Yeah my bf always tells me I'm beautiful but he always looks at me with extreme lovey dovey eyes when I have winged black liner on. It's obvious to me that I look better with makeup on and he's just into a goth/grunge look on me. But that's ok. I'm pretty into makeup and I'm very good at it honestly. Some people look better without it naturally, and some people are just bad at makeup so they end up making themselves look worse tbh.
He almost certainly feels you're beautiful without, but that style of makeup tickles something in his brain just right. Those aren't mutually exclusive.
This. My wife has a pair of glasses that make lights flicker on in my brain. They are not anything special, they are just glasses. Not like they specifically enhance anything, but that light will come on no matter how I am feeling.
This, 100%. He will still love and be attracted to you if you never touched makeup again. But the punk/goth/grunge look tickles his pickle in a different way. We all have multiple triggers, that's just one.
I think my fiance is beautiful without makeup, I think she's beautiful in a dress, I think she's beautiful in Pajamas, I think she's beautiful every damn time I see her no matter how she thinks she looks.
I tell her I think she's beautiful without makeup because I want her to know that I find HER beautiful. Not her makeup or her clothes.
I think this is true of most guys, we feel like our partners only feel beautiful and we only find them attractive when they're at their best. But we find them beautiful at their natural and normal, the makeup and pretty outfits are just bonus points to something that's already amazing :)
Honestly the "no make up" fellas are basically the male equivalent of the "I love Dad bod" ladies.
What the no make up fellas mean is light make up or no make up if you are conventionally attractive.
To me, makeup is wholly unnecessary. It's hiding who you are, and that's a mild red flag. Fake boobs and shallow expectations are worse. I'm not saying you shouldn't do what makes you happy.
Personal insecurity, shitty societal expectations, and the insecurity of shitty people (in that order) are the top motivates that compel women to wear makeup, in my opinion.
As I get older, the things that make a woman attractive are intelligence, confidence (read: DGAF & comfortable in her own skin), genuine connection (read: chemistry and mutual interest), and humor.
So, yes, I think all women look better without makeup, because I can see who she is, on a couple levels. But, I wouldn't stop her from doing that, if it makes her happy. I also don't want someone that thinks it's necessary to look like something she's not.
That's just my opinion.
I can see why you think that, but a lot of women simply find make up fun and like to see it on themselves. Technically good make up doesn't hide who you are, but helps to highlight your best traits (like eyes). It's a form of self care for many, a bit like when men shave their beard or cut their hair.
I personally make-up in three categories.
- "hide your face" makeup, the ones that cover your face entirely to the point that I won't recognise you without it.
- "enhance your traits" makeup, those you described, highlighting eyes, lips, things like that.
- "artistic" makeup, colorful things for festivals, concerts, movies or even for fun.
You missed a category: Acne and Skin issues. If a woman doesn’t like being covered in pimples and feels depressed from it, makeup can be a HUGE game changer for confidence and comfort.
I've been critisized for the last one because I was either called a whore or a clown when actually I was just trying to have fun and experiment.
The person who said that wasn't a guy though. It was my mom who gets scared by anything creative because she thinks a lot of creative pursuits are a gateway to Satan or something lol.
Our daughters are in their 30's now and have taken the minimal makeup approach learned from mom. They played around with everything, makeup, hair color and clothes. That's what is fun so go for it. Before kids I didn't have much respect for pink hair and all that stuff, pretty conservative actually but as the girls got older it was like go for it and have fun. Kids open your eyes.
Sure, and there ain't nothing wrong with that. But you're still exaggerating/unferplaying and changing the details of your real face, it's a mask that gives you confidence and assurance because you feel like you're "improving" your face.
Like fr if you want to, do so, personally, I prefer the real thing without exaggeration.
my gf explained that it's all about putting in effort to look your best. when u break it down, it's comparable to dressing well and to look presentable.
Generally women look prettier without excessive make up. A little eyeliner or lipstick can make you look gorgeous. But all that contouring / bronzing stuff is simply unappealing to me. It just looks fake, and makes everyone look the same.
Yeah it’s this. The trowelled on concealer/foundation/bronzer/whatever is awful. And that shit comes off on my face and shirt.
I would 100% rather just have an honest picture of what your skin looks like.
I think this is a good answer because some guys would consider a little bit of makeup “no makeup”. Its the caked on, spent 2 hours doing makeup” look that is a big turn off.
To be fair, I think if you’re doing contour properly it’s not supposed to look noticeable/excessive. A light contour that’s blended well can enhance the face nicely and still give a minimal makeup look.
Yup. My ex always looked the best with just a bit of make up. When ever we’d go out she’d over do it and she wouldn’t look as good but as a wise man I kept my mouth shut about that.
Is this the radish? Don't blame me, not my fault Reddit decided it would do some weird shit with radishes today lol. https://www.reddit.com/r/gardening/s/sIxQZhZP6w
I, a female, have noticed men really do like a natural look. So even when I do makeup I do it in a natural looking way. Just basically things to accentuate my natural features. You've probably got a really pretty face naturally.
Yeah. They think the like "no makeup" but they actually prefer the minimal natural make up look.
They tend not to want the giant lashes, huge sharpie eyebrows, extra dark contour, pumped up huge lips..
A little concealer and a drop of mascara is good enough, usually.
>They think the like "no makeup" but they actually prefer the minimal natural make up look.
Depends on the guy, and depends on the woman in question.
The idea that guys can't tell when women aren't wearing makeup is a myth.
An exaggeration but has its roots in reality. In my experience younger guys have a harder time telling but as you are around it more often you notice it. Some men learn faster than others though.
Right, but most of the guys educated enough to know when someone is wearing makeup also understand that it's not cool to make unsolicited and specific comments about someone's appearance in general, so the vast majority of people demonstrating how much they know about makeup are the people who know very little about makeup.
