Can a woman be successful without makeup?

[950483]

I was gonna say something like this.

Depends on people's expectations of a woman in that role. In a majority of cases, that sucks, because physical appearance has nothing to do with professional competency. It could go both ways. I am speculating here, but I would imagine a female Au Pair/Nanny would probably find more work with less or no makeup on, since most of the time she would be hired by the wife/mother. Women in law enforcement and the military are possibly more obvious examples.

Makeup is absolutely nothing like the Burqa, which is a moving prison for women, and specifically designed to limit freedom and social mobility. Can't believe nobody has addressed this.

So, are you saying that not wearing makeup could be advantageous if applying for jobs where looking sexually available would be undesirable or unhelpful? Why the hell should attractiveness or percieved sexual availability be considered at all in the majority of jobs?

Living in a world where, as a woman, you are judged first and foremost by your appearance is oppressive. The simple fact that your own face, as it is, is unacceptable and should not be seen by other people is oppressive. Many women feel overwhelming shame, inadequacy, and embarrassment at having to answer their own front door without their face on.

 

[Tattooed Goddess]

It's okay hun if you don't want to wear makeup. No need to call those that like it oppressive people. I answer the door with morning hair, pajamas and racoon eyes.

Why must everything be so black and white? Do you resent women who wear makeup?

 

[950483]

My current job involves a lot of flirting, so I do definitely wear makeup. I suspect there would be a great deal more confrontation without it.
I get that we all have to live and work and do our best in the world as it is, and it makes no sense at all to forego what one of the women in the video described as a 'weapon in our arsenal'. I really enjoy the creative and artistic aspect of it. The other woman in the video is very unattractive; she knows it, and she's got over it and doesn't care. The old saying about putting lipstick on a pig comes to mind. Probably neither of them are the best spokeswomen.

 

[950483]

It's okay hun if you don't want to wear makeup. No need to call those that like it oppressive people. I answer the door with morning hair, pajamas and racoon eyes.

Why must everything be so black and white? Do you resent women who wear makeup?

I didn't call anyone an oppressive person. I think you are oversimplifying this thread somewhat. You are in fact turning it into a black and white thing. Good for you, um, answering your own front door .

Also, many women like to wear a nikab or burka. They prefer it, and it makes them happy, and they choose to do it.

 

[Tattooed Goddess]

Since being at my job we went from being an under performing store to exceeding monthly goals. For the first time in ages people are getting bonuses. The 2nd person down in the company made a comment on how professional I look, she's a foxy older lady who takes care of herself. I get mistaken for the manager on a regular basis by customers. I carry myself differently than the other employees who are often very young and not too bright.

Back to my job, I get great perks for top sales every month. I attribute it to my confidence and product knowledge. Some confidence comes from feeling my best when I look my best. It starts my day out on the right foot to be made up.

You want to know something I don't understand? Women's obsession with heels. I'd rather wear practical and comfortable shoes no matter the occasion.

 

[950483]

Since being at my job we went from being an under performing store to exceeding monthly goals. For the first time in ages people are getting bonuses. The 2nd person down in the company made a comment on how professional I look, she's a foxy older lady who takes care of herself. I get mistaken for the manager on a regular basis by customers. I carry myself differently than the other employees who are often very young and not too bright.

Back to my job, I get great perks for top sales every month. I attribute it to my confidence and product knowledge. Some confidence comes from feeling my best when I look my best. It starts my day out on the right foot to be made up.

You want to know something I don't understand? Women's obsession with heels. I'd rather wear practical and comfortable shoes no matter the occasion.

I like heels, I own heels, but when it comes down to it I will go for the comfortable option the vast majority of the time.

Imagine if you suddenly stopped wearing makeup to work, would anything change do you think? What do you think would happen?

 

[Tattooed Goddess]

I've gone to work without makeup. I felt blah. Sales were nothing to write home about on those days. It's usually when I open the store that I'm too tired to put on makeup. I hate working mornings.

