|
|
|
Palin resigned. Wow. I kinda had some hopes for her. Bummer. http://bit.ly/trOt [#]
|
|
|
Daughter dropped nail polish on floor in supermarket. Splattered ALL over her clothes and skin. I'm breaking out tomorrow's alcohol tonight. [#]
|
|
|
Food? I don't need no stinkin' food. [#]
|
|
|
Wow, the weather looks PERFECT for tomorrow. Mother Nature owes us this in the northeast! [#]
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyone play the game Black & White? It's an older game, right? Is it good? [#]
|
|
|
I am getting old. Takes me about 20 minutes each morning to wake up. My bones ache and I sneeze a billion times. Coffeeeeeee! [#]
|
July 2nd |
|
|
|
Anyone else have problem of others thinking you wrote a post that you shared on Twitter (but didn't write)? Thought I was labeling clearly. [#]
|
|
|
→_→ "Twitter Tweaks Some Tools: Blissfully Domestic" ( http://bit.ly/Lyrqt ) [#]
|
Powered by Lifestream from iBegin.
Tagalicious
Categories
Search
I’m in agreement - I prefer women (my wife or otherwise) without makeup.
I do appreciate it when a woman dresses up nice or does her hair if she feels like “being girly”… but I can appreciate a woman just as much in a comfortable pair of jeans and a favorite shirt.
Really - it’s what you’re comfortable and confident wearing, in my book. If makeup, a sexy outfit and some serious mirror time with a hairdryer give you that extra confidence and “I’m lookin’ good” feeling, then go for it!
I tell my wife this, and she says, “I’m not always dressing up for you, I like dressing up ‘for me’” which I can appreciate, especially for the “confident/sexy” feeling.
Also - makeup and lipstick really don’t taste good after kisses. *grin*
-Rick
(Fungible)
I have a feeling most men don’t notice a woman is wearing makeup, if she is sporting a “natural” look. Just like they can’t tell that those women we see in the media have been airbrushed to death.
My husband says that most women look better without makeup - or rather, that makeup does not make a woman prettier. I’m not a big fan of makeup myself; I only wear a bit of base to hide the freckles or whatever. I never wore makeup until I hit 35 though (unless I was going out for a really special occasion).
I agree with Rick - it’s all in what you’re comfortable in. If you like doing your hair and putting on makeup, and it makes you feel good about yourself, then do it! Personally, I prefer jeans and a t-shirt and semi-done hair. But when a woman is confident, I think that makes her attractive, no matter how she’s dressed.
It was my husband whose conversation with Shannon prompted this post, and I’m glad he prefers the look of women without makeup because I do too. I almost never wear makeup (I do rarely wear eyeliner to accentuate my rather small eyes, but usually only for photo shoots or other formal events). I don’t think I’ve ever owned a lipstick, eye shadow, or mascara. Eww.
I think most women’s faces look nice as they are, and a layer of artificial hues and enhancers only detracts from this natural beauty (most especially when the makeup starts clumping, running, cracking, wearing unevenly, etc… which it all tends to do within an hour or so of application). I am curious to know what other men think about this, however, as make-up is such a common beauty ritual for women in this culture and it seems most women I know feel the need to put it on in order to feel pretty or dressy. And having never worn make-up myself, I’ve often wondered about the kissing/tasting factor to which Rick alluded. I know I wouldn’t want to make out with my husband if his face were covered in paint!
Huh. I am really very surprised at this response so far. I’ve seen lots of women who don’t regularly wear makeup and then get “made up” for a wedding or event and I ALWAYS think they look more beautiful.
So Trixie, you think my makeup clumps and cracks and looks gross?
I think if makeup is applied correctly it enhances a person’s features, makes them look “warm” and healthy, and it even protects your skin from sun damage in some cases.
And I’ve heard guys say it’s totally hot to see a woman apply lipstick!
In reading all the comments and the post I think there are two different threads here about the uses of makeup. The use to be alluring and the use to accentuate the beauty we already have.
I’m a no makeup woman save for the occasional dress up occasion. I don’t think I look MORE beautiful when I dress up but I do feel that I draw the eye towards those parts of myself that are “pretty”. Accentuate the positives if you will.
As for being alluring I don’t have to work that line as much since I’m married now. But back in the dating days I would absolutely utilize the lipstick move!
My husband is vehemently “anti-makeup”. On anyone. Ever.
I am a-okay with that since I have very little interest in it myself - but I DO put it on for anything “professional” or where I need to look pulled together. (So, like, once or twice a year!)
