How Much Makeup Do You Wear to Work
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I was looking at old posts and realized we haven't discussed how much makeup to wear to work in far too long. How much makeup do you wear daily? Does it change if you're working from home, having Zoom meetings, going to the office, or having lots of in-person meetings or presentations? What do you consider your essentials — and what do you consider your “big day” makeup?
As you've gotten more senior (both in your company and with age) how has your amount of makeup changed? (Would you ever wear a super bright lipstick to work, like in the stock photo? What else would you consider “know your office” for makeup at work?)
In the past, we've talked before about older studies that show that people equate makeup with competence (read the NYT article about the study here) and how the best interview makeup really just makes you look awake and alive, not necessarily glammed up But how does that translate to 2025 and 2026, where there are more (time consuming) ways to do the “no makeup makeup,” from semi-permanent things like microblading and Botox to more ephemeral things like lash tints and extensions and people using self-tanner as contour?
Here's How Much Makeup I Wear Daily
I've also written before about how my own beauty minimum changed after having kids. Right now I have two extremes: the regular day, super short, “no makeup but I don't want to scare myself if I pass by a mirror” look — concealer, blush, a MLBB lipgloss or tint, maaaaaybe eyebrow or eyeliner if I have more time than usual… I've been doing more eyebrow tints lately, too, because darker brows really does make a difference for me, even if I'm wearing glasses.
{related: how I deal with the dark circles under my eyes}
On the other hand, for bigger days where I'm seeing more people or explicitly want to look “nice” I ramp up to eyeliner, mascara, possibly two kinds of eyebrow makeup (like a cream or pencil to fill in my brow and a mascara-type gel to give it dimension)multiple shades of eyeshadow (usually in a peachy/brown or gray/plum family for my brown eyes), and a proper lipstick. (Foundation is still hit or miss for me — I like the look of it but don't always like how my skin feels, and I'm wearing a super lightweight one.)
{related: foundation, BB cream, tinted moisturizer, or nothing?}
Readers, how about you — how much makeup do you wear daily? Does it change if you're working from home by yourself, working from home with Zoom meetings, going to the office, or having a bigger day?
Stock photo via Stencil.
WFH video basics – concealer, brow gel, blush, lip gloss
Office – add eyeshadow, foundation, mascara
Big Day – add setting spray, highlighter, and a second color of shadow
I prefer to look the same each day and not change my look if I have a big meeting or will be in-person/remote. Since I’m on so many video calls, I feel like I look washed out and not my best/awake without makeup. I have a 5-minute routine of: Glossier Boy Brow, a tiny highlight just under my brow, a thin top-lid pencil line in black, black Tarte mascara, NARS Orgasm blush, and a coral lip. I’ll reapply my lipstick later in the day, but the rest just wears naturally.
Everyday work makeup: eyeshadow, blush, mascara, lipstick (bright)
if needed some concealer
None. Probably an unpopular opinion on a fashion blog, but I hate the double standard that women must wear makeup while men can go barefaced and still be considered well-dressed and put together. So I don’t participate.
Also none, although less for moral reasons and more just laziness.
Same. I look more polished with makeup but I have enough going on in the mornings and makeup doesn’t matter for my job.
It doesn’t matter for my job either. I was at the doctor’s office earlier this week and saw someone walk in with full hair, makeup, being “dressed”, and it jarred me because I’m just so unused to in my own work environment. I have a good haircut, my clothes make sense, and my skin is reasonably decent for 42. I just moisturize and make sure I get some morning sun or red light therapy.
I’m with you, I don’t wear makeup to work. I moisturize, I style my hair, I wear glasses that flatter me, but I don’t put on makeup at all. Honestly, I think I wear makeup only 3-4 times/year, for parties or weddings.
also none. I like to *wear* makeup but I hate hate hate taking it off so I wear it probably 1-2x a month.
Ha I also hate this but then just take showers at night. But it really does suck removing makeup!
Sometimes none, sometimes some. On the days I feel like putting some on:
1. tinted moisturizer
2. blush
3. mascara
Maybe some liquid liner, maybe lipstick. Just depends on how I feel that day.
Amen. The fact that someone will write about the 4 products they use for “no makeup” days says something about our culture and it’s nothing good.
+100
+100
Also none, for several reasons including my skin reacting to even the lightest foundation, and I don’t care for the double standard either.
I feel so much more free and healthy not wearing makeup daily.
Every day – neutral color eye shadow stick, blush stick, mascara, and some form of lip color.
Special days – shimmer color eye shadow stick, blush stick, second coat of mascara, and a lip color that pops.
Make-up takes 1-2 minutes.
I am really pale and get “wow you look tired/are you feeling okay” comments with a totally bare face. My look is the same day-to-day except for lipstick – clear brow gel, eyeliner with a small wing (I have little eyes), mascara, bb cream, concealer and blush. I change up my lipstick pretty often and have been gravitating towards reds and berries recently.
I wear the same makeup 95% of the time: tinted moisturizer, cream blush, eyebrow gel, mascara, something on my lips. The only thing that changes is what lipstick/stain/tinted chap stick I do
If I have a wedding or other big night out, I add eyeliner or eyeshadow and highlighter.
Interestingly, I have worn increasingly LESS makeup the further along I’ve gotten in my career. I think this is in part due to 1) feeling more confident in my work and dealing with less imposter syndrome 2) having a boss who wore 0 makeup and was highly respected (and whose job I now have) 3) going without makeup for the entire time we wore masks during the pandemic. Not wearing foundation for a couple years made it very clear that my skin was happier without it.
I currently wear a bit of tinted powder, blush, minimal eye liner, and chapstick every day. I’ll wear more if I’m doing something that will be photographed or for very fancy events.
I’m surprised by the comments. Most folks I know will wear makeup. I wear a dewy foundation, a mix of blush/highlighter from a pallet, eyebrow gel, mascara (small bit of false lashes if I’m doing something big) and (most days) a berry or rose lip. Going to the dog park or lazy weekend? I tone down the lip. My hair may not be done (in fact often it’s not), but I wouldn’t look like me without a little something.
What brand is your dewy foundation? I’m always trying to find one.
I’m mid 40s and I wear eyeliner and mascara on days I wear make up and zero most days. I spend a lot on skincare and my skin is also glowing because I run 3-4x a week.
In my 20s and 30s I wore a lot more make up. My skin was a disaster and I was trying to cover it up with make up. I got divorced at 40 and my skin cleared up overnight.
BB cream or tinted moisturizer to even out my redness. I have rosacea.
Brow gel is a must, and then some sort of blush or bronzer because it looks better and less flat on camera/zoom. Usually mascara but not always. Always something on my lips because I’m addicted. Typically I wear something sheer like a tinted balm.
I generally skip makeup for most days. I wear brow tint, lipstick and eyeshadow when I do put on makeup. I am so happy to see how good my skin looks & feels without makeup most of the time.