Guys & Girls -- The Power of Makeup & Your View On It?

[Inphyy]

Makeup has been around for a long long long time! It almost would seem weird or a better word--Misplaced if makeup wasn't around any longer.

Makeup is commonly used between both males and females to make themselves look more attractive, highlight key body features and as an expression of art and their body but what are the different views of makeup?

Guys, what do you think of girls who wear makeup?

Girls, what do you think of guys who wear makeup?

What is your view on the power of makeup and makeup in general?!

This also goes hand in hand with the TS/TG community where it's commonly found that many MtFs wear makeup to better pass and show themselves as their represented self that they want to show.

[K8]

I don't like makeup on men, other than stage makeup.  (I remember seeing a goth guy in town a few times who made himself up as something - I'm not current with goth culture.  He looked terrific!  But that's like wearing stage makeup but on the street.)

I don't wear a lot of makeup, but I've noticed several times that when I get out of the shower I look like crap and continue to look that way until I get around to fixing my face.  Then I think I look cute.  I've always been alone during this transformation, so I don't know how much of this is subjective and how much is objective.  But if I have to do my eyes to feel cute, I will do my eyes.

- Kate

[Jay]

I like make up on women.. as long as it isn't to much. I love a bit of eyeliner on girls makes the eyes look so sexy.

I feel as if she had made an effort. You know?

Jay

[Alyssa M.]

I don't really pay attention to guys at all. I'm just not interested.

I think makeup looks sexy on women (if done right, otherwise it can look awful). And I think women not wearing makeup can also be sexy, in a different way. I pretty much always wear makeup right now, because I need it to cover up what is left of my facial hair -- but also because I just know I look so much better with it. In the evening when I wash it off, it's always a bit of a shock to look at my bare face in the mirror. But it's getting better as hrt and hair removal progresses.

[finewine]

I agree with the earlier sentiments that makeup, when skillfully applied, is an enhancement.

In my opinion, less is more.

[lacitychick21]

I love makeup. For me it's this life-long interest that allows me to explore my creative, artistic side.

I actually did make professionally for a period of time. I think some of the most seductive looks can be accomplished when lots of makeup is used to look like you're not wearing any. As weird as it sounds, when skillfully applied, even large amounts of makeup can look "natural."

That said... I don't like makeup on guys, but with rare exception. When guys wear it to explore an effeminate side, I don't care for it.

BUT... when a guy wears it as a way to tell society "take your gender binaries and imposed ideals and shove it", when it's sloppily thrown on, crooked and half worn off... GAWD... I'm not sure anything is sexier!!

[Fenrir]

You see, I generally prefer people with a natural look (I reckon a lot of females wear way too much to be honest...) but am gradually coming round to seeing that people wearing eyeliner can look cool (both male and female, there is no difference).
There is also a girl in my area who is pale and blonde who puts bright red lipstick only on her bottom lip, and it looks really good. Makes her stand out! (:
I personally don't like lipgloss though, to me it just looks sticky and odd. What's the appeal?

People think I'm strange because I don't see much difference between when a person does and doesn't wear make-up. It just doesn't have that much impact on me, I'm afraid!

[Janet_Girl]

I go no where without at least foundation.  I still deal with the 'shadow'.  Most women, I think would not wish to wear makeup.  Opting instead for the natural look.  Transwomen, I think, opt for makeup because of our not having the chance to experiment with it as young girls.

I don't like guys to were make up, even eye shadow or liner.  And I don't really get the whole goth/emo thing.


Janet

[Butterfly]

I think it's a good idea if a guy has a blemish to cover or under eye dark circles. And for eyebrows, some guys could really use some eyebrow gel to control crazy brows.  I wouldn't like my BF to wear foundation though unless he's in showbiz which he isn't.

Less is better for sure.  I don't know why some girls feel that wearing tons of makeup is going to make them look prettier.  I've seen some pretty women that look marvelous during the day with minimal make up but then on a date they have so much on that they look like a clown.