Shannon, you really want me to post my opinion of your makeup here on this public forum?
Honestly, I think you look nicer without makeup. But that’s just my aesthetic preference, and it’s clear we have differing tastes here. Based on your comment, it seems likely that you’d think I’d look nicer with makeup. But I don’t prep my looks to please your aesthetic sensibilities, and I sure hope you don’t prep yours to please mine!
In my experience, the makeup of the average woman at a typical social event (where she’s actually doing stuff like eating, drinking, hugging, kissing, dancing, talking, etc.) winds up looking pretty bad, no matter how tastefully or well it was initially applied. But mostly, I just prefer the natural look of a plain, unaltered human face. I find a natural face warmer and more pleasant than one altered by a mask of makeup.
As for the lipstick move, guys seem to find women doing anything with their lips to be pretty hot. They might like watching a women consume a creamy eclair too, but that doesn’t mean they also like the extra fat it puts on her thighs or the gas it causes her to pass later on.
Heather- I shared this link with my wife and we both agree - don’t cover up the freckles - freckles are adorable!
(Not to hijack the great discussion, but why does it always seem that people with freckles, especially women, dislike them, and lots of others find them cute??)
I can agree that makeup, artfully applied, can look nice on a woman, but I appreciate the natural features more than I appreciate the “paint”.
Besides, even if you buy the mega-expensive stuff that the stuffy and stuck-up ladies at the makeup counters in the department stores sell you, isn’t makeup basically slowly suffocating the pores of your skin?
As in all things, to each their own, I suppose!
(And yes, a confident woman can look sexy doing *anything* if she wants to!)
-Rick
I think itâÂÂs funny when people are so adamantly against things as simple as makeup. Your appearance should reflect you. Not what other people would prefer to see on you. I love meeting someone who is animated and âÂÂlarger than lifeâ who has the dramatically done-up face to match their personality. I also love meeting athletes who hardly touch any make-up at all. And my sister who is passionate about fashion and follows the make-up trends that suite her.
As uncomfortable as it is, we are books judged by our covers. DonâÂÂt let your cover become dull to you. The dramatic you, the trendy you, the passionate you, the âÂÂdances and talks too muchâ you, the natural you. And all you ladies that are applying your make-up in the morning, or scrubbing your face and walking out the door, remember that everyone around you is going to be a little different from you and your preferences. Enjoy it!
And men, find a woman who has the personality you love and the cover you love. Please donâÂÂt become vehemently âÂÂantiâ anything as thoughtless as makeup.
So if men prefer women without makeup (which I am NOT conceding by this un-scientific poll), how did makeup become a multimillion-dollar industry? Because women have been brought up thinking they “need” it, or because it’s the WOMEN who actually LIKE it?
I’m just a guy, but I like to think I’m observant, so…
I think it’s both.
a) Some women feel confident and pretty when they wear makeup, and it’s fun to dress up, so they enjoy wearing cosmetics.
b) Advertising and magazines can be unhealthy and nasty - they tell people they need the products to look their best, and convince women that they *need* to cover up blemishes, wrinkles, freckles!, etc, and if enough people use them, those that don’t feel awkward.
If you *like* to wear cosmetics, COOL! If you feel that you *have to* wear cosmetics… hmm.
As an observer and not a wearer, I think of makeup like sexy but uncomfortable shoes. If you enjoy the way it looks and don’t mind the negatives, great - enjoy yourself! …but please don’t risk a sprained ankle because you think the world will find you less attractive if you don’t wear those spike heels…
-Rick
Oh Pul-eeeeeeze,
Victoria’s Secret, Billions in adverts. & everything you said above.
Men think “make-up” is the same as a “Tammy Faye” face.
Women spend hours getting the natural look just right!
Again, Pul-eeeze!
No one ever went broke selling women crap that could allegedly make them more attractive. It IS handy knowing which of you are _trying_ to make yourselves look attractive, no matter what the impact on your actual appearance. But in the end, it’s just kinda sad. Very very hard to admit that something you’ve invested a lot of time in has been for naught, or worse, counterproductive; much easier to just suggest that people don’t mean what they plainly say. (Or said another way, Pul-eeeze.)
Hey Shannon! I have to laugh because I don’t get to check in here very often and every time I do it seems you and the team of Lance and Trixie are goin’ at it again!
