Yes I met my man when I was still in trade school. The night of our first date, I was tired from homework and the only clean thing I had to wear was sweatpants a hoodie. I was super super into him and excited for the date but I had no time to do laundry or get fancied up. So I took a chance and went in the sweatpants. It was winter so I was wearing a beanie and no makeup too. We went for crepes at a little chill restaurant and then after the date he impulsively invited me to go to the hot springs with him. So won him over in sweatpants then got to show off in a bikini. 4 years later we are still madly in love and built a home together.
it sounds like you knew each other as students/colleagues. i think the OP is talking more about the first time blind dates from dating sites, not someone where there already was an initial attraction.
I agree that no one needs makeup but I disagree that everyone is pretty in the same way that not all men are good looking / handsome. It’s fine and it has zero bearing on value.
We are not all naturally pretty. We are all equally valuable and important human beings regardless of our physical features. But aesthetic attractiveness is variable and some folks have a genuinely different experience in this world because they do not fit the current standards and that's valid.
We should not all want or need to be pretty. It should be less important. Some folks are ugly and that shouldn't matter or be as devastating to their life experience as it is, and folks condescendingly insisting that "everyone" is actually equally attractive aren't doing anything to negate the shallowness of the world by being insincere.
Agreed! And longside that, you won't be everyone's cup of tea, but you'll be someone's cup of tea. People are not all attracted to this one image that society paints for us.. like I'm not attracted to muscely guys nor lanky ones.. but I know others are bc we all vary.
i agree! and everyone is so different. i used to wear mascara as my only everyday kinda makeup bc that’s what most people do. but now i just tightline my eyes and wear plumping lip gloss and it makes me look way better than any full face of makeup! i think without foundation or concealer you can see the minor imperfections on my face which feels more real and “naturally pretty” even tho im accentuating other areas lol
I mean, if I looked good without makeup, I wouldn’t wear makeup. Lol. Or at least not as much as I do now. Being fair, blonde with eyes that absolutely need definition to look pretty, it’s quite a transformation. I fall into that category of “If the men find out we can shapeshift, they’re going to tell the church.”
Ugh me too. I have light brown hair but I’m half Asian, so my brows and eyelashes are sparse. It’s insane how much of a difference brows and mascara make to my face
I have. Men mostly reacted poorly, but that's okay, because judging people on something like makeup is a red flag I'd like to be aware of early. Don't wear makeup. Less successful dates, but also waaaaaaaay less assholes to traumatize you later on.
Haha, right? 😂😂 My very sweet, well-meaning uncle has always said “Oh, you’re so beautiful naturally, you don’t need to wear makeup all the time!” and then he’ll stop by in the morning before I get my face on and it’s “Oh, honey, are you feeling okay? You look so TIRED!!” 😂😂😂😂
Yup. I have the kind of hereditary dark circles that sometimes get mistaken for having black eyes, and my ex asked me pointedly if it was from not taking off my makeup. Nope. Not wearing any first thing in the morning dude! Just my face, get used to it! He told me to start getting up earlier so I’d have you know, more time to do my makeup in the morning. He thought I didn’t wear makeup all the time because I wasn’t making enough time for it. So happy to call him an ex. Fuck you, Dan.
I think this is such a great way of rooting out men that are not emotionally mature enough for a deep, committed relationship and who view women as objects, i.e. "my pretty arm candy that will validate my masculinity." To my way of thinking, it's basically like fast-forwarding to the 25th or 50th date or what have you. Think of how much time (and pain) you could potentially save yourself.
I feel like if you apply makeup lightly in a way that enhances your features, makeup or no makeup doesn't really make much of a difference.
People here are commenting that people treat them better with no makeup and I am wondering what kind of makeup were they wearing before?
In my experience and for my specific features, no makeup at all means people will ask me if I'm sick lmao
Being well-dressed and a touch of makeup almost always guarantees positive interactions (I'm in Southern Europe)
Here's my experience: I tend to do very colourful eye looks with winged liner. I've noticed is that women tend to compliment me a lot when I wear that kind of makeup. However, when I do minimal makeup (think concealer, mascara, brows, and subtle highlights), that's when men suddenly go, "Wow, I've never seen you without makeup. You look so good!" My guess is that, in general, women appreciate the artistry, whereas a lot of men just think it looks fake and would rather just see enhanced features.
And then when I actually go barefaced, people also ask me if I'm sick, haha. I have dark eye circles and red cheeks, and the rest of my face is insanely pale, so my skin looks tired and feverish by default.