[FairyGirl]

I really like it in small doses. I don't overdo it but I rarely go anywhere without at least a little mascara. I love going to the department stores and playing with the samples or getting the lady at the counter to help me pick out just the right shades. I think it can help accentuate a woman's natural beauty if not overdone, but on guys, neh not so much. There are plenty of women who don't need it at all, in which case it only makes them look worse to wear it, not better. It should be used for enhancement, but not as a mask.

[Ms.Behavin]

Makeup is my close and dear friend,  though I sometimes forego it now and then,  It does make a difference at least to me.

Beni

[Dante]

I never really understood why women wear makeup all the time. It really shouldn't matter what you look like. But, considering the time, almost every woman in the world does/wants to/likes to wear makeup. In which case, I think women look best when wearing only a small amount of makeup, so their face still looks natural. Although, for stage makeup, having really dark eyeshadow looks good, too, just not on an everyday basis.

[placeholdername]

For myself I would like to be able to feel comfortable (AKA passing) without wearing any makeup, but I'd still probably go with some eyeliner.  I don't know what it is, but a bit of that properly applied looks great on many people.

In general I do think that most women wear too much... one of my housemates gets weird if she doesn't put some on before going out, and by weird I mean she'll constantly go "Do I look okay?  I really should have put on some makeup" etc.  I don't like the idea of it being that kind of daily obligation.

[Eva Marie]

I think that a small amount of makeup generally goes a long way. The magic is in the knowing of the little tricks to achieve a desired result.

I've looked at the videos on the makeup section of the board and I have miles to go in my understanding of how to apply makeup 

[Krissy_Australia]

I like to wear a touch of makeup. Its just a morning routine now and makes me feel better about my skin. BTW tinted sunscreen is great

[Autumn]

I'll curl (though I don't really need to, much) and use clear mascara on my lashes and some on my brows. Sometimes I'll use black on the lashes. Brown eyeliner blended to give a smokey look on the top lid is pretty much the most I go, maybe a little eye liner. But these are rare occasions. I'll do my lashes/brow for work sometimes.

I still technically work as a guy so nothing too obvious. I wore some basic concealer over my lip when i had electrolysis done and it didn't look apparent to me at all but the second I walked in the back one guy goes "Are you wearing makeup?" (WTF.)

I would really like to learn how to do lipstick and some basic technique for special occasions - any time I try to use any other makeup it looks horrible.

[Jeannette]

If you put your done up face on a pillow and it leaves an obvious makeup smear and stain, you're wearing too much. If you're wearing foundation it's best to make it look as natural as possible, and wear as little as possible.  Also wearing a foundation that matches your skin tone is very important.

on the subject of guys wearing makeup, I think that if done appropriately, they can look really hot. I'm not into the emo thing but if they like it then more power to them.  This is the 21st century and not the middle ages where "real" men couldn't wear makeup. 

[LivingInGrey]

I agree with the 'a little goes a long way' theory for girls.

Guys, in general... no. I can see letting the Goth and Vampire people get a way with it, or the obvious 'performer' either street or not. But to even cover up the dark eyes from lack of sleep... a bit much imo.

[Constance]

My first thought regarding makeup, prolly when I was about 6 or so, was that of jealousy. Girls got to color on the faces and boy couldn't.

I read an article when I was in eighth grade about a current (at that time, 1983) trend of boys wearing eyeliner. Again, I was jealous because I'd catch huge hell if I'd done that.

These days, if I've seen any men wearing makeup it must be subtle because I don't notice it. Dramatic colors seem to "work" better on feminine faces, but that's just my own personal aesthetic. I use makeup to hide the beard shadow and feminize my face when cross-dressed.

Makeup on men must not be that big a deal these days, or at least not where I am. I went into a MAC the other day in the mall asking for some foundation, and the person there didn't bat an eye.

The vampire thing doesn't do it for me, male or female. Gothic, while similar, is not quite the same and can look very appealing to me when done well. Perhaps dramatic colors, but not necessarily dramatic applications of said colors.

[pretty pauline]

I wear makeup everyday, I couldnd go without it, like going out undressed, during the day I'II do a touch up, and Ketsy I do constantly say to my BF ''Do I look okay'' lol
I love making myself pretty.
I definitely don't like makeup on guys, its a no no for me, makeup is a girl thing, definitely a woman & girl thing, not for guys.
Just my opinion.
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