Shannon, I’m with you all the way on this one…MOST MEN like women(especially their significant other) to wear makeup. Anyone who doesn’t admit that or claims not to know it has their head in the sand. That said, it’s ok to be a man who doesn’t appreciate a woman in nice clothes and makeup….although I’ve seen you comment on your own blog, Lance, about a woman you find attractive (who’s not Trixie). I wonder if she was wearing sweats and no makeup the last time you saw her photo published somewhere?
What prompted this comment is what you said in the last post about how it’s handy to know who’s trying to make themselve look attractive. What in the world would that be handy for, unless someone was looking to exploit that fact or hmmm…maybe sell them some more makeup?
Hi Dawn! You have me laughing too… because I think the description “head in the sand” applies aptly to anyone facing the results of Shannon’s poll (which has been hovering at about 5 to 1 in favor of women looking better without makeup than with it) and yet claiming with utmost confidence that most men like women to wear makeup.
Finding a particular woman attractive in makeup, of course, says nothing about whether the beholder considers her more attractive with makeup than without it. Prior to this poll, I had little idea what men other than my husband (who has commented negatively about women’s makeup since I first met him) thought about makeup. But I certainly think women look more attractive without it, so it doesn’t surprise me that this poll is suggesting that a majority of men seem to agree.
Hey Dawn
. I can’t find or remember the post you’re referring to. Who did I say was attractive?
And I thought it was obvious, but maybe not. It’s handy for heterosexual guys to know which females are trying to make themselves look more attractive for the same reason the “rapping” call of the female South African clawed frog is handy to the male of the species. It lets you know whom it’s more worthwhile pursuing sex with. The absence of a wedding band is also handy for this same reason.
Hey Trixie…you and Lance always have an interesting perspective on things, you’re definitely two of my most interesting friends.
I wasn’t ignoring Shannon’s poll results, but I agree with Shannon herself that this poll does not reflect the opinion of most men.
You know I used to work in advertising with a large candy company. Of course, they polled and did test panels with consumers all the time. How do you think the green animated candy “lady” ended up with an obviously made up face a go-go boots, considering what the green candy in your “M” bag has come to symbolize?! Silly example but it’s true. Even a “female candy” needs enhancement in the eyes of the male population at large =)
Some men may look at their own wives through eyes of love and think “she looks great without makeup!” and truly mean it, I don’t doubt that. From an aesthetic point of view though (and it’s been proven that men are visual in nature when it comes to attraction) most men prefer well-done or natural-looking makeup on a woman.
Ok, I’m off to church to pray about my vanity =)
Dawn, hmmm… let me consider this. A cartoon piece of candy personified-in-feminine-form that must be distinguished somehowwith just a few simple lines from her male counterpart candy cartoons? I can’t imagine where the big lashes and made-up face would have come from! I guess M&M marketing also proves that women like round, dopey men with funny voices like those two male M&Ms.
Seriously, Shannon’s is just a small poll and I wouldn’t claim her results are conclusive; people who read this blog may be a sample that is non-representative of the population at large (though you seem satisfied to make sweeping claims about men’s preferences without reference to any larger, more compelling poll). I had no preconceptions about other people’s aesthetic preferences about makeup and would not necessarily be surprised if a bigger, national poll gave different (even opposite) results. What I find fascinating, however, is your (and others’) dismissive response to other people’s opinions on this purely aesthetic question. Had 99% of people said women look better with makeup, I’d shrug and say “I guess my preference is a real minority”. I certainly wouldn’t be insisting that people just don’t know what they like or are somehow self-deceived or lying. It’s as if you couldn’t imagine that anyone could prefer Oreos to cheesecake, so when a poll suggests most people do prefer Oreos, instead of saying “Wow, I’m surprised. Perhaps I’m in a minority when it comes to dessert preferences”, you say “Come on, these people obviously don’t know what they like. Cheesecake is delicious and everyone who doesn’t admit it obviously has their head in the sand!” This poll addresses nothing more than an aesthetic preference, and people are telling you directly what they like. What’s to doubt and argue? My opinion that women generally look better without makeup (strangers included) is most certainly not filtered through “eyes of love”. I see no reason to assume that a man who makes the same claim about his aesthetic preference regarding women and makeup must be blinded by love or otherwise self-deceived. I’m not insisting that you and Shannon must be blinded by the billion-dollar makeup industry to believe that women look better with makeup (even though I personally cannot see how you think it makes women look good); I believe that despite my personal preference you like the way it looks. I’m telling you straight that I think women look better without makeup. My husband says the same thing… and so have 20 other people who answered Shannon’s poll. Believe us.