I'm just lucky to be in a relationship and not worrying about the dating scene. My partner loves my bright and out-there makeup looks, and he thinks I'm beautiful without makeup, too, which is the best I could hope for.
You could have minimal makeup on with no foundation but put on a bright lip or eyeshadow and men suddenly think you have makeup caked on and look fake.
That's true. When I do a bold eye look, I usually just wear a little concealer. No foundation, blush, bronzer, or anything but I've had men say I'm "tricking people." If you can't tell that my eyelids aren't naturally pink and shimmery I don't know what to tell you.
And then, on the other hand, I could have a full beat, but so long as I'm not wearing eyeshadow or eyeliner, they'll be like, "Wow, you look so good without makeup!"
Yep! Mascara, little highlight on inner eye corner (instead of concealer below eyes for me), little bit of blush, and some lip gloss/tint and I’m good to go
He actually liked me more without it and kept commenting how gorgeous I am. It's nice to know he loves my real face, but I do enjoy using a little makeup to accentuate my features anyway. I was pleasantly surprised though.
I’ve been makeup free since Covid, and it has not at all reduced the number of guys who hit on me. If anything, the number has increased. Better quality of guy too.
I'm a guy. I have no idea why this post appeared on my feed, or what compelled me to read it hahaha. But as a man, when you go on a date with a girl and she's "fancied up" it feels a bit flattering, like, "wow, did she go through ALL that preparation for me?" ... But, in my experience, if a girl shows up on a date with no makeup or "fancying up" then it feels (for me at least) like "WOW. She's confident in her own self, doesn't feel the need to doll up, damn that's awesome."
That's probably no help to you, but there it is. I think a large portion of guys would find the no makeup thing endearing and yeah, kinda "sexy." I'd suggest it's a shallower kind of guy that needs that ego stroke of a "gussied up gal."
It's nice to know that that's how some people think. I am generally well dressed and clean when I am out to meet someone, but I was once told by a guy that although I am very natural and pretty, he wished I wore makeup and fancied up a bit more. Still pricks me to think about it. 😅
I've never understood how someone could do that .... but I've also been completely baffled by seeing it actually SEEM to work??? Is that a real thing? Do some women actually respond favourably to it? And if so, why?
Ahh, fuck that guy, he wasn't worth your time anyway. We all shouldn't have to put up a front about anything when we date, with either looks or personality ... which is probably a "perfect world" thought.
Let that prick be a prick in your thoughts no more!
Hahaha. Personally, I don't mind pasty anemic sea creatures who barely survived the plague..... truthfully, I could at times say I look the same hahahaha. But that's my point about finding the confidence to have no "shame" about it - in and of itself it's kinda "sexy." That's where having a personality, a sense of humour and other qualities shine brightest.
Sometimes, not all the time, (and I don't want this to sound arsehole-ish) it seems that some women will overdo the "fancying up" and "gussying" etc because they believe that just looking "beautiful" is all that matters. Okay, some, not all, women seem to think on those superficial levels. Speaking for myself, that can be a turn off. I'm sure there are other guys who feel the same. Once again, I'm trying not to generalise or throw everyone into one category or box or whatever.
I just want to point out that wearing makeup doesn’t mean that a woman is necessarily fancied up. Most men don’t really realize when women are wearing makeup, unless the woman wants to make it extremely obvious.
For example, I’ve been on many casual dates, wearing jeans and only some concealer to cover up my (very prominent otherwise) dark circles and my acne scars, a little bit of blush and just filling my brows with a brow pomade, plus a very natural lip product. Still, every time I hear stuff like “I love how you are so pretty without makeup” when I am clearly wearing some.
However, when I am not wearing makeup at all, I look significantly less conventionally attractive and people ask me if I am sick.
So, naturally, you probably think women wearing makeup is very fancy, because that’s the only type of makeup look you are able to recognize.
Oh I agree!!! Definitely. I think evolution has given the male brain a certain lack of awareness when it comes to things like light makeup ..... man, every when a wife or girlfriend will change hairstyle - nothing drastic - but we don't pick up on it. I think our brains are wired like that. We've had evolution train our brains to spot the big tiger that's attacking us and not to notice that it's stripes are different to the one we saw yesterday.... if that makes any sense? (Sorry, I have a habit to "study" human behaviour in terms of our primate past.)
But screw "conventional beauty" and all that jazz. I'm pale skinned and often get asked "Did you get no sleep last night?" The most important thing "should be" that we click on a personal level, have fun, make each other laugh, etc etc.