 

[TexanStar]

So, are you saying that not wearing makeup could be advantageous if applying for jobs where looking sexually available would be undesirable or unhelpful? Why the hell should attractiveness or percieved sexual availability be considered at all in the majority of jobs?

Living in a world where, as a woman, you are judged first and foremost by your appearance is oppressive. The simple fact that your own face, as it is, is unacceptable and should not be seen by other people is oppressive. Many women feel overwhelming shame, inadequacy, and embarrassment at having to answer their own front door without their face on.

Wait staff who draw smiley faces on their checks receive larger tips in average than those who don't. A lot of time could be spent debating whether it's appropriate to have smiley face drawing skills taken into consideration for wage earning, but at the end of the day, it is what it is.

There are just some jobs where appearance plays a role in how successful you will be at the job. Sales positions are the one that stand out to me most, for both men and women.

 

[950483]

Wait staff who draw smiley faces on their checks receive larger tips in average than those who don't. A lot of time could be spent debating whether it's appropriate to have smiley face drawing skills taken into consideration for wage earning, but at the end of the day, it is what it is.

There are just some jobs where appearance plays a role in how successful you will be at the job. Sales positions are the one that stand out to me most, for both men and women.

There is something tacky, humiliating, and too self-effacing about drawing smiley faces on your cheeks to wait on people. I've never seen it. Must be an American thing, and you can keep it over on your side of the pond thanks.

What stands out is the gender disparity. Different things are expected of men and women in the same job.

 

[EllieP]

My job is basically made up of two very distinct parts. I sell looks. Then I make the look. When I'm selling the look it would not help my cause to not look my best, and I feel makeup helps me do that. Call it society or whatever, but it is what it is.

But once that look is sold I'm back in my jeans and making it happen.

I don't need a lot of makeup, but without it I'm lost in a crowd. And I need to stand out.

 

[TexanStar]

There is something tacky, humiliating, and too self-effacing about drawing smiley faces on your cheeks to wait on people. I've never seen it. Must be an American thing, and you can keep it over on your side of the pond thanks.

What stands out is the gender disparity. Different things are expected of men and women in the same job.

"In 1995, psychologist Bruce Rind and marketing researcher Prashant Bordia recruited a waiter and a waitress to take part in an experiment at a Philadelphia restaurant. Rind and Bordia randomly assigned the servers to draw a smiley face on the check of about half the 89 groups that dined at the restaurant over the course of a three-day period. It turned out that the waitress raised her average tip size from 28 to 33 percent when she drew a happy face, but the opposite effect held for the waiter: Drawing a smiley face decreased his tip from 21 to 18 percent. Rind and Bordia hypothesized that customers thought the smiley face was cute when women did it but effeminate when men did."

It's just spillover from societal stuff and cultural norms. Women earn more money by putting smileys on their checks, men earn smaller tips if they do that.

Women are typically considered to be dressed more attractively when wearing at least a small amount of makeup in the same fashion that men are typically considered to be dressed more attractively if their facial hair is groomed.

While women can spend a lot of time on makeup when dressing to the nines, I think the minimum time required to go from unmade to reasonably made up is smaller (more on par with shaving).

I definitely don't feel women should be forced to wear makeup if they don't want to, but I think both men and women have jobs available to them where their appearance plays a role in how successful they'll be (and it extends beyond factors that people can control. There are jobs where people who are naturally considered more attractive will be more successful).

 

[C41ara]

I don't know, it's a very tough question, more complex that it seems to be. And it's tough not only because we live in a society that can be pretty sexist sometimes, but also because it's a personal matter too: with make-up I feel more confident, but of course i know girls who are more confident with less make -up.

 

[Beedie Tijii]

Why the hell should attractiveness or percieved sexual availability be considered at all in the majority of jobs?

Not sure if this was a rhetorical question. Most of the time it shouldn't be. Sorry, thought I was clear on that.

