Females: Why do you wear make-up?

Purely anectdotal, but my wife is one of those women who do not wear make up, yet when sitting side-by-side with her friends who do?

She looks 20 years younger.

There's something to be said for putting chemicals on an organ as sensitive as the human skin.

a reply to: beezzer

I always enjoyed make up just like I do paint, pencils... artistically it is fun!
But something I became conscious of as I got older is that skin loses it's quality as a good canvas for that with time.
It seems to me, that all women start to look better with less make up with age.
That kind of made me sad. Make up is cheaper than paint and canvas and all the other materials and equipment, and it can fit into a smaller space- you don't need a room dedicated to your artistic work.

I've been under the impression that women who have some artistic hobby often don't wear any, or not much, make up.
So I always considered it an outlet for creative urges that are not fulfilled through other venues...

a reply to: Bluesma

I've been under the impression that women who have some artistic hobby often don't wear any, or not much, make up. So I always considered it an outlet for creative urges that are not fulfilled through other venues...

You have always seemed to me to be an observant, analytical - and creative person. I think what you just said is true - but in more than one way

You've noticed that makeup is less flattering as people age because you are all of the above, and being creative gives you an eye for things like that. I've also noticed that many (but not all) artistic women go makeup-commando :-)

I've always had a kind of personal rule when it comes to makeup - less is more (a saying I hate but often use), nothing is best - but if you are going to wear it - you gotta go full geisha baby - or not at all

Glam rock - Bowie/Liza - no holds barred

That goes for the old broads too - sometimes makeup is art

:-)

I have always worn makeup, sometimes heavy, sometimes light, sometimes not at all - and I am an artist - mostly to show up my eyes and to take on a more professional and polished appearance at work. When playing sports or outdoor activities, I wore hardly any (or none at all), except to accentuate my eyes.

As an older woman, I still prefer to make up my eyes and lips, because I look less tired and I am still in the working world, hence I prefer to look somewhat polished and put-together. The key words here are "I prefer" and that is really the crux of the matter here.

However, I did ask my young beautiful daughter why she chooses (keyword) to wear make up. Her reply was along the same lines as mine, in that, when going to work or into a public situation, she prefers to look less tired and healthier, as she has very light skin and can look very pale. I attempted to find out if she was less confident in her appearance due to mainstream media's portrayal of what "they" want us to believe beautiful looks like, but she said that was not the case. Again, some times there is just a simple reason, such as to look less tired.