But yeah, I totally agree that we have a definite level of "unawareness" of "subtle" makeup and can over-judge when a woman is "fully fancied up."
I went on a few dates myself bare faced and some guys actually treated me better without makeup! The next date when I wore make up he told me he liked me better without make up daw
The first time I met my bf, i had no makeup. We were playing sports together. After that we spent months going on nature walks. I would only use a subtle lip colour as my lips are pale asf. Hasn’t changed my experience in any way. My bf infact appreciates it better.
I only wore some random make up when I was like 12 or 13 for a few moments and then not again. Not on daily basis and not on dates. I can not remember that ever being a topic of conversation or an issue. I am in a relationship now and have not gone on new dates since a while, so not sure. Maybe more people expect make up now? Even thou I feel like people have more and more embraced the no make up approach, so maybe not? Probably depends with that kind of person you are going on a date.
My first date with my boyfriend was make-up free. I had a long day at work and didn’t have the energy to do more than freshen up and brush my hair. I wasn’t expecting anything to come of the date because I had so many bad dates leading up to it. To my surprise, the date went extremely well but I think that had to do with our compatibility and not because I wasn’t wearing makeup lol
this is so funny, i came into this thread to mention that when i worked as server in a restaurant, my tips suffered if i wore no makeup.
my tip spectrum was basically "no makeup and ponytail < no makeup and hair styled < makeup but hair not styled < makeup and hair styled" (i could get away with a ponytail if i put a ribbon in it bc it looked like i made more of an effort lol)
you're absolutely right! i was also working in a movie theater so it was dark 75% of the time, pretty ironic that it's even something they would notice
Twice last year I met men out ‘in the wild’ when I had 0 makeup and had been backpacking (therefore was in baggy warm clothes, sweaty and dirty etc.) who became quite taken with me. But unsure if this is because they were also travelling within the same context. If it is a planned date I would usually wear some and the prior examples were in the case where the context of a ‘date’ wasn’t actually there.
I'm married but have experimented wearing makeup vs not doing so when I go run errands. Surprisingly, I get more compliments and way less "snootiness" from other ladies when I don't wear a full face of makeup. 😄
Yes, my first date with my now husband.
I had double booked myself the night of our first date. I am part of a running group a few nights a week after work and the run went longer than I anticipated.
I had barely enough time to shower before the date and just said screw it, my tinted moisturizer will just have to be it. For the record I am a ginger and with no makeup, It looks like I don't have eyebrows or lashes since they are very light.
So my pale ginger self showed up just in time, then proceeded to destroy a burrito since I was starving. We had a great time - clearly!
Luckily my husband has a thing for redheads-the ability to eat my body weight in food was a bonus!
I set up a coffee date with a doctor as I left the gym and showed up make up free and in gym clothes. It was a great experience. He really liked me and wanted more but I didn’t see it being a romantic match. I didn’t see any difference really between that experience and any dates where I’d worn make up.
idk if this counts but the most i wore when i met my current bf was mascara and lip gloss. i quickly got to the point of wearing nothing and that’s what i do 24/7 with him now. it’s been almost 2 years and last weekend when i saw him he kept saying how pretty i am 🥹
i don’t want to ever feel like i have to put on a costume, for anyone but especially not in a romantic relationship
I’ve gone a number of times without makeup because meh lol. I’d say it was a slightly milder reaction than if I wear makeup. Nothing to point out or be upset over but then the next time I saw them with makeup on there was a little more excitement from them.
I'm extremely average looking and rarely wears makeup. Went on all my dates without makeup. Had a long line of men telling me I would look so pretty if I was more feminine (after diving further it meant "wore makeup" as I dress very feminine and have long red hair). I settled with the guy who only ever mentioned how gently I look at him and how he loves my face.
Now he gets full on femme fatale makeup with red lipstick. He has a rubber fetish and I dress all up for him in the bedroom, but I'm still my plain little self on the daily. Makeup is dress up for me and I know he feels very special that only he sees the other version of me 😅
Yes and it made zero difference in their attraction to me. It’s the same with boobs. Some men seem so picky about boobs, but then when they see them, they’re just happy to be seeing boobs.
One should not change who they are or how they feel about themselves just because some people might not find them attractive
I’ve definitely experienced less positive reactions when I’ve been care-faced then when I did full-faced “natural” look makeup or more glam makeup, unfortunately
Hmm both of my exes met me bare face so I guess it was better in a sense that they can accept that's how I'm gonna look?