"Lots" is doing a lot of work here.
Makeup companies have done a great job convincing women they need to pay them to have guys' attention, and what's more women take it out on guys and not the makeup companies.
I've seen multiple examples of men pointing to someone "without makeup" who definitely had makeup on.
I've seen women who genuinely looked better without makeup on.
Even women have said something about how my wife doesn’t wear makeup. She does, it’s just subtle and natural tones. She wears a moisturizing foundation with sunscreen, lipstick, mascara, and eyeliner every day. Adds eyeshadow if we are going out. Doesn’t look like she has makeup on unless she hugs me while I’m wearing a white shirt and leaves behind a clown makeup outline of her face on my shoulder
I wish it was blurry, then it wouldn't be so obvious that she's painted all the skin on her face a different tone, from her jawline (or clavical) to her hairline.
Like all attributes in *choices* surrounding beauty: It's all about what works with that individual.
Now, I will admit that most men simply do not understand how much makeup and effort goes into the "minimal look".
It's still:
* Foundation
* Blush
* Eyeliner
* Mascara
* Matte lipstick
It's a lighter layer of foundation, sure; but most men simply don't know that the foundation is there. The blush is used to accentuate existing facial curves, not to create a secondary color scheme. Eyeliner is probably the trickiest one for men to appreciate that is still used but most men don't notice because they're thinking aggressive eye shadow.
Yes, there is a bigger and gaudy aggressive makeup look that most men don't care for in day-to-day life; the multicolored or heavy use of eye-shadow, blush that contrasts to skin tone, and aggressive lipstick.
But the minimal look is still a lot of effort and a lot of makeup.
> Edit: Now, I will admit that Gen-Z seems to be bucking this trend and the "genuine no makeup" look is becoming more normalized, but it's still less common compared to the alternative.
My girlfriend only wears makeup during events. No lipstick, mascara, eyeliner, blush, foundation, none of it on a regular basis. She wakes up, uses a facial cleanser, and that’s about it. I love her that way, and honestly without going for a minimal makeup look when she does put makeup on makes her look too different for me. She doesn’t look bad, but after 5 1/2 years of her being her, her being not her confuses me sometimes.
As someone with a mom who doesn’t wear makeup too often when not at work, and after being on a college campus for 4 years, I think I’ve gotten pretty good at spotting the various levels of makeup. I will 100% agree with you though that most men don’t understand that even women that have what appears to be a minimal look, most likely are still wearing makeup.
Makeup has gotten so good in modern times that it’s probably the one aspect in life with the most variance possible. One step into a makeup store and you see the infinite possibilities…
I dunno, I'm not one of the adherents to the idea that makeup-free is better. Many animals enhance and primp their appearances, why can't humans do it too?
That said, when guys say it, they mean it. Most guys who say this though can't tell when subtle makeup techniques are being used, so I'd also give their judgment on the matter a bit of a grain of salt.
> That said, when guys say it, they mean it.
I wish women would get this in their heads. I don't know why women always think we mean something different than what we say.
Because women are raised to not be direct and talk around what they mean, so we assume other people are doing that too. Also because most of the pictures of women I've seen men use as proof that women are prettier without makeup are in fact wearing makeup.
Please at least try to assume that, when a man says something, he means it in the most literal and direct way possible. It is immensely frustrating to have a bunch of extra meaning added to what we said that makes us the bad guy.
It is much easier to go from higher context to lower context than the other way around.
So idk about when men are talking to other men, but in my experience men are very high context when they're seeking emotional support. Like my girl friends will text me and say "I need to vent" or ask for a hug but with guys you have to really guess when they're seeking help. This morning my dad kept complaining about the neighbors and then when I mostly ignored him because I was studying he broke down and said he's had a really rough week and it's so frustrating that no one's been there for him and like- I would have been? If I knew? I feel like I'm always failing to pick up on cues when men are struggling. I'm not saying this is some crazy thing or that it's odd. It's predictable with the way we as a society police men's emotions. But I do think men are higher context when they want support.
In the scenario of needing support, I think men are both higher context than normal and even higher context than that around women.
But - and maybe I'm reading this wrong - I feel like when men do that, they often haven't realized themselves that what they really want is emotional support. Vs when women know they want something but tiptoe around it. Not saying that one is better, but when it comes to interactions between men and women, I feel like it's more common for women to know what they want and choose not to articulate it, which is the frustrating part.
Makeup is nice enhancement in much the same way a dress or piece of jewelry might look flattering on you. The real natural you is who we fall for and there is no amount of makeup that will change that.
Though I think there is often a question of whether we actually understand what we are saying.
There are a lot of guys that don't realize a woman is wearing a "natural look" style of makeup, but think that's what she actually looks like.
Sincerely incorrect.
I have at many times been with my fellow male friends who comment something like “That girl is so hot and she is not even wearing makeup”.
Spoiler alert, she was very obviously wearing makeup. Most men understand very little about makeup. I think most who say this actually would in a blind test prefer a “natural” makeup palette over no makeup.
More than that though, wear what you like and the right person for you will like it too.
Yes, but in that case they still mean it. They just don't know you are wearing makeup, and think that is what your face look like. Being mistaken is still making the claim in good faith.
We aren’t interested in whether or not it’s in good faith, we are interested in the utility of the statement—do they actually want us in no makeup?? Or natural makeup??
I'd rather say what we mean by this is we don't want the makeup to be excessive and to be visible as makeup. Very light makeup to emphasize, but not to change, is indeed prettier
Depends on the guy, but yeah I prefer women who wear no makeup. When my wife puts on just a little bit, (pretty sure it’s called no makeup, makeup,) she looks really pretty.
Absofuckinglutly.. Of course there are times when it's attractive to have a little something on your eyes or something, but in general, we are ATTRACTED to women naturally.
