Women and Cosmetics, Why?

[Harpocrates]

thanks all for the replies, quite interesting responses

[Thelxi]

There are studies showing that women have naturally less stimulating facial features than men, similar to how one gender of a certain animal species can be much more colorful and visually stimulating than the other.

[jbombard]

How about hairspray or wax? How about deodorant? Perfume/Cologne? These are all things we apply to ourselves to alter our natural state to improve the impression we make on other people. Personally I like a woman that looks pretty without makeup and uses it sparingly, heavy makeup is a turnoff. That is just my personal preference though, I am not going to judge a woman based on her decision on how much makeup she likes to wear. It also isn't like lieing because it is totally obvious that she is using makeup to change her image. (but padded/push up bras can be a huge let down when they come off)

[Legolasgirl]

I used to wear makeup a lot as a teenager but even then I never participated in what I like to call the "raccoon eye" trend. I was pretty sparing mostly just trying to cover my excessive acne and using some color on my eyes. Now that I'm a mother of two young toddlers I hardly ever get out of the house so I only wear the make up when going on a "grownup" outing, as in just with my husband. I see no point in using it on a daily basis. He knows what i look like and has no complaints and I'm not interested in impressing anyone else. But when it's just him and I going out on our yearly date night I like to look good for him and for myself. Even then it's still mostly a small amount of concealer to cover the acne as I'm very self-conscious about it, and a slightly tinted lip chap as my lips get very dry and start peeling which is painful if I don't moisturize. For the other 364 days of the year I'm makeup free to attempt to keep my skin healthy.

[Jaxsz]

yea I saw this, if I were to be the shallow man these women want to attract, then I'd have every right to treat them like crap and ditch them when I see them without makeup, false advertisement and all that jazz. But I digress, I wouldn't really do it, infact I feel sorry for women worldwide who do this and wish there was a way to get them to think optionally rather than mandatory

---------- Post added 2013-02-17 at 08:29 PM ----------


well for one, wearing clothes is hygenic and needed in cold weather to keep warm etc. As for nice vs ugly clothes, that does kind of fit in with the OP but I didnt want to get into that as everyone wears clothes and it has its realistic uses. Whereas makeup is almost all women and men actors and the sprinkled regular male like the one who posted here

You seem to have some pretty serious issues. Why does it automatically make a man shallow to enjoy the appearance of a woman with make-up? And, to be fair, the kind of make-up presented in those photos and what it seems like you're referring to is quite dramatic and ridiculous and not at all necessarily what a woman wearing make-up would look like.

Something a little more like this -

She looks good either way, but the make-up is subtle yet adds that extra bit of sexiness in there.

You might want to see someone about your insecurities, though, and maybe just enjoy life or something.

[BlueGender]

They wear make up because they are stupid and insecure. They want to whore themselves out too. This is truth because I've seen girls with and without makeup. With makeup they look lustier and without they are cuter. Yep.

[Jaxsz]

They wear make up because they are stupid and insecure. They want to whore themselves out too. This is truth because I've seen girls with and without makeup. With makeup they look lustier and without they are cuter. Yep.

I have a feeling we can all see who the insecure one is.

[BlueGender]

I have a feeling we can all see who the insecure one is.

No shit, I just said it, all the girls who wear make-up.

[starlord]

No shit, I just said it, all the girls who wear make-up.

what kind of makeup are we talking here? some people just like having different colors on their eyes or lips...

[Deleted]

Yes I do, but it doesn't change the fact that they're using what nature gave them. Just like when a woman throws her hair on a side when looking at a dude or something. Make-up however is not something nature gave people, it's something they made, so I don't think his point stands.

Even in nature, illusion is an important factor in many species' survival. Butterflies have spots that look like eyes to scare off predators. Certain flies have evolved to look like bees. A puffer fish bloats itself with air to appear way bigger than it really is.

Makeup is similar in that it may be an illusion, but it can serve a purpose. To me, the point is not whether we were born with makeup or not, but that if you are judging by nature, illusion is not inherently wrong.

[breadisfunny]

i dont have a problem with women wearing makeup as long as they arent using excessive levels of it.

[Snuffleupagus]

They wear make up because they are stupid and insecure. They want to whore themselves out too. This is truth because I've seen girls with and without makeup. With makeup they look lustier and without they are cuter. Yep.

That's right, women should just bend to your will.

Women must just love you.

EDIT: I also love how makeup = whore.

---------- Post added 2013-02-20 at 09:07 PM ----------

what kind of makeup are we talking here? some people just like having different colors on their eyes or lips...

Does it even matter? If people don't like women who wear makeup, they should stop hanging out with women who wear makeup.