P.S. Lance wants to know what woman he said was attractive on our blog… neither of us can remember and he’s curious. He tried to ask last night, but his comment got stuck in “moderation”.
Hello…actually, I did Google “poll woman more attractive with makeup or without” this morning and got a few interesting results (Shannon’s blog entry came up 3rd!). I didn’t have much time to comb through the chat rooms and rag-mag articles.
I realize beauty is subjective, means different things to different people and looks are not important to a minority of people. Think about what life was like when you had met and wanted to date or were first dating your mate or any other man for that matter. Did you throw just anything on when dressing for date, forget to brush teeth, run out to meet them to go out somewhere with your hair looking like you rolled out of bed? Doubtful. Chances are, you tried to look your best, with or without makeup, and that illustrates my point that we all want to look attractive at least to our mate at some point. For some people, that includes makeup and nice clothes and doesn’t stop once they’re married.
Did I say somewhere that “people just donâÂÂt know what they like or are somehow self-deceived or lying”? While I am asuuming the people who have answered the poll and posted here are saying what they mean, I believe you are misunderstanding what I said, very plainly: in my experience, men overwhelmingly prefer women who wear makeup. Anyone who doesn’t see this in our beauty-worshipping, sexualized society really does have their head in the sand (or watches even less tv than I do. The evidence is all around you, sex sells= men and women like to see attractive people looking their best= lots of makeup.
Just for the record Lance, you can assume that when you see me and I am wearing makeup that I’m not rapping on anyone’s tree but my husband’s. Or maybe you knew that since I wear my wedding ring =)
PS: (Looks like my comment’s waiting in moderation, so this one will probably come first) Lance and Trixie, I forgot to mention the name was Meghan McArdle? It stuck with me because I was surprised to see Lance fairly gushing over a woman who was not Trixie, hadn’t pictured that =)
Merry Christmas!
Dawn, I know, I’m a cad
. Actually, it’s funny, I was really searching my mind to think if I ever mentioned an actress or model I thought was attractive; turns out the person you had in mind was an economics journalist! She’s now a featured blogger for The Atlantic at http://meganmcardle.theatlantic.com. I thought she was attractive before I ever knew _anything_ about her appearance based on her writing alone. But when I finally did see a picture of her (http://www.janegalt.net/archives/004437.html), I was smitten. So to return way back to your original question as to whether or not she was wearing sweats and no makeup… I WISH!! 
Obviously, I agree with Dawn. While I am surprised by the poll results here, I still feel that most people (men and women) prefer to see others dressed nicely and made up. Whether it’s “wrong” or “right,” people are judged by their appearance - it’s one of the first things that makes an impression when you meet someone. Not that a poor appearance impression can’t be overcome by other wonderful traits, but I believe in general a well-kempt (sp?) person will have an advantage in many situations over an unkempt person. (Unkempt here meaning sloppily dressed with a bad hairstyle and no makeup.) At least this has been my experience in life.
Shannon, you’re moving the goalposts. Whatever your opinions on the advantages of being put-together vs. unkempt, that’s not what the poll was about. It wasn’t about clothing, nor was it about hair. It was about makeup.
For me, I can go either way with clothing or hair. I find “street clothes” can look as alluring as more dressy stuff, and there are ensembles in both categories that look horribly unflattering. Same with hair. Some of the simple, most casual styles can equal “done up” hair, and some styles in each category can look ridiculous.
Your poll doesn’t indicate that your readers (or their spouses) are fetishists for the slovenly. I prefer seeing women dressed well (from ultra-casual to ultra-formal), with nice hair (from untouched (or bald!) to wedding-quality hair), and with NO MAKEUP. The poll results indicate most people feel similarly regarding makeup specifically. Your personal experience does not trump your poll results when trying to figure out what most people think. I’m personally quite surprised that the poll has turned out this way, but what are my preconceptions in the face of data? And I’ll say the same thing if you get 500 votes eventually and the results swing the other way.
Hey, looks like “your” side just got another vote
! Someone in western PA… that’s five!
I also agree that “no makeup” does *not* equal “unkempt” or “slovenly”.
If *that’s* what the poll means, I need to change my vote.
If it means what it *appears* to say in plain English, “What is your opinion on women wearing makeup?”, then I continue to hold my opinion that I prefer women without makeup.
I express this opinion without assuming that no makeup = sloppy, nor assuming that I am in the majority of men or women (or the minority) with my view.
Likewise, I do not presume that my own preference in this matter should supersede any woman’s own preference, including my wife’s.