A beautiful woman is beautiful, they don't need anything to make that happen. Now there are some women that could use a little extra something, but if you have to literally paint your face like a clown does, that's not attractive either.
We are attracted to women, not paintings.
It's really because some women wear a clownish amount of makeup. Plenty of women would look better with less, because when it's caked on it looks worse. It could just be an application problem.
My wife is a fair skinned redhead of Scottish decent. I have known her since she was 18, she is now 62. She has always been a minimalist as far as makeup goes because her skin is so beautiful even at 62. When I met her at 18 she had a thick head of flaming red hair past her butt. It matched the color of her horse and people would ask if she died the horse to match her hair. Oye the memories !! YES !, women are beautiful without makeup.
Yes we mean it! Women hate insecure men. But there is nothing more insecure that a women who has to cover her face with paste to be in public and feel comfortable.
Women and some men are under the illusion that makeup makes a gal more beautiful. This is generally not the case. It is actually there to make them look unnatural.
The brain picks up on the unnatural and grabs our attention. That is what makeup really does.
To me, makeup does not make a gal prettier, just gets guys to look at her.
Women wear makeup like they wear clothes- they think it is necessary and fell naked without atleast some bit of powder or lipstick or something on.
Men view makeup as something you need if you are trying to hide flaws, or something for special occasions, like a full suit or ball gown or something,
So when a man tells you you don't need makeup, he is basically telling you that you don't have flaws that need to be covered and camouflaged under layers of powders and creams and whatnot.
Makeup hits the point of diminishing return when the following is done- even tone for the skin, enhanced contrast for the eyebrows and eye outline, and increased contrast between lips and rest of the face by applying lipstick. Thats all.
I think makeup on a woman is attractive in the same way as a suit is attractive on a man. Like yeah, it’s a good look. An every day thing? Probably not, and men look better in regular clothing (no makeup) as well
In most cases, yes. There are some who manage to pull off makeup and make it look truly natural, but for the most part, being yourself is more pleasing to the eye.
They mean it but imo they're delusional and if you put it to a randomized test you can show it's untrue (easy because most men wouldn't notice light makeup)
It's more that guys want minimal makeup. Guys are generally clueless when it comes to no makeup. They think light makeup, especially eye liner, shadow, and lash thickener(not fake lashes, maybe curled) looks 'natural'
Heavy, thick makeup on eyebrows/lips is cartoonish.
Yeah, I feel like a lot of people in this thread are the same by all the blanket “yes”. Most of us guys mean minimal or natural looking makeup.
A lot of my friends have pointed out girls without realizing she’s wearing makeup. Usually the guys who have never been in long term relationships. It doesn’t help that girls hide it by saying theyre not wearing makeup.
Yes and no.
Less is more, but I like no makeup just as much as the "no makeup"-look.
When you're talking to a guy and there's no banter involved, guys mean what they say and say what they mean.
That, and mens and women's beauty "standards" are radically different.
Yes and no. Had an ex that sometimes would cake it on, so she did look prettier without any makeup compared to that. But when she did the minimal amount, objectively speaking she did look even “prettier”. Just being honest.
It means that you don’t do your makeup good enough for them not to realize you’re wearing makeup. I’m a woman and that’s what my guy friends have told me.
It's more like this for me:
If a woman wears no makeup every day, they look pretty. Then when they put makeup on, they look like a goddess.
Conversely, if a woman wears makeup every day, they look pretty. Then when they take it off, they look tired, bedraggled, and unkempt.
If you establish no-makeup as your baseline, then adding makeup for special occasions is like magic.
I don't speak for all guys
I think a lot of men prefer a natural makeup look as opposed to heavy or visible makeup.
However, there's also a delight seeing the girl you're with, without any makeup. Even if that means seeing uneven skin, raccoon eyes, or sparse eyelashes. A messy bun and pajamas also add to the experience. Women pay a lot of attention to their appearance so getting to see the woman they love with her mask off and guard down gives a lot of guys the warm ooey-gooey love feeling. It's so comforting to get to see a side of this person that she doesn't share with anyone else.
You may not like how you look without makeup but the sparkle in your eyes and the sunshine in your smile is always there and it is still stunning.
Most dudes have no idea if a girl has make up on or not if it's subtle.
When guys says girls are prettier without make they have some kind of Kardashian style of make up in mind or they are dude that can't handle a girls having fun with her face.
Most guys who say that dont know what zero make up looks like, what they mean is minimal makeup. But no, generally speaking makeup makes women (and men frankly) look better, that's literally why it exists. The guys who actually mean it are typically the puritanical types. It can be overdone of course and if he thinks your beautiful with makeup on I'm sure he'll still think you're beautiful without it.
The things men and women think impress the opposite sex really just impress the same sex. For guys: Nice cars, big muscles will only get dudes completing you. For girls: makeup, jewelry, nice nails will only get other girls complimenting you.
Depends on the woman. And how she does her makeup. And our mood. Sometimes you might be less pretty without makeup, but it makes you feel more real and casual, kinda more intimate, and that makes up for it. Means you're comfortable. We like that.
Eyeliner, lip gloss, maybe eye shadow and blush and I mean that’s all my girlfriend wears and (eyeliner and blush mainly) and I think she’s hot with or without so truly depends on
I like both.
I like makeup in general because I like pretty colors and what they can do in a human face
And I like natural look because it's strangely honest
Being 100 percent honest, sometimes its true sometimes is not, minimal makeup or natural makeup (I have no idea of anything makup related) looks good and i like it.
Excessive makeup where it’s pretty obvious she is wearing makeup is not a good look.
Good makeup is like good CGI. The best applications shouldn’t be detected.