[Iseide]

I'm sorry, but exactly what business is it of yours whether or not a woman wears makeup? It's not your face, it has absolutely no bearing on your life or happiness, why does any woman need to justify her choices or what she does with her face and body to you? The slut shaming in here is just disgusting.

I mean, women choosing to wear makeup couldn't possibly have anything to do with the systematic, misogynistic shaming by men (and even other women) of a woman's appearance. Honestly it's a damned if you do, damned if you don't situation. Don't wear any makeup? You're an ugly dog, go hide at home. Wear obvious makeup? You're a whore, you deserve to be treated like a worthless slut. The only 'right' answer is obviously to be naturally, flawlessly and conventionally pretty. Which is ridiculous, no one in the world looks naturally, flawlessly and conventionally pretty without heavy photoshop and subtle makeup. Everyone has zits, freckles, blemishes, sun damage, something.

And the idea that a woman wearing makeup is a "lie" because she is covering up her "real appearance"? More bullshit shaming. It isn't a lie any more than any other effort made by anyone else (male or female) when getting ready for the day, and it's ridiculous to think you have the right to make fun of it. Do you ever shave? You're lying about your natural facial hair, and I have the right to pick on your naked baby face. Ever dyed your hair? You're lying about your color, and I have the right to make fun of you for going gray. Put on deodorant? Lying about your natural smell, and I can make fun of you for having the gall to cover up your usual stink. Ever put on clothes? Uh oh, you're hiding a fat roll, or a scar, or a tattoo, or a third nipple, and I can now shame you for having anything less than a perfect Adonis-like physique under that lie you call a t-shirt.

Oh did that sound silly and hurtful? Try being a woman for ten minutes.

[vep]

Males can get turned on by Females without makeup, otherwise we wouldn't even exist today. It seems women think it's cosmetics that make men like them, and they might even be right in some cases with shallow men but that doesn't prove that wearing cosmetics is the right and only way to go

Actually, women don't really wear make up for men. They wear it for other women. Women are a peculiar creature and they are very jealous of other women. They think of going out as competition with other women in who's prettier.
Seriously, the men are like 10-15% reason why women wear make up.

That said, everybody likes to look good, some people are not bothered by that, though. Us men, well, we usually resort to muscles. We don't typically wear make up so we go to the gym and buff our muscles so we don't look petty and in so doing look better.

[Deleted]

The classiest make up is the one that makes you look as if you aren't wearing any.

[Snuffleupagus]

There seems to be this nasty undercurrent running through this thread, though I can't quite put my finger on it. Stuff like calling women whores for wearing makeup and whatnot.

[starlord]

i just like blue sparkles, dammit!

[Kihaishii]

I don't wear make up, because I cba standing in front of the mirror for hours putting some stuff on my face. I look like I do, and I'm fine with it.
I think make up can be really beautiful if you don't overdo it. So no, it shouldn't die out. Some women should just quit showering in foundation, it's not so nice...
Mostly people wear it because they're not happy with their appearance. That's a shame of course, because you should never be judged by your looks, but as a matter of fact most people judge a person by how they look.
Another reason why I don't wear make up is probably that I have no idea how to put it on, and I'd rather buy video games for the money spent on make up.

[jonoy8]

i understand it perfectly, what i dont get is why? why do they feel the need to delve into this artificial idea of what society thinks is attractive. They don't need the make up at all. if the makeup makes or breaks the decision of the male like i said earlier than they are better off. And yea you say the specific type of male that they want, ok so they are trying to attract the shallow male who also goes by what society deems attractive. So in a sense it's artificial selection and is a good thing as it's constantly coupling together the insecure and the shallow leaving those who disagree to stand out more so

you sound arrogant like you are somehow "more genuine" because you like women with no make up, you seem rather insistent on it to the extent of calling males like me shallow because we appreciate make up on a female.

I hope you don't ever ask a girl to shave her armpits or legs or crotch either because than is unnatural

[Ryme]

1. You don't really look like that so why pretend?
2. Is there any women out there who specifically "don't at all" wear makeup?
3. Is this something that should have died out years ago?
4. What do you think about why they/you do it?
5. Would you be OK knowing I wore a wig if I were bald, had a pair of socks stuffed in my pants for obvious reasons, shoe-lifts to make me appear taller than I really do? (Hypothetical but serious questions, I can't picture a woman dating a man with any of these choices)

1. Self esteem issues
2. Almost certainly, though I'd imagine they'd be a very small percentage
3. Too much of a complex question, really. I don't think absolute answers solve anything, either.
4. As long as it's not too much, I don't mind, it's not great to wake up in the morning with but I have to admit, some girls do look astonishing with it.
5. Heh, gender equality, eh?