I am lucky enough to have the acquaintance of some stunningly beautiful women, including my wife, who sometimes wear makeup, and sometimes don’t. Even though I prefer the no-makeup times, I think they’re gorgeous either way.
I’m surprised at how hot the discussion seems to have become - I certainly don’t equate those who disagree with the opinion I share with Lance and others to be “Tammy Fayes” or the like - I hope that isn’t the assumed case!
-Rick
Dawn, it was the phrase “head in the sand” that implied self-deceit or a refusal to consider evidence… much as you and Shannon appear to be ignoring the evidence from her own poll.
Your vague “personal experiences” aside, the data we have so far simply don’t support your preconceived conclusions on this matter. I googled makeup polls too and so far the scanty results I’ve found are actually pretty similar to those generated by Shannon’s poll (see for example: http://www.blubet.com/betdetail.aspx?betid=06061470-a77b-11dc-a41a-02bf453b928c).
Shannon, your observation that men and women like others to look good is not an argument for your belief that most people prefer women to wear makeup. Sure, I’d agree that people generally prefer to see others looking good, and according to your poll, for lots of people “good” means without makeup.
The poll I found rather surprising in that I really expected an even more slanted decision away from the original point.
It has been my experience that “most” men like myself actually prefer a woman WITHOUT makeup. Now in all honestly, in many cases that also includes women that wear “minimal” (i.e. “just some base”) makeup where it is almost if not completely discreet to a point where the men actually believe “she” is not wearing it.
The question asked in comments though I thought was even more interesting. If the above is true, then how did makeup become a multi-billion dollar industry? This I believe is actually quite easy to answer. Because in many cases women do not wear makeup for men. They do not even where it for themselves (though obviously some do either or both of these things), but in a great many cases, they are doing it for (or to be in competition with) OTHER WOMEN.
A good comparison was a poll done sometime back (I can’t remember where to point to it) that asked men about women’s sizes. And overwhelmingly, men preferred women that were NOT MODEL SKINNY! As a matter of fact, men actually found a women that skinny to be generally unattractive. And yet women continue to push for this “ideal” because it is what is on the cover of all the “glam mags” and so that must be what men like, right? Well, no.
I am not saying men can’t be competitive as well, but women seem to take this things (particularly in weight, clothes and makeup) and either judge or live in fear of being judged, so they assume what they “must” do to live up to some ideal that is really about woman vs. woman and has nothing to do with the men that they claim they are doing it for.
I like to wear Neutrogena makeup because it has SPF and I burn easily. I like a natural look so most people probably don’t know I have makeup on. I love their lip nutrition line. It actually makes my lips feel good, but I haven’t worn real lipstick in ages. And if I am just going to be home I don’t bother with makeup. Although I do use their day lotion and lip nutrition every day.
That said I do know some women that due to their coloring need to wear makeup in order to look good. I have a cousin who looks washed out without makeup on.
Even if my husband asked me what he prefers. I wouldn’t really care. I would wear make up whether or not he likes it or not. It’s just plain and simple.
I feel way better with make up enhancing my looks.
I think it depends on the women. Some women look good without cosmetics, but some women have terrible skin and should at least use the basics, like foundation or concealer.
I agree that it depends on the woman. Some women are fortunate to look gorgeous without makeup on. My boyfriend and I have had this arguement frequently. He thinks women are far more attractive without makeup. However, when he asked me for my number, I had makeup AND extensions on…hmmm. I LOVE dramatically made up eyes, bright coloured shadows, it is fun, and matches my vibrant personality. I think it can ad a lot, and so also depends on your mood or occasion.
As far as it being an all around factor for the attractiveness of a particular woman, I get looks from men frequently. Without makup, I have blonde barly visible eyebrows and lashes, also I break out frequently, and have dark circles under my eyes because of my super fair pigment. Maybe it is just in my own head, and the confidence I gain from giving myself eyebrows and covering zits makes me more attractive, not the actual look the makeup added. But, I believe the majority of men who saw me walk by with NO makeup or with tastefully done makeup enhancing what my natural features lack, would find the later far more attractive. Plain and simple. Men don’t THINK they like makeup, but any women who has lighter features and uses it to enhance would be considered far more attractive to the average man viewing her in passing.
I think actual with and without makeup pics would be a good way for people to prove their point
I agree with the previous statement. Some women look better with make-up on. Some look better without it. Although, I truly believe that a good concealer, natural lip gloss and a bit of mascara can look natural and subtly improve any woman’s appearance.
men need make up actually but not so much as women. i like men use some cream or perfume but can be too strong.