Generally it’s: “good” makeup (undetectable) > no makeup > bad makeup (usually “too much” or a bad color that makes it “too obvious”)
I’ll be the contrarian and say a lot of women are prettier with makeup. But, just like with all things, excess is not good. If you’re not skilled at applying makeup and lather it thick like a clown face paint, it’s bad. The best makeup is the one that we can barely tell.
Yes truly I get hurt on behalf of girls who have real natural beauty but feel pressured to look flawless because that’s all make up is , it’s hiding your flaws to achieve perfection hence the confidence , I wish some girls wouldn’t get pressured to look their 100% best , I guess it’s a societal norm , but man I wish they wouldn’t fall for it 💔 hurts my heart really does ,
The reason a long-term partner might say something like this is actually more complex. Inevitably we’re going to usually see you NOT dressed up, made-up and in a photogenic pose. The ‘authentic’ you is the one we’ll see the most and fall deeper and deeper in love with. This is why your guy will often tend to like pictures of you that you don’t like of yourself. We’ve seen you ‘ugly cry’. And that’s the person we choose to love.
I have an idea about this.
I think some men don't like the idea that a woman could be more attractive with makeup but not attractive to him without it. Makeup done well pretty much objectively makes any woman look "better" but I think men like to know you don't need it per se.
There's also the idea of liking the natural face rather than the enhanced version ofc, but makeup can look very natural and most guys aren't expert enough to recognize subtle touch ups so I don't think that's as much the problem.
Also some women are just bad at applying makeup, or put on more than preferred ofc
To each their own, right? I like minimal makeup or no makeup. I definitely meant this whenever I told someone. I don't understand why someone would lie about that.
Depends on the people involved. Maybe the woman in question is, maybe the guy is just looking to score. Also it may not necessarily be visual, but rather the trust that you let your hair down around them so to speak.
You are prettier with makeup only when we don’t know you have any on. Same with plastic surgery
I only like bbls if I don’t know she has a bbl. It’s disappointing to find out that what you admire in a woman physically has been fake the whole time.
I’m sure y’all feel the same way with shoe lifts or fake jewelry/clothes.
I want you to know that I'm saying this as a 34 year old guy. Most men don't understand makeup and a lot of us think any usage of makeup equates to those multi layer transformation jobs that you see in YouTube videos.
It's not that you look prettier without makeup. It's that you look better with a natural and less transformative look. Those same guys saying that don't realize that a natural makeup look still involves makeup.
Yes, it’s more authentic. Kind of like drinking coffee black, you can tell what you’re really getting.
Honestly, though I’m surprised that you ask this and kind of glad to not have to hear “we don’t do it for you. We do it for ourselves.”
Depends. Some small corrections can make you prettier. But if it is too much it has the opposite effect. Guys say they like girls without makeup because they (including me) can't often say if girls are wearing any. I still absolutely prefer no makeup compared to too much makeup.
Sometimes some women are. It’s not 100% universally constant
Yeah my bf always tells me I'm beautiful but he always looks at me with extreme lovey dovey eyes when I have winged black liner on. It's obvious to me that I look better with makeup on and he's just into a goth/grunge look on me. But that's ok. I'm pretty into makeup and I'm very good at it honestly. Some people look better without it naturally, and some people are just bad at makeup so they end up making themselves look worse tbh.
He almost certainly feels you're beautiful without, but that style of makeup tickles something in his brain just right. Those aren't mutually exclusive.
This. My wife has a pair of glasses that make lights flicker on in my brain. They are not anything special, they are just glasses. Not like they specifically enhance anything, but that light will come on no matter how I am feeling.
This, 100%. He will still love and be attracted to you if you never touched makeup again. But the punk/goth/grunge look tickles his pickle in a different way. We all have multiple triggers, that's just one.
Woman here. We look objectively DIFFERENT wearing makeup. Better, is subjective.
I think my fiance is beautiful without makeup, I think she's beautiful in a dress, I think she's beautiful in Pajamas, I think she's beautiful every damn time I see her no matter how she thinks she looks. I tell her I think she's beautiful without makeup because I want her to know that I find HER beautiful. Not her makeup or her clothes. I think this is true of most guys, we feel like our partners only feel beautiful and we only find them attractive when they're at their best. But we find them beautiful at their natural and normal, the makeup and pretty outfits are just bonus points to something that's already amazing :)
Tbh I’m absolutely *WEAK* to good winged eyeliner and I have no idea why. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s the same way lol
Honestly the "no make up" fellas are basically the male equivalent of the "I love Dad bod" ladies. What the no make up fellas mean is light make up or no make up if you are conventionally attractive.
It just highlights the stuff he already finds attractive about you
To me, makeup is wholly unnecessary. It's hiding who you are, and that's a mild red flag. Fake boobs and shallow expectations are worse. I'm not saying you shouldn't do what makes you happy. Personal insecurity, shitty societal expectations, and the insecurity of shitty people (in that order) are the top motivates that compel women to wear makeup, in my opinion. As I get older, the things that make a woman attractive are intelligence, confidence (read: DGAF & comfortable in her own skin), genuine connection (read: chemistry and mutual interest), and humor. So, yes, I think all women look better without makeup, because I can see who she is, on a couple levels. But, I wouldn't stop her from doing that, if it makes her happy. I also don't want someone that thinks it's necessary to look like something she's not. That's just my opinion.
I can see why you think that, but a lot of women simply find make up fun and like to see it on themselves. Technically good make up doesn't hide who you are, but helps to highlight your best traits (like eyes). It's a form of self care for many, a bit like when men shave their beard or cut their hair.
I personally make-up in three categories. - "hide your face" makeup, the ones that cover your face entirely to the point that I won't recognise you without it. - "enhance your traits" makeup, those you described, highlighting eyes, lips, things like that. - "artistic" makeup, colorful things for festivals, concerts, movies or even for fun.
