OK ok,

I look fine when I put on makeup and people recognise I am feminine. I want to know when I go full time how much makeup do I use every day. I have noticed a lot of females do not use that much make up day to day. Some may put some makup around their eyes and that is it. If I had say 5 mins to get out of the door, can I not bother with my makeup as (for example) I am ducking down to the shops to buy something dinner.

To Help the process, here is Alice with no makeup  >.




By the way - I hope people like the dress I brought for the upcoming ball that I brought for the ball. Here is a better look at the dress.




Alice

Very little in my opinion, but in the same I've always liked my natural coloration an prefer to NOT cover up "imperfections". I am what I am, as it were. But this said, I love eyeshadow and such like but can't be bothered most of the time.

But the short form is basically to say what seems correct to you is probably not that wrong. We each, after all, have our own style and our own look

This definitely falls under the list of things I wish I had learned before going full-time.

You should develop a 5 minute face.  What is it you can't live without no matter what?  For me it is eye liner and mascara since my eyes disappear otherwise.  I can do the whole lip gloss/color in the car and I always keep a couple shades of gloss in my purse just in case. 

I have to say you probably would benefit the most from eye liner and mascara...just practice now before going full time on getting at least one 5-minute method down to a science.

As for whether makeup's necessary?  If you're like me, well, I feel naked without at least a little dab. 

That was something Ellie commented on when she was here.  We kept going out with no makeup on.  You practically have to drag me screaming and kicking in front of a makeup mirror.  As typical, today I am not wearing any makeup.

I almost always wear mascara. I have to, I'm blonde. If I have a zit, I cover it up.

It's totally up to you Alice, whatever makes you feel best!

Although I'd also recommend taking a peek at the other women around you and seeing what they tend to do in different circumstance. There's often a difference between work, weekend, shopping and social situations.

~Kate~

I never wear makeup unless I have to wear it.  It makes my face feel dirty.  I'm not even wearing it to work lately.

I also go braless as much as possible.  I'm just so hippy feminist. 

I use a foundation to make my face more evenly toned. The effect is to cover up reddish areas and it really helps to give a more feminine look. Older people, men particularly, who don't wear foundation  have blotchy skin and tiny blood vessels appear. Most women, cover this up with foundation so it is a cue for passing to wear it. I heard somewhere, that transwomen should have four female cues in their appearance to counter every masculine one that remains for people to see the female and not a male.

It doesn't take a terribly long time to put on. I put on a moisturizing lotion and top it with the foundation. The foundation can look spotty if the underlying skin is too dry. Then I put on my eyebrows with an eyebrow pencil then mascara and finally lipstick before I go out the door. It doesn't take me more than 10 minutes. The stuff also protects the skin from sun damage which really ages the skin fast and promotes wrinkles.

I don't look anywhere near as made up as many women but enough to pass which is what I am most interested in. In fact, I think you can go too far and look inappropriate with too much makeup. Then one loses all the passing qualities and the look cries out a "man wearing makeup".

Maggie

For the office I wear a bit of foundation (not a lot, just enough to cover) and a bit of lipstick, sometimes gloss. All of it is usually gone by the end of the day since I spend so much of it running up and down the stairs and plus taking walks during my breaks in this heat...

For something fancy I go all out: concealer, foundation, 12 hour lipstick, shiny gloss, eyeshadow, blush, mascara, white makeup to do spot highlights, clear mascara to sculpt eyebrows

Makeup is a good thing for women. It helps a lot. Nothing to be ashamed of. Use it wisely. To get the maximum advantage from it, you have to practice excellent skincare. Exfoliate twice a week, cleanse and moisturize twice a day.

To learn how to do makeup right, go to a Clinique counter and get a makeover.

A reasonable amount.  Not too much. Not too bright.

I usually wear make up.  Skin care is a big part of my routine.  It's what makes me feel confident without foundation.  The short routine is a little blush, a bit of liner, mascara and lipstick.  If I'm going anywhere more important than a Saturday morning market trip I wear a light foundation just to even out my skin.  For work I do all the above plus eye shadow and a more defined line for my eyes.  I do my eyes on the train to work.  One of my great accomplishments is being able to apply a fine line of liquid liner on a moving trolly car!

When I went full-time (almost 3 years ago!) I used to wear some everyday.  Now I wear some once or twice a month.  Even when I do wear some it's only foundation and powder.  Mascara?  I've used it only about 5 times ever.  But I have to admit I am blessed with nice eyelashes to begin with.  Yeah, I'm a plain Jane.

Hmmm...I love this topic, my sweet Alice!  I LOVE makeup! I really DO!

I DO wear make up for work or when I go out (i.e, clubbing, dancing, ummm...eating out, etc), but normally I don't wear any.  A pair of sunglasses usually do even though my face looks like hell....LOL...


Bottom line:  In my experience, the less makeup you wear on a daily basis, the better! 

*hugs*

tink

I used to do liquid eyeliner but then switched to pencil because the smudgy look is more flattering to me than a hard line. I use Rimmel Exaggerate, pencil it on, then smudge it with a Q-tip. Then add a little more. If I had to choose only one essential thing, it would be eyeliner.

There was a time, early on, when I wouldn't go out my front door without full war paint, cos I felt I needed it to pass. Then one day I just needed dog food, so I threw on an old baseball warm-up jacket that was bulky enough to hide the fact of my breasts, and dashed to the corner store, figuring, I can endure being sir-ed this one time. Well, everything was still ma'am this and ma'am that, and that was it for me being chained to the cosmetic case.

Now, five minute face? You've got to be kidding, if I smear on some lipstick on my way out the door, that's it.

Oh, don't get me wrong....if I'm going out socially and want to look my best, I still break out the whole schmeer. But, as with anything else, easy does it. The Boffo the Clown look won't get you where you want to go.

Someone mentioned skin care...that's the best beauty aid in the world, along with getting enough sleep. 

Stealth

my experience has been to not use a whole lot. foundation, imho, is junk, powders bothersome, and lipstick usually just is REALLY annoying and i end up getting dry lips beacuse of it. i personally think on a normal day u should just wear eyeliner, masacra, and possibly eyeshadow, thats it. i only wear eyeliner and mascara on a day to day basis, no powder, foundations, and usually no eyeshadow.

anyway i hope this helps.

I afraid that I agree with the idea that us older girls do need a little help,
so the naked face face is not an option for me.

I have found that the new mineral powder foundation products are a lot
lighter to wear and quicker to apply if time is tight. 

Chrissty

I'm thinking about getting some permanent eyeliner just on the upper sides and lower corners.  What I really wish were available would be permanent mascara. 

Alice,

It also depends on what time of year it is.

In the Summer, I have a different make up regime than Winter.

When its hot and humid, its mainly tinted moisturizers and minimal eyemake up, waterproof mascara is a must in the humidity. I also use coloured chapsticks for my lips (as I have had a pool of liquid in my lipstick  holder on more than one occassion). Pressed powder is used ontop of the tinted moisturizer.

Not a problem in Winter when its far less humid and much cooler.

Buffy