Hellobee Boards

I work in a super small office and if I'm not going to have customers in that day, I often won't do a whole lot (if anything). When I know there will be people in, I will "get ready." It's tough because sometimes I DO actually want to make an effort, however everyone else there is usually...not making much of an effort, so it's hard to be inspired to!

I am sure to do my hair and look otherwise put together. Sometimes make-up doesn't make the cut. I work in a small office though

I voted it's okay to skip it, but probably should.

I think there are some woman who DO look amazing clean faced - they only have to wash their face, apply moisturizer and chapstick and they look fresh and amazing.
However *I* am not one of those women! My skin is blotchy and my eyes look dead. *I* look so much more put together with makeup - and my makeup is always very natural looking and minimal (5-10 min routine).

I think even a touch of mascara and tinted moisturizer or tiny bit of finishing powder can enhance the face remarkably.

I think it's far more professional to wear no makeup at all than to wear way too much. It makes me cringe when I see a woman in a professional office wearing loads of makeup.

However, I do think *most* women look more pulled-together with a little makeup. Some can get away without it, but most look best with some minimal makeup that says "I care".

It depends on your profession. I don't really wear anything but concealer to work but I'm a digital journalist who sees no clients, wears jeans to work, and arrives at 6:15 am. I feel like no makeup is expected haha. On the other hand, if I worked at a fancy law firm or something I would probably wear some.

I think it's fine for a woman not to wear makeup to work. As long as the rest of her is put together. I personally feel more put together wearing makeup, so I do.

The feminist side of me says no.
The girly side of me that fears for other people's eyesight says yes.
I'm lucky to have a job tutoring kids, so it doesn't really matter either way. But I try to at least throw on some eyeliner and lipstick so I don't scare them.

My contracts at my current and previous job actually state that we should wear minimal make up and no perfume when working in the labs. Fine by me, I'm not a fan of it to begin with. Guess I'm in the right profession for me

I don't think women should have to wear make up - men don't have to paint their faces to attend work, neither should we! I think that we should be clean and tidy, with our hair sufficiently tamed - but that applies to both sexes equally. I also agree with the pp who said that wearing no make up is considerably more professional that wearing too much - I used ot work with a woman who wore bright pink lipstick ever day. I mean 1) She looked awful! and 2) You're not going to a disco, love!

I personally do wear a little make up to work every day. It makes me feel pretty. But pretty does not equal professional...

I don't wear make up unless I am attending an event or travelling with my boss who does wear make up. I try to keep my skin as clear as possible, but I have problem skin. Make up makes it worse though.

I wear makeup every day just because I look tired without it. I don't know if "professional" is the word that makes sense to me. I think if you don't wear makeup to work, you're lazy or frumpy. If you wear only mascara and maybe powder, I think you don't like makeup but want to look more pulled together.. or you're just smoking hot and don't need it. Wearing full makeup implies that you put effort into your appearance. Too much makeup means you need better friends in your life who will tell you your makeup is ridiculous lol!

So basically to me it doesn't affect how I see your professionalism, but it does give me mixed feelings about the person

Honestly, I can't believe some of these comments. A woman isn't put together or professional if she doesn't wear makeup? You have mixed feelings about them as a person without a layer of crap on their face? They're lazy and frumpy if they prefer the natural look? Interesting...

To answer your question, no, I don't think it's unprofessional AT ALL to not wear makeup. I work in the corporate world and the only time I wear makeup is if I have a zit to cover. I shower, do my hair and slap on a pair of heels (or cute flats) every day. I think I look adequately put together but apparently I'm lacking something if I opt to forego a bunch of chemicals and concealers that supposedly make women look more attractive or "put together".

Some women can't wear makeup due to allergies or skin sensitivities. Some feel that they don't need a "layer of lies" (which is what my FIL calls chicks who plaster it on) in order to feel beautiful. I guess I kind of fall into the latter category. If people perceive me as lazy or frumpy because I don't wear makeup then that's their issue, not mine.

@MamaMoose: this!

I don't wear makeup most days including when I see clients or go to court. I don't feel lazy or frumpy - I could care less what others think about it. I have great skin and I only use gloss to keep my lips from being dry.

I don't think makeup is a must, but I personally feel more put together when I'm wearing it. I don't wear makeup every day to work though. Sometimes if I'm running late, it is the thing to get cut from my morning routine. If I know I'm meeting with someone important, I make sure and make the time to put it on though.

I think it really depends on your skin. I look awful without makeup, very blotchy and just yuck.

Wow. I can't believe people think it's unprofessional not to wear makeup. That just astounds me.

The feminist in me says no woman should have to wear make-up to work, but I'd never go to school without mascara, powder and blush (though I think nothing of running errands with a naked face). In my building, the women that don't bother with makeup are also, for the most part, wearing wrinkly clothes and unpolished hair.

I think I equate looking "put together" with wearing make-up and I think it's important to look "put together" for a professional environment. Though, my best friend wears no makeup, but always has neat professional clothes and polished hair, so it's totally possible to achieve the look without makeup - I guess it's just whatever YOU need to do to feel polished.

I don't think a lack of make up is unprofessional but I do expect certain professionals to look polished. Not everyone needs makeup (I do!) and I have worked with several women who look gorgeous with a bare face (so jealous!). However, I expect certain professionals to dress nicely and have neat hair. If I interviewed a lawyer and she seemed unkempt to me then I probably would not hire her. I would feel the same way about a male lawyer. I also think there are varying degrees of professional, which makes a difference. If a child care worker was wearing a track suit with no make-up and a messy bun but was clean and covered then I would consider that professional. If a nurse had no make-up on, a pony tail and a pair of scrubs, I would also consider that professional. Conversely, if a teacher had a face full of makeup with glitter and heavy eye makeup, I would consider that unprofessional. Does that makes sense? I think looking "polished" is more global than simply wearing makeup or not.

I think it depends on your profession, and also your office. I work with mostly women and most of them look like they've had a makeup and hair stylist every morning and pull their outfits straight from the NON-sale-rack of Anthropologie. So I wouldn't feel comfortable going to work without full makeup and my hair looking decent.

That being said, plenty of women I work with wear little to no makeup and no one ever looks down on them so it's probably just me.

THAT being said, I've interviewed women who come in wearing no makeup and their hair untidy and I just can't take them seriously. If you can't put yourself together well enough for an interview, I can't trust you to present yourself well enough daily to work for me. And of course I've interviewed women with perfect hair and makeup and wardrobe and not hired them either because they're just not right for the job.