When I was working in bars for a while I definitely got a lot more tips from women than from men, and the female staff I worked with vice versa (and just a lot more in total), so I definitely know where you're coming from. I once had a guy who I served drinks to give a huge tip to the server standing next to me, even though I had taken his order and not her. Perhaps not unusual in itself, but what amazed me was he actually left the bar, went to an ATM, and withdrew cash so he could come back and give it to her. It wasn't a coincidence that she was sexy, with a Spanish accent, a large chest... and wearing makeup.

 

[TheRob]

Make up Artistry is my specialty. I love pairing together colors and new ideas each time I do my face. I know how I blend in without makeup. I'd rather have makeup on when I leave the house. I feel polished.

It's been talked about even at the corporate office how nice I look on the job compared to other employees. It's awesome to see how many other women notice you when you look your best. It's the women high up in the ranks that are talking about it.

I love giving makeup advice when asked and doing makeovers for my friends and family. Seeing someone brighten up when they see them self in the mirror just makes my heart flutter.

Everyone should deserve to feel their best. If makeup helps one achieve that then why not?

I've been thinking about creating makeup tutorials for my Facebook friends to enjoy.

you should
obviously it wouldn't do me any good but I have a few friends on fb that do it and they seem to be quite popular

 

[TheRob]

Really, makeup is just the western version of a burka. Currently I feel it is far less acceptable in society to go without makeup than it has been in the past, in spite of progress made in other areas.

How do you feel about it?, and if you decided to go without makeup do you think it would affect your work life in any way?

unless you get beheaded or catch a beating for not wearing make up it is a pretty poor comparison really....
obviously not everwhere is that strict in the middle east but since no place is that strict on makeup it's insulting to women who actually do live under those conditions

 

[pursine]

This image answers your question, I think.

 

[TheRob]

I fell in love with makeup when I'd sit down at my Mom's antique vanity and I'd wear her lipstick, put on her pearls and a fancy church hat. No one told me that I needed to do it to please someone. I wanted to grow up and do fun things like use my face as a canvas to express my artistic ability.

I battle some health issues that make me unusually pale with dark purple and blue veins under my eyes. My lips aren't a natural pink shade. They are almost bluish with chapstick on. Wearing makeup gives me a healthier appearance. Some days I go out with just foundation and my eyebrows on. Some days I go out with a full face on. But every time I don't wear makeup I get asked if I'm feeling ok because I look sickly.

Makeup gives me color and freedom of expression. I'm fond of bright, vibrant shades and I stay far away from neutrals. When you have pink hair you can pretty much wear whatever bold colors you want to.

you look really nice pale tho
I think

 

[AlteredEgo]

You can't make up features. You can highlight them yes. It affects confidence if overly applied. Whether this is a good or bad thing is up to the individual.

There comes a point in life though makeup will not "do it". It becomes a decision whether to apply it thicker, or go without. Like hair colours. At some point convenience outweighs time, patience and being at peace with what nature has in stall.

How much makeup becomes too much? I adore a little bit of makeup to highlight features, but when it gets to the stage of major renovation, no.

But how do yoy think it impacts success?

Recent studies have shown that if your LinkedIn profile picture or a photo attached to your headshot is more sexy than plain, as a female, you get more interviews. Some makeup beats none, and a modest v-neck or boat-neck beats a crew neck or turtleneck.

 

[AlteredEgo]

You want to know something I don't understand? Women's obsession with heels. I'd rather wear practical and comfortable shoes no matter the occasion.

I'm 5'8". With heels I am often 6' tall. I feel large and powerful. I feel unbeatable. I feel eye level with my competitors. I feel sexy. I really like it.

 

[950483]

unless you get beheaded or catch a beating for not wearing make up it is a pretty poor comparison really....
obviously not everwhere is that strict in the middle east but since no place is that strict on makeup it's insulting to women who actually do live under those conditions

Point taken, but just because something else is more oppressive that doesn't mean that makeup is not oppressive.