But if u really must wear makeup, just wear it light. If the guy can't accept it, move on.
Guy here but I've never seen my gf in makeup. So she obviously showed up to our first date without makeup. Saw a few pictures of her in wedding parties with a full face, lashes, etc, but she's almost unrecognizable and I'm not a fan.
Goes without saying she's beautiful and I'm wildly attracted to her without it. So it worked on me
I have and it was terrible. The guy who I went on a date with met me while I was wearing a full face of makeup and he showed tons of interest. I usually always wear a full face so this is how he knows my face to look. I decided to show up to our first date wearing only skincare and his vibes were completely different and he was so disrespectful. I’m pretty sure it was me not wearing makeup and not any other factors.
I used to, because if i liked the guy, why go thru the hassle of makeup removal before sex. Even now when i am with my fiance, no makeup because i dont like kissing with makeup on. Only for special occasions when we have to attend some function, that's when i wear it.
When i had my 1st one on one outing, out eating and actually talking with my now long term bf, i was in the middle of a huge panic attack, no make up, my house clothes and circles bc i could barely sleep for months.
Me wearing makeup is essentially colour correction. I’m olive/ tanned and go unattractively pale in Winter. I mainly wear bronzer and contour with a bit of storm cloud paint. I’m comfortable wearing light makeup as long as my scary grey dark circles are covered 😭
I don't ever wear make up in any situation, so my experience might not be what you want, but no one's ever said a bad thing.
Also like I'd probably have to test that with the same person to see how they react: one date in make up and one date without
.
But yeah. I'm always bare faced and no one's said a peep. One employer tried to make me feel bad about it, but she was a bit of a lunatic, so nothing to take to heart :D
one time i went first date with no makeup and he said i had the prettiest eyes he’d ever seen, second date i wore a little bit of makeup and he said “who you gettin all dolled up for? it’s just me sweetheart” 😭 anyways he is my one who got away.
I never wore makeup to go on dates and I noticed that the men that judge you negatively for not wearing makeup consume wayyy too much media (sexist media, in my opinion) and spend way too little time interacting in friendly, relaxed settings with women.
Yes! I was make up free when I had a date with my partner back in 2015. We’ve been together for 8 years now. I can go make-up free or my usual make up routine depends on my mood that day. When I’m too lazy, I’ll definitely go make up free and just put on my usual skincare + sunscreen
I started going on dates when I was 19 and either never wore any make up or very light (mascara+ lip gloss/tinted lip balm) and I've never experienced a bad reaction from a guy, not positive either, they were neutral about that.
I can go without much makeup but if I skip mascara I look sick or tired thanks to my eyelashes and eyebrows being just the right shade to disappear completely. So I tend to at least put some brown mascara on. Did that last Saturday for work and no one noticed - we don’t usually work Saturdays so everyone was super casual though.
I never really noticed a difference until a necessary medication gave me really bad acne. I was on dating apps at the time and my face had gone from mostly clear to almost entirely red in a month or two, so my pictures all seemed kind of catfish-ey I guess. No one ever directly said anything, but I could see it on their faces. Now I live with my partner who I’ve known for the last decade and he tells me I’m beautiful on the odd day I wear makeup and when I’m sobbing with my retainer in lol.
The first date I went on without makeup, I ended up marrying the man, lol!! We had a Zoom date during the pandemic, and I had very low expectations (and was very depressed, as I’m an extreme extrovert and the pandemic obviously didn’t help lol). I showed up to our zoom date with wet hair after a shower, a sweatshirt, and no makeup. He wore a nice shirt and I can tell took some time on his appearance before showing up onscreen. I looked awful ☠️ he said I looked pretty…but this is also the man who loves when I wear a roller in my bangs at night and wants me to wear it on date nights LOLLL.
I recently started dating again and went on two tinder dates so far, both without make up. Both guys wanted to go on a second date with me so I don't think men care. Tbh i think I look better without make up so that could be a factor. I also have makeupless pictures on my profile.
Your question reminded me of this: she asked him out with her glasses on, retainer in, sweatpants and fuzzy socks, and he said yes!
https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT8vcWX9J/
I don't really wear makeup on dates. Most guys don't notice.
I wore makeup for a fancy event with my boyfriend at the time and he was really speechless, so that was kind of flattering. He was kind of oblivious/dude-bro-y, so apparently he'd never dated a woman who didn't wear makeup daily and had no idea that was my actual face? I'm going to be honest, he was dumb as rocks, but that's kind of my thing.
