This post may contain affiliate links and Corporette® may earn commissions for purchases made through links in this post. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
How much makeup do you wear on a daily basis to work? How often do you change it up? I saw a recent quote in the Huffington Post about how the editor of Elle Magazine says that makeup for work isn’t as necessary as you think, and it’s better to wear less when you’re young.
We’ve talked before about what makeup to wear for interviewing, whether makeup makes you look more competent, and in this blog’s early days we had a really poorly constructed poll about what makeup you wear daily.
So I thought today might be a fun open thread: what makeup do you wear on a daily basis? Are there days when you step it up at work — for example, will you wear more makeup if you’re giving a presentation or have a big meeting? Do you change your makeup on a daily basis, such as to better match your outfits? Do you change your makeup for the seasons? On the flip side, have you ever judged a coworker for her makeup choices?
{related: how much makeup do you wear for work?}
My Makeup for Work
For my $.02, I always consider my bare essentials to be curled eyelashes, blush, and concealer under my eyes — it’s a rare day when I leave the house without those on. For a daily makeup look, I usually wear (in addition to blush and concealer and curled eyelashes):
– eyebrow pencil
– eyeliner
– mascara
– lipliner
– lipstick
As for changing it up on a daily basis, I almost never change it, at least intentionally — I may grab a different blush in the morning, or end up with a smokier eye than intended because I screwed up my eyeliner, but the concept of matching my makeup to my outfit isn’t really something I do.
I do change products over time as things run out or I fall into different ruts, and I do change products with the seasons (for example, right now switching from the powdered NARS Orgasm back to Benetint, and from liquid eyeliner back to a pencil).
For a big meeting, or when I was working on a trial, the biggest change I’ll make to my makeup is to make it more long lasting — I’ll use a waterproof eyeliner or an extended wear lipstick — but it’s my way of removing makeup from the list of things to worry about so I can focus better on the meeting or whatever.
As for judging coworkers… yeah, I’ll admit I’ve done it, at least in terms of first impressions. Some people (with very made-up faces) just seemed vain, like they prioritized makeup and their appearance over other things… other people (with horrible lipstick colors, repeated day after day) seemed lacking a certain level of judgment. Like I said, though, these were just first impressions — but I do think makeup matters in the workplace.
Readers, your turn — how much makeup do you wear to work? Do you change it up? How does makeup affect your views of your coworkers?
As of 2024, my short makeup routine is pretty boring — curled eyelashes + concealer + blush (Nars Orgasm) + powder, with a different lipstick and eyeliner depending on my mood. If I’m feeling extra fancy I’ll add mascara, highlighter, and/or do my brows with this cream and a brush similar to this one (here’s my review). (I also add eye shadows in the “extra” days but it’s a huge variety, maybe 25 or so different ones.)
Some favorite lipsticks include Clinique (Graped Up), NARS lipstick (Damage), Fenty (Goji Gang), NARS gloss (Orgasm, Fast Lane), and Clinique (Black Honey). I use this NYX lipliner (Natural) for almost all of them.
Favorite eyeliners include Chanel (Espresso), Urban Decay (Sabbath, Smoke), and Clinique (Intense Chocolate & Plum).
Burgher
May basic level of makeup is tinted moisturizer, brow definer, and mascara. I try not to go to work without these as a minimum, because they just make me look so much nicer & “put together”. I often wear additional makeup (eye shadow, liner, blush, lipstick) depending on how I’m feeling that day and if I have the time.
I have had the odd day where I don’t do my makeup at all, and will inevitably have someone tell me I look tired or ask if the baby had me up all night.
Eliz
I wear sunscreen, concealer under the eyes and on any blemishes/spots, Nars foundation, powder blush, brown or grey eyeliner, Origins Lash Underwear, drugstore mascara, neutral eyeshadow (usually a pinkish or tan shade), neutral lipstick, and some finishing powder. I don’t reapply throughout the day and sometimes just use blotting sheets. The posts here are making me feel like I use too many products! Honestly, though, I think cosmetics improve how any woman looks, and I wouldn’t forgo the opportunity. I’m always a little mystified by women who do not wear any makeup whatsoever.
Amy
I wear moisturizer. If I’m going to court, I wear mascara sometimes. I use chapstick as needed.
I tend to think that women wearing makeup (and yes, I can tell), look silly, and I secretly judge them for it, and then I feel bad for being judgmental, and then I get over it and go on with my life. So yes, there are at least some of us who think that you look worse (and seem vain and shallow, though again, I feel bad for being judgmental in that way) when you’re trying to put your “best face” forward. Opinions vary, so if you’re wearing makeup to make other people think better of you, understand that it’s going to backfire at least some of the time.
Alaskalaw
Wow. I don’t think you should ‘get over’ being judgmental. It’s not an attractive trait. Just out of curiosity, why is mascara exempt from the category of makeup that makes women seem “vain and shallow”?
Parfait
This conversation stirred me to slap on some BB cream before leaving the house. I have to say, I look exactly the same. Really not getting the “importance.”
Anon
Work days due to bad skin and looking super exhausted without it:
Foundation (mix of two colours), translucent powder, concealer, blush, brownish eyeshadow, mascara, eyeliner. Takes five mins max to apply but makes me look non-pale, non-tired and just sort of neutral.
To my eye it does not look like a lot of makeup as none of the colors are very strong and the foundation is slightly sheer.
Sometimes I am annoyed by feeling I “have” to wear it, but if I went to work bared faced I would feel very uncomfortable because of the exposed blemishes and would get the “wow you look tired” comments.
I view in the same way as wearing “work” clothes. yeah, I’d rather wear jeans everyday but it’s part of my job to look somewhat put together.
Alaskalaw
I wear the following:
Moisturizer
BB Cream
Foundation
Blush (a blush stick)
Eyeliner, top lid only
Eye makeup primer
Eye Shadow
I carry my lipstick out the door so I can kiss the cats goodbye on the top of their little heads without getting fur on my lips. I always mean to put it on in the garage but usually forget.
Lately I’ve been worried it’s too much. As I get older, I feel like I should be wearing less makeup and instead I seem to be wearing more.
Anonymous
I work in a clean room – no powder based makeup allowed – so I don’t wear makeup at work. (particles in the clean room are a big no no – hence the ban). No bare legs either so I wear pants not skirts.
Anon
I work in a clean room – no powder based makeup allowed – I don’t wear makeup to work. Bare legs also not allowed in the clean room so I wear pants.
Leila
On a regular, but maybe not daily basis I will wear:
Moisturizer and daytime eye wrinkle cream
Foundation (even up the skin-tone)
A little pencil liner and mascara or liquid liner
Blush or bronzer
Chapstick
…Takes about five minutes
If I want to go glam, I’ll wear red lipstick. But it’s rare that I feel the need.
SoCalTraffic
A little late to the game but…
M-F : ChapStick + lipstick over it (since lipstick always dries up my lips), put on primer, curl eyelashes, black eyeliner up top (thinking of switching to grey or bronze), mascara, a dab of white eye shadow in the corner of my eyes (to “brighten/widen” them up).
All done during the red lights on the way to work.
Going out/big events: brighter or less neutral color palette but not much difference since I don’t actually know what I’m doing with makeup…..
I don’t do foundation because I hate having something over my entire face but I am thinking of going the sunscreen/tinted moisturizer route since it seems to be worked into the skin vs laying on top.
viraga
That’s the thinking of a creative mind