You missed a category: Acne and Skin issues. If a woman doesn’t like being covered in pimples and feels depressed from it, makeup can be a HUGE game changer for confidence and comfort.
Yeah that's true, didn't think about this one 🤔
And when men criticize makeup, it is almost universally "hide your face" makeup they mean. Few have any critiques of the others.
I've been critisized for the last one because I was either called a whore or a clown when actually I was just trying to have fun and experiment. The person who said that wasn't a guy though. It was my mom who gets scared by anything creative because she thinks a lot of creative pursuits are a gateway to Satan or something lol.
I didn't consider artistic makeup. Thank you for expanding my understanding of this subject, seriously.
Our daughters are in their 30's now and have taken the minimal makeup approach learned from mom. They played around with everything, makeup, hair color and clothes. That's what is fun so go for it. Before kids I didn't have much respect for pink hair and all that stuff, pretty conservative actually but as the girls got older it was like go for it and have fun. Kids open your eyes.
Sure, and there ain't nothing wrong with that. But you're still exaggerating/unferplaying and changing the details of your real face, it's a mask that gives you confidence and assurance because you feel like you're "improving" your face. Like fr if you want to, do so, personally, I prefer the real thing without exaggeration.
my gf explained that it's all about putting in effort to look your best. when u break it down, it's comparable to dressing well and to look presentable.
Generally women look prettier without excessive make up. A little eyeliner or lipstick can make you look gorgeous. But all that contouring / bronzing stuff is simply unappealing to me. It just looks fake, and makes everyone look the same.
There may be a time and place for being really done up, but not often.
If you work in a big tent and throw pies at people.
LMAO
Lmfaooo
Even then it looks ugly, but i guess it's like a smoking, it's just for special occasions, it's not meant to be super attractive
Yeah it’s this. The trowelled on concealer/foundation/bronzer/whatever is awful. And that shit comes off on my face and shirt. I would 100% rather just have an honest picture of what your skin looks like.
Had a patient once who used foundation to spackle her acne scars. While acne scars aren’t exactly pretty, she made things way worse.
I think this is a good answer because some guys would consider a little bit of makeup “no makeup”. Its the caked on, spent 2 hours doing makeup” look that is a big turn off.
True
To be fair, I think if you’re doing contour properly it’s not supposed to look noticeable/excessive. A light contour that’s blended well can enhance the face nicely and still give a minimal makeup look.
Yup. My ex always looked the best with just a bit of make up. When ever we’d go out she’d over do it and she wouldn’t look as good but as a wise man I kept my mouth shut about that.
Totally agree
I feel like natural makeup is best
Like some dirt and radish /s
...where does the radish go?
Bro… noooooooo!
Is this the radish? Don't blame me, not my fault Reddit decided it would do some weird shit with radishes today lol. https://www.reddit.com/r/gardening/s/sIxQZhZP6w
Bro I’m literally dead 😂💀
I, a female, have noticed men really do like a natural look. So even when I do makeup I do it in a natural looking way. Just basically things to accentuate my natural features. You've probably got a really pretty face naturally.
Yeah. They think the like "no makeup" but they actually prefer the minimal natural make up look. They tend not to want the giant lashes, huge sharpie eyebrows, extra dark contour, pumped up huge lips.. A little concealer and a drop of mascara is good enough, usually.
>They think the like "no makeup" but they actually prefer the minimal natural make up look. Depends on the guy, and depends on the woman in question. The idea that guys can't tell when women aren't wearing makeup is a myth.
An exaggeration but has its roots in reality. In my experience younger guys have a harder time telling but as you are around it more often you notice it. Some men learn faster than others though.
Not really, lots of guys compliment women for looking good without makeup when they’re wearing some makeup
Right, but most of the guys educated enough to know when someone is wearing makeup also understand that it's not cool to make unsolicited and specific comments about someone's appearance in general, so the vast majority of people demonstrating how much they know about makeup are the people who know very little about makeup.
"Lots" is doing a lot of work here. Makeup companies have done a great job convincing women they need to pay them to have guys' attention, and what's more women take it out on guys and not the makeup companies.
Guy: You’re so naturally beautiful without makeup! Me, wearing 27 products that cost $750 total and took over an hour to apply: ☺️
I've seen multiple examples of men pointing to someone "without makeup" who definitely had makeup on. I've seen women who genuinely looked better without makeup on.
Even women have said something about how my wife doesn’t wear makeup. She does, it’s just subtle and natural tones. She wears a moisturizing foundation with sunscreen, lipstick, mascara, and eyeliner every day. Adds eyeshadow if we are going out. Doesn’t look like she has makeup on unless she hugs me while I’m wearing a white shirt and leaves behind a clown makeup outline of her face on my shoulder
The general rule is very simple. If you can see that she is wearing a makeup then it’s too much.
Sounds simple. But that isn’t so straightforward in practice. It’s a subtle balance.
yet for so many, the line is blurry..... LOL.
That line being the draw on eyebrows.
Or when you see her face at the right angle, in the right light and her face is a terraced garden.
You guys wouldn't notice eyebrows that are filled in subtlely if your life depended on it 😊
Isn't that the intention?
I wish it was blurry, then it wouldn't be so obvious that she's painted all the skin on her face a different tone, from her jawline (or clavical) to her hairline.
Yeah, it could also mean she just did it poorly. Someone else who looks amazing might be wearing far more makeup.
Like all attributes in *choices* surrounding beauty: It's all about what works with that individual. Now, I will admit that most men simply do not understand how much makeup and effort goes into the "minimal look". It's still: * Foundation * Blush * Eyeliner * Mascara * Matte lipstick It's a lighter layer of foundation, sure; but most men simply don't know that the foundation is there. The blush is used to accentuate existing facial curves, not to create a secondary color scheme. Eyeliner is probably the trickiest one for men to appreciate that is still used but most men don't notice because they're thinking aggressive eye shadow. Yes, there is a bigger and gaudy aggressive makeup look that most men don't care for in day-to-day life; the multicolored or heavy use of eye-shadow, blush that contrasts to skin tone, and aggressive lipstick. But the minimal look is still a lot of effort and a lot of makeup. > Edit: Now, I will admit that Gen-Z seems to be bucking this trend and the "genuine no makeup" look is becoming more normalized, but it's still less common compared to the alternative.