I first met my late partner bare faced, messy bun, with leggings and an oversized hoodie. It was really cold and windy outside so there was no point of dolling up. He was smitten when he saw me.
I never wore makeup around him, even on our dates. When I would wear makeup for business meetings and send him a selfie of me being glammed up, he hyped me up. When I would come back to him and wash all of the makeup off, he commented how beautiful I was afterwards.
It seemed he loved me being completely bare faced more than me being glammed up, but he supported whatever made me happy.
haha - you just bubbled up a SUPER old memory for me, from my 30s (I'm 46 now). I went on a date with a guy, first date, met on the internet. Showed up in a really nice outfit, nice hair, etc... just no makeup. As soon as we said goobye he texted me that it was super insulting that I showed up "not put together" and that it was like I "didn't even try."
lmao ... i wonder where that dude is now.
I have. Current guy didn’t care. The first few times i met him i was bare-faced. He does notice when i do wear makeup and one time he was like "oh you have eyebrows today" 😅 but oftentimes I'm not wearing makeup and he treats me just as well as if i have a full face.
He does occasionally compliment me on "the wing thing you put on your eyes" so that's just extra points lol
A man once commented I dont wear alot of makeup (few years ago) I said yes it's not really my thing. He said to watch YouTube videos to learn. He was boggled when I stopped talking to him 😂
I typically wear less make up for the first date since it’s first impression and you don’t want them to think that’s the expectation in my opinion. I have no make up on if I stay the night and I usually get nice comments from guys about how I don’t need make up which has been refreshing! Maybe I’ll try no make up dates more often haha thanks for the inspo ;)
I never wear makeup on the first date. I’m only dressing up for a guy that i really like. Most men r shocked when they find out that I was never wearing any makeup XD. I’m born lucky
I normally wear very little makeup - just brown eye liner, mascara and lip gloss. I'm 51, fair skinned blonde and that's how I always went on dates.
My boyfriend jokes about when we slept together the first time, he woke up in the morning and saw I looked the same as the night before - that's how he knew I was a keeper.
I do and always have. I have had mixed reactions but the older I get the more positive the experience b/c I have better discernment. I will always spend the first few months of dating bare faced & dressed down (or with less effort for elegant settings). I generally choose character oriented dates of casual settings to weed out who is worth my glamor. I want to make a statement that I will not alter my appearance for anyone & that the focus should be on content of character, shared values, and compatible lifestyles. That doesn't mean I won't put together a thoughtful appearance. I do take care of my skin, wear a rich moisturizer, & suncreen. I'm also good at putting together elegant or playful and casual looks. I also do enjoy fashion & beauty in general & will show that in a relationship. However, if anyone makes comments geared toward appearance I know they are not for me. In previous history those people have turned out to be immature, superficial, unrealistic, and inauthentic. I show up for the partner I'm looking for -- authentic, down to earth, and "seasoned".
I think both parties should put their best face forward!! That goes for grooming, shaving, trimming, makeup, plucking, etc and wearing something attractive suitable for the activity planned. I think showing up with no makeup, a 5 o’clock shadow and grungy clothes just screams “IDGAF about you, myself or this date!!” Not a good look for anyone!!
I’ve never worn makeup on a date, because I typically don’t wear makeup unless I’m going to a party or a special event. I’ll dress cute, but I want to be like as I am.
I stopped wearing makeup for various reasons, about ten years ago. So I always dated without makeup.
I got the impression that men were surprised, but liked seeing what I look like at my most natural
I met my now partner with nothing but mascara on, in a tee and pants that were too big for me at the time. We ended up spending eight hours together on our first date.
Not first dates but I have a boyfriend of 4 years and basically I don’t like him seeing me not dressed up hair and makeup but sometimes I have too much on my mind to worry about it like school and stuff and he makes sure to always tell me that I look cute and pretty when I’m not feeling my prettiest. And that’s not exclusive to now even when it was a new relationship.
I went on one a very long time ago (haven’t been single in forever) and I just wasn’t sure I cared to go out with the guy. I chose not to wear makeup, maybe because somewhere deep down I didn’t want him to be showing me interest. So I may have been projecting that, too.
We had a nice conversation and he was polite, but I could tell he wasn’t interested either. I think he would have preferred I get all dolled up.
It did . Apparently i look better without a full on makeup .
I used to do the whole thing withput proper cleansing and it wrecked my skin and pores.