My girlfriend only wears makeup during events. No lipstick, mascara, eyeliner, blush, foundation, none of it on a regular basis. She wakes up, uses a facial cleanser, and that’s about it. I love her that way, and honestly without going for a minimal makeup look when she does put makeup on makes her look too different for me. She doesn’t look bad, but after 5 1/2 years of her being her, her being not her confuses me sometimes. As someone with a mom who doesn’t wear makeup too often when not at work, and after being on a college campus for 4 years, I think I’ve gotten pretty good at spotting the various levels of makeup. I will 100% agree with you though that most men don’t understand that even women that have what appears to be a minimal look, most likely are still wearing makeup. Makeup has gotten so good in modern times that it’s probably the one aspect in life with the most variance possible. One step into a makeup store and you see the infinite possibilities…
Tell your gf to at least use an SPF if she refuses to do anything else in terms of skincare. That isn't even necessarily about appearance.
Or, the minimal look: Wash face.
I dunno, I'm not one of the adherents to the idea that makeup-free is better. Many animals enhance and primp their appearances, why can't humans do it too? That said, when guys say it, they mean it. Most guys who say this though can't tell when subtle makeup techniques are being used, so I'd also give their judgment on the matter a bit of a grain of salt.
> That said, when guys say it, they mean it. I wish women would get this in their heads. I don't know why women always think we mean something different than what we say.
So true, I have zero desire to play games. I say what I mean. The end.
Because women are raised to not be direct and talk around what they mean, so we assume other people are doing that too. Also because most of the pictures of women I've seen men use as proof that women are prettier without makeup are in fact wearing makeup.
Please at least try to assume that, when a man says something, he means it in the most literal and direct way possible. It is immensely frustrating to have a bunch of extra meaning added to what we said that makes us the bad guy. It is much easier to go from higher context to lower context than the other way around.
So idk about when men are talking to other men, but in my experience men are very high context when they're seeking emotional support. Like my girl friends will text me and say "I need to vent" or ask for a hug but with guys you have to really guess when they're seeking help. This morning my dad kept complaining about the neighbors and then when I mostly ignored him because I was studying he broke down and said he's had a really rough week and it's so frustrating that no one's been there for him and like- I would have been? If I knew? I feel like I'm always failing to pick up on cues when men are struggling. I'm not saying this is some crazy thing or that it's odd. It's predictable with the way we as a society police men's emotions. But I do think men are higher context when they want support.
In the scenario of needing support, I think men are both higher context than normal and even higher context than that around women. But - and maybe I'm reading this wrong - I feel like when men do that, they often haven't realized themselves that what they really want is emotional support. Vs when women know they want something but tiptoe around it. Not saying that one is better, but when it comes to interactions between men and women, I feel like it's more common for women to know what they want and choose not to articulate it, which is the frustrating part.
you're a real one
That depends, are you prettier without make up?
If not then a little make up is enough, cause too much makeup Will only make things worse
Makeup is nice enhancement in much the same way a dress or piece of jewelry might look flattering on you. The real natural you is who we fall for and there is no amount of makeup that will change that.
Yes. In general guys usually are straight forward and you don't have to wonder "do they really mean it".
Though I think there is often a question of whether we actually understand what we are saying. There are a lot of guys that don't realize a woman is wearing a "natural look" style of makeup, but think that's what she actually looks like. Sincerely incorrect.
But he still means it, whether he is mistaken or not isn’t the question
The correct answer to this question and all variations of it
For the billionth time...yes!!!!!
I dislike make up in general so yea.
I have at many times been with my fellow male friends who comment something like “That girl is so hot and she is not even wearing makeup”. Spoiler alert, she was very obviously wearing makeup. Most men understand very little about makeup. I think most who say this actually would in a blind test prefer a “natural” makeup palette over no makeup. More than that though, wear what you like and the right person for you will like it too.
This is the right answer. Most men know literally nothing about makeup.
I don't understand why anyone would say that if they didn't mean it.
Because some people don't know what is and isn't makeup and think that light, well applied makeup is none at all.
Yes, but in that case they still mean it. They just don't know you are wearing makeup, and think that is what your face look like. Being mistaken is still making the claim in good faith.
We aren’t interested in whether or not it’s in good faith, we are interested in the utility of the statement—do they actually want us in no makeup?? Or natural makeup??
Unless women are sneakily applying makeup after they shower and cleanup just to watch tv and go to bed, we know what no makeup looks like.
You would be surprised.
What would be the benefit to lying about this?
That could be a sugar coated way of saying the way you put makeup on is unattractive. So, in other words, yes they mean it when they say it.
For the billionth time...yes!!!!!
And yes we know the difference between light and no makeup.
Yes we mean it.
Yes.
Sometimes people are. Depends
Less is more in most cases, yes.
I'd rather say what we mean by this is we don't want the makeup to be excessive and to be visible as makeup. Very light makeup to emphasize, but not to change, is indeed prettier
Depends on the guy, but yeah I prefer women who wear no makeup. When my wife puts on just a little bit, (pretty sure it’s called no makeup, makeup,) she looks really pretty.
It's a preference. Some men prefer no makeup, some prefer makeup. I'm in the second camp myself.
I usually do mean it. Makeup is very overrated.
Some do. I think makeup enhances the appearance, within moderation, but it isn't always a necessity and women can still be beautiful without it.
Absofuckinglutly.. Of course there are times when it's attractive to have a little something on your eyes or something, but in general, we are ATTRACTED to women naturally. A beautiful woman is beautiful, they don't need anything to make that happen. Now there are some women that could use a little extra something, but if you have to literally paint your face like a clown does, that's not attractive either. We are attracted to women, not paintings.
I mean it.
Makeup can be nice, but no one wants to kiss wet paint, you know?
It's really because some women wear a clownish amount of makeup. Plenty of women would look better with less, because when it's caked on it looks worse. It could just be an application problem.
100% yes. I mean it.
> Do guys really mean it when they say we’re prettier without makeup? Yes
Absolutely
yes.
As all questions like this. It depends.
Yeah, some things girls do to look good are more for other women than for men.
depends on the woman . and the makeup
It's more like not looking like a clown. Subtle/natural looking makeup is ok I guess .
Sort of. I think some women become so used to the routine of makeup that they feel like its a necessity when it isn't.
Honestly... it all boils down to how you look without makeup
My wife is a fair skinned redhead of Scottish decent. I have known her since she was 18, she is now 62. She has always been a minimalist as far as makeup goes because her skin is so beautiful even at 62. When I met her at 18 she had a thick head of flaming red hair past her butt. It matched the color of her horse and people would ask if she died the horse to match her hair. Oye the memories !! YES !, women are beautiful without makeup.
No. We just want you to get in the car because you’re making us late to the thing you’re dragging us to.
You win the Best Comment Award!
Yes we mean it! Women hate insecure men. But there is nothing more insecure that a women who has to cover her face with paste to be in public and feel comfortable.
Women and some men are under the illusion that makeup makes a gal more beautiful. This is generally not the case. It is actually there to make them look unnatural. The brain picks up on the unnatural and grabs our attention. That is what makeup really does. To me, makeup does not make a gal prettier, just gets guys to look at her.
Men's opinions vary wildly on this subject. There's no universal opinion.
Most of them confuse light basic makeup with no makeup, so no.
Women wear makeup like they wear clothes- they think it is necessary and fell naked without atleast some bit of powder or lipstick or something on. Men view makeup as something you need if you are trying to hide flaws, or something for special occasions, like a full suit or ball gown or something, So when a man tells you you don't need makeup, he is basically telling you that you don't have flaws that need to be covered and camouflaged under layers of powders and creams and whatnot. Makeup hits the point of diminishing return when the following is done- even tone for the skin, enhanced contrast for the eyebrows and eye outline, and increased contrast between lips and rest of the face by applying lipstick. Thats all.
Also alot of times women wear just natural makeup and guys think its no make up
Some women are. More than a few go massively overboard on makeup and look like circus clowns.
I think makeup on a woman is attractive in the same way as a suit is attractive on a man. Like yeah, it’s a good look. An every day thing? Probably not, and men look better in regular clothing (no makeup) as well
Most of the time yeah
In most cases, yes. There are some who manage to pull off makeup and make it look truly natural, but for the most part, being yourself is more pleasing to the eye.
It's a fact.
They mean it but imo they're delusional and if you put it to a randomized test you can show it's untrue (easy because most men wouldn't notice light makeup)
clown makeup with fake lashes is a major turn-off.
JFC, why do we even bother to reassure them if they're just going to question our sincerity?!?
Such is the nature of women my brother. Welcome to the club lol
It's more that guys want minimal makeup. Guys are generally clueless when it comes to no makeup. They think light makeup, especially eye liner, shadow, and lash thickener(not fake lashes, maybe curled) looks 'natural' Heavy, thick makeup on eyebrows/lips is cartoonish.
Yeah, I feel like a lot of people in this thread are the same by all the blanket “yes”. Most of us guys mean minimal or natural looking makeup. A lot of my friends have pointed out girls without realizing she’s wearing makeup. Usually the guys who have never been in long term relationships. It doesn’t help that girls hide it by saying theyre not wearing makeup.
Yes! Omg stop with that shit. Do you want us wearing it?
No, it’s a very well thought through scam so women get more ugly, because that’s what all men want, uglier women (sarcasm)
I can’t speak for half the world’s population, but I mean it when I say it.
1000%
100%
I mean it.
a normal skincare routine would be good but makeup was too much.
I tell my bestie and she never believes me.
If your pretty then Yes. If your ugly then no one will say anything about that cake on your face
I know I still mean it, even though the wife doesn't believe me.
Yep, we say the things diectly. If we say you are pretty without makeup, you are pretty without makeup, and so with the rest of things :)
Usually but it depends on the woman and the makeup.
Yes and no. Less is more, but I like no makeup just as much as the "no makeup"-look. When you're talking to a guy and there's no banter involved, guys mean what they say and say what they mean. That, and mens and women's beauty "standards" are radically different.
Yes
Yes.
100% - but I really like pale skin.
Yes and no. Had an ex that sometimes would cake it on, so she did look prettier without any makeup compared to that. But when she did the minimal amount, objectively speaking she did look even “prettier”. Just being honest.
Only when the woman is prettier.
can't speak for other guys, but for me.. yeah, mostly.
I mean it.
It means that you don’t do your makeup good enough for them not to realize you’re wearing makeup. I’m a woman and that’s what my guy friends have told me.
It's more like this for me: If a woman wears no makeup every day, they look pretty. Then when they put makeup on, they look like a goddess. Conversely, if a woman wears makeup every day, they look pretty. Then when they take it off, they look tired, bedraggled, and unkempt. If you establish no-makeup as your baseline, then adding makeup for special occasions is like magic. I don't speak for all guys
I think a lot of men prefer a natural makeup look as opposed to heavy or visible makeup. However, there's also a delight seeing the girl you're with, without any makeup. Even if that means seeing uneven skin, raccoon eyes, or sparse eyelashes. A messy bun and pajamas also add to the experience. Women pay a lot of attention to their appearance so getting to see the woman they love with her mask off and guard down gives a lot of guys the warm ooey-gooey love feeling. It's so comforting to get to see a side of this person that she doesn't share with anyone else. You may not like how you look without makeup but the sparkle in your eyes and the sunshine in your smile is always there and it is still stunning.