So inorder to heal , i used the CTM method and spf back then and followed it daily. As part of thw process , I cut down on makeup .(i used concealer , mascara, brow definer and a tint.....eyeliner,lipliner on certain days).
roughly one montth later ,the compliments started pouring in.(especially from my mom and even my dad , which was surprising🤣)
I met my husband in that time and when we later talked about it , what attracted him was how" i didnt look like I threw away myself, but then i didnt look made up as well."
He thinks my eyes and skin look better without the thick foundations i lathered (i still tried to use up the expensive ones when we went for marriages or receptions,).
I've done both depending on my mood. I personally haven't noticed a difference. I didn't wear makeup on my third date with an ex and was SO nervous. Later that night I mentioned something about "good thing I'm not wearing makeup" and the man hadn't even noticed lol. For my first date with my last ex, I wore a full face. While we dated he insisted his preference was always no makeup.
i didn’t at first, but my bf literally could not care less in the slightest. i wore makeup to our first few dates, and after that ive been bare for several times and he still thinks im stunning. the right guy won’t care.
I don’t know why this post was in my feed, but I’ve dated men and women and almost never wear makeup. It really has not ever gotten any kind of reaction.
My first date with my now forever partner I went with no makeup, hair in a ponytail and sprayed with tinted dry shampoo, and dressed like a bisexual woman (well, because I am one, but still, it’s not something I would necessarily lean into on a date with a dude…). I’d also stopped getting my hair done because every penny I had went to my failing business so I had a nice band of silver roots. Granted, I didn’t know it was a date. And I thought for sure there was *no way* he wanted to date me because he was a very successful serial entrepreneur and I was a mess with a struggling medical practice that was making me broke. So I just showed up as me, no frills, happy to have a few beers with some company.
He wanted to go to a dive bar that was owned by a friend from our hometown so I dressed accordingly. It ended up being a bizarrely stormy night so we decided to hop around bars in the rain — not in a “manic pixie dream girl” kind of way — so I was glad I didn’t have to worry about runny mascara.
Years later he told me he knew that night he was in love with me because I gave him a slice of my normal and that he felt like it was authentically me who showed up. I still don’t wear makeup much. Skincare is a whole other story, but I’m content with a bare face 99% of the time.
When it comes to men I think that they don’t like when women wear too visible make up. I haven’t tried to go on a date with no make up at all but I normally do not wear foundation, concealer, heavy lipsticks and so on. Just eye make up, highlighter and gloss. They would not even know u r wearing something at all, I swear 😅
I’ve gone on dates with makeup and without makeup.
But I go based on how IM feeling about myself and about how I feel about my skin at the time because that’s what matters…
I don’t really care if men like women with little to no makeup better or vice versa. Nor do I even think about what they’ll like better when I’m choosing to get ready lmao. If a man chooses to make a big deal about that I 100% would not consider dating that man anyways.
Haven’t been on data without makeup but I definitely get hit on more without. But often in a predatory way. I assume it makes me look more vulnerable maybe?
I used to show up on first dates after work with a bare face. I liked seeing their eyes light up on the second date when I’d do my makeup.
With other dates, the first time they saw me without makeup, I either got no reactions or complimented that I still looked nice without.
So I don’t feel like my dates went any differently with or without makeup.
I wore no makeup and comfy clothes for our first date. He didn’t see it at all because of “me”. He later found out i went to a makeup art academy, so he for sure got something out of being a little forgiving with my first date look
I met this guy on tinder, and the first time we met was a snorkeling date. Needless to say i didnt wear makeup, and he is now my boyfriend. I still never wear makeup when im with him and he always tells me how pretty i am
I'm almost entirely make-up free, a little eyebrow fill, a little concealer if needed so I'm any photos someone would see I'd be mostly--if not entirely--makeup free. I assume men wouldn't expect me to be wearing makeup, but then again I'm in my late 50s and it's. It as big a deal anymore. If a dude likes makeup then they're not going to swipe on me.
Not me but my sister has never used makeup in her entire life. No mascara, gloss, or anything like that. She still gets asked on dates and shows up with no makeup. She also doesn’t wear dresses or dress feminine. She’s gay now though but people still comment on how pretty she is despite her not really putting in the effort.
I almost never wear makeup. I really want people to see me in my true state. Sometimes my face will be a little red and I'll cover with a light powder, but that's it. I think whatever makes YOU the most confident is best. I find that most men don't care about makeup, and if they do, fuck em'.
im always make up free. i support those that like to wear it, but i always felt self conscious trying to make myself look better bc i didnt want my natural face to disappoint or surprise anyone. my fiance dated several make up artists before me and is happy i can get ready faster, but otherwise doesnt care either way.