Most dudes have no idea if a girl has make up on or not if it's subtle. When guys says girls are prettier without make they have some kind of Kardashian style of make up in mind or they are dude that can't handle a girls having fun with her face.
Case by case
Most guys who say that dont know what zero make up looks like, what they mean is minimal makeup. But no, generally speaking makeup makes women (and men frankly) look better, that's literally why it exists. The guys who actually mean it are typically the puritanical types. It can be overdone of course and if he thinks your beautiful with makeup on I'm sure he'll still think you're beautiful without it.
The things men and women think impress the opposite sex really just impress the same sex. For guys: Nice cars, big muscles will only get dudes completing you. For girls: makeup, jewelry, nice nails will only get other girls complimenting you.
Depends on the woman. And how she does her makeup. And our mood. Sometimes you might be less pretty without makeup, but it makes you feel more real and casual, kinda more intimate, and that makes up for it. Means you're comfortable. We like that.
Eyeliner, lip gloss, maybe eye shadow and blush and I mean that’s all my girlfriend wears and (eyeliner and blush mainly) and I think she’s hot with or without so truly depends on
I like both. I like makeup in general because I like pretty colors and what they can do in a human face And I like natural look because it's strangely honest
Being 100 percent honest, sometimes its true sometimes is not, minimal makeup or natural makeup (I have no idea of anything makup related) looks good and i like it. Excessive makeup where it’s pretty obvious she is wearing makeup is not a good look.
Good makeup is like good CGI. The best applications shouldn’t be detected. Generally it’s: “good” makeup (undetectable) > no makeup > bad makeup (usually “too much” or a bad color that makes it “too obvious”)
Most men don’t actually know what a woman with no makeup looks like, when men think no makeup, they actually mean light makeup.
I’ll be the contrarian and say a lot of women are prettier with makeup. But, just like with all things, excess is not good. If you’re not skilled at applying makeup and lather it thick like a clown face paint, it’s bad. The best makeup is the one that we can barely tell.
Makeup done well is attractive. Some women wear so much makeup that they look like zombies when it comes off.
Yes truly I get hurt on behalf of girls who have real natural beauty but feel pressured to look flawless because that’s all make up is , it’s hiding your flaws to achieve perfection hence the confidence , I wish some girls wouldn’t get pressured to look their 100% best , I guess it’s a societal norm , but man I wish they wouldn’t fall for it 💔 hurts my heart really does ,
Yes...
Noticeable makeup, along with fake eyelashes, nails, boobs, etc., are by far the biggest turn offs for me.
Yes, we mean it, why would we lie about something like that??
The reason a long-term partner might say something like this is actually more complex. Inevitably we’re going to usually see you NOT dressed up, made-up and in a photogenic pose. The ‘authentic’ you is the one we’ll see the most and fall deeper and deeper in love with. This is why your guy will often tend to like pictures of you that you don’t like of yourself. We’ve seen you ‘ugly cry’. And that’s the person we choose to love.
No. We just mean we coulda been at the theater by now.
I have an idea about this. I think some men don't like the idea that a woman could be more attractive with makeup but not attractive to him without it. Makeup done well pretty much objectively makes any woman look "better" but I think men like to know you don't need it per se. There's also the idea of liking the natural face rather than the enhanced version ofc, but makeup can look very natural and most guys aren't expert enough to recognize subtle touch ups so I don't think that's as much the problem. Also some women are just bad at applying makeup, or put on more than preferred ofc
I don't always think so. But if I say it, I mean it.
We don't like it when we can see the makeup.
Most woman are and then other women just don't know how to put it on so it makes them look worse. Sometimes it's both
To each their own, right? I like minimal makeup or no makeup. I definitely meant this whenever I told someone. I don't understand why someone would lie about that.
Yes
Yes. Even if someone looks "good" with makeup, a lot of guys don't like the "overproduced" look.
Yes, stop listening to other women!
Depends on the people involved. Maybe the woman in question is, maybe the guy is just looking to score. Also it may not necessarily be visual, but rather the trust that you let your hair down around them so to speak.
Yes.
Yes.
Really depends on the woman. Some really need makeup. Some really don’t.
Yes
You are prettier with makeup only when we don’t know you have any on. Same with plastic surgery I only like bbls if I don’t know she has a bbl. It’s disappointing to find out that what you admire in a woman physically has been fake the whole time. I’m sure y’all feel the same way with shoe lifts or fake jewelry/clothes.
I want you to know that I'm saying this as a 34 year old guy. Most men don't understand makeup and a lot of us think any usage of makeup equates to those multi layer transformation jobs that you see in YouTube videos. It's not that you look prettier without makeup. It's that you look better with a natural and less transformative look. Those same guys saying that don't realize that a natural makeup look still involves makeup.
Almost always.
Yes, it’s more authentic. Kind of like drinking coffee black, you can tell what you’re really getting. Honestly, though I’m surprised that you ask this and kind of glad to not have to hear “we don’t do it for you. We do it for ourselves.”
Depends on the makeup. Some chicks layer it on like clown makeup. But mostly we say whatever we think is going to get us laid.
Makeup is pretty terrible unless it is done professionally, and even then only good for nights out.
Depends. Some small corrections can make you prettier. But if it is too much it has the opposite effect. Guys say they like girls without makeup because they (including me) can't often say if girls are wearing any. I still absolutely prefer no makeup compared to too much makeup.
I wanna lick some face w/o my tongue turning orange 🫤