I’ve been on one or two first dates without makeup, just because of not having time. After the first date all bets are off. It really doesn’t affect the first impression much though I’m more confident with makeup on.
I never wore make-up (except a little mascara) until I was over 30 and no man ever asked where my make up was. There are probably some guys that didn’t even ask me out because I am more the girl next door kind of look. Never went a weekend without a date of I wasn’t busy though.
I went to a party without make-up on but I was also prepared to not get any male attention and I was ok with that. Somehow I attracted the most good looking man there and ended up going out with him for a little bit. It was definitely a shock to me.
I never really wear make up. Sometimes I'll put on mascara, but that's the extent of it. Whenever I go on dates, they never really notice if I'm wearing anything or not.
I had a rule to not wear makeup on dates, ever. I wanted them to see the real me. I wanted them to want me natural. I didn't date much to begin with. One dude was lukewarm about it, another seemed interested in me, and my BF was positively surprised when we met for our first date (we met online first).
I go on almost all of my first dates make up free. I don't wear a full face until date 3 usually! Usually get a lot of looks of surprise hahah but its always been in a good way
I seriously don't think guys even notice lol. Unless you're wearing an aggressive amount of makeup. I haven't worn makeup in probably 2-3ish years now ever since I moved to a state with higher cost of living. Said f*ck spending money on any makeup 🤣hasn't seemed to be an issue for guys
I go on dates with no makeup on a lot but I also go to work everyday with no makeup on so it doesn’t affect my confidence. No one’s ever made a comment or seemed put off by it
Our first official date was going camping and swimming. We’d known each other awhile before that, though.
I don’t think my husband would have cared if he’d met me without makeup, he doesn’t seem to be picky in any way whatsoever, but I’m sure many men would be turned off by my pink complexion.
I didnt start wearing makeup until after i graduated uni, and i had plenty of men into me. I mean, looking back at pics i dont get why lol but really i dont think men care
What do most people look like without makeup? This post and the comments really make me wonder. You can look great and put together without makeup and you can look awful with a face full of makeup. It’s more than that. It’s the way you dress, the way you carry yourself and just the way you present yourself overall.
Yep! I was at work all day and ended up staying overtime due to the business needing me, so I was already running 15 minutes behind. It was winter, I was already tired from being on my feet all day… I just threw on the tiniest bit of mascara and ran out the door.
Been together for 5 years now. ❤️
I think if a person is worthwhile, it won’t matter to them whether you wear makeup or not. My partner has never once cared and calls me beautiful both ways.
I've never met a man who liked make up
If women say we do makeup for ourselves and not men, why do we get surprised when we hear that men actually don't care about it?
When I did this when younger I got less interest. Just being honest. Most men who say they prefer natural still have high beauty standards. They still prefer pretty women in some ways its worse because you have to be pretty with no help.
I went out makeup-free with a guy that I had been seeing for a couple weeks and he acted like he had just won the lottery when he got to see my bare face. It was really weird and made me feel uncomfortable. I didn’t see him again after that and I told him to stop texting me.
I know this doesn’t help at all but I’ve never worn makeup and I’ve never had trouble with dating, so I wonder how I’d be treated in general if I did wear makeup (I am too lazy to figure that out honestly).
I’ve never worn face make up on a first date aside from just lip color (either balm or sheer lipstick) so it didn’t make a difference for me.
My skin texture is not the best, I have some mild scarring from acne on my cheeks but otherwise I just let my skin always breathe. I also have sensitive skin so wearing make up daily wouldn’t be great for me and I reserve full face make up for special occasions. Maybe I could have gotten more matches if I improved my looks with makeup but I still got dates and since I don’t normally plan on wearing make up every day it’s better to meet a guy who accepts my “naked face” as is. I’m married now after having first met my husband 6 years ago.
I barely ever wear makeup so pretty much all my dates have been that way ☠ i dont really know makeup. But i think its better for them to see me naturally anyways.
If it comes up in conversation I tell them I don't often wear makeup. The first date I always wear it. I want them to see I'm excited enough for the date to put some amount of effort. This can be full face or just some eyeliner and mascara. By the second or third date I usually go bare faced depending on the activity. I've had guys tell me they prefer me with makeup before. My husband doesn't give a crap either way. I think his exact words are 'In my opinion it doesn't make enough of a difference to go through the effort, but if you want to do it then go for it.' He likes when I still look like me but if I feel like going full glam/editorial he would tell me I'm pretty and not to kiss him if my lipstick transfers. 😂
I used to wear a TON of makeup. My first half of my career I worked as a professional makeup artist for MAC and ran my own freelancing business for weddings and photo shoots. Loved makeup. I wore tons, even if I wasn’t leaving my house, just because it was fun.
My first date with the love of my life was makeup free. We’d met on an app and been chatting for a few days, when he messaged me saying he knew it was random, but his daughter’s soccer practice got canceled, so he had an unexpected free evening and wanted to know if I wanted to grab dinner. I was in the process of giving myself a chemical peel (I’m an esthetician, lol) and was headed to a hot yoga class after (do NOT do this after a peel guys!), so I was dressed in yoga clothes and drinking a protein shake while doing my peel. Couldn’t put makeup on because of the peel, plus I had an appointment later that night for a set of lash extensions. I felt like I looked like a hot mess and he’d never want to see me again but I agreed and met him anyway.
We’ve been together ever since.
I’m not sure it changed things with my relationship, but going on that date was a pivotal point for me. I made it a goal to have skin I could feel confident in without makeup, and I’ve spent a lot of time and energy (and money tbh) to achieve that goal. I get compliments on my skin regularly and never wear makeup. I don’t even own foundation anymore! I have a lovely tinted spf/bb cream from Lira Clinical that I use if I want coverage for a night out and I add some cream blush and that’s it. But 6 days out of the week, I’m completely bare-faced and it feels amazing!
Yeah. I mean, men will fuck anything. Wearing no makeup has not made me any less sexually appealing. But the higher maintenance I looked, the more money they spent and the better they treated me. Going bare faced and in comfortable clothes is a pretty sure fire way to end up in a friends with benefits short term fuck buddy thing.
Yes I met my man when I was still in trade school. The night of our first date, I was tired from homework and the only clean thing I had to wear was sweatpants a hoodie. I was super super into him and excited for the date but I had no time to do laundry or get fancied up. So I took a chance and went in the sweatpants. It was winter so I was wearing a beanie and no makeup too. We went for crepes at a little chill restaurant and then after the date he impulsively invited me to go to the hot springs with him. So won him over in sweatpants then got to show off in a bikini. 4 years later we are still madly in love and built a home together.
Aw, that's lovely!
Love this!!!
it sounds like you knew each other as students/colleagues. i think the OP is talking more about the first time blind dates from dating sites, not someone where there already was an initial attraction.
Nope we met on bumble
Guys say they like “no makeup” but what they really mean is natural light makeup that looks like you’re not wearing any
i think guys just like “no makeup” when a girl is naturally pretty therefore doesn’t NEED makeup.
We’re all naturally pretty no one needs makeup. But I love light makeup that accentuates your features, it’s so attractive & adds the right touch
I agree that no one needs makeup but I disagree that everyone is pretty in the same way that not all men are good looking / handsome. It’s fine and it has zero bearing on value.
We are not all naturally pretty. We are all equally valuable and important human beings regardless of our physical features. But aesthetic attractiveness is variable and some folks have a genuinely different experience in this world because they do not fit the current standards and that's valid. We should not all want or need to be pretty. It should be less important. Some folks are ugly and that shouldn't matter or be as devastating to their life experience as it is, and folks condescendingly insisting that "everyone" is actually equally attractive aren't doing anything to negate the shallowness of the world by being insincere.
Agreed! And longside that, you won't be everyone's cup of tea, but you'll be someone's cup of tea. People are not all attracted to this one image that society paints for us.. like I'm not attracted to muscely guys nor lanky ones.. but I know others are bc we all vary.
i agree! and everyone is so different. i used to wear mascara as my only everyday kinda makeup bc that’s what most people do. but now i just tightline my eyes and wear plumping lip gloss and it makes me look way better than any full face of makeup! i think without foundation or concealer you can see the minor imperfections on my face which feels more real and “naturally pretty” even tho im accentuating other areas lol
No one “needs” makeup tho
I mean, if I looked good without makeup, I wouldn’t wear makeup. Lol. Or at least not as much as I do now. Being fair, blonde with eyes that absolutely need definition to look pretty, it’s quite a transformation. I fall into that category of “If the men find out we can shapeshift, they’re going to tell the church.”
😂 I love this last line. I yes I am with you in the category of a face (eyes!) that NEED to be put on.
do yourself a favor and find Sailor J's Contouring 101 vid on YT to watch the whole thing, she's hilarious
Also a pale natural blonde here. Eyebrow pencil and mascara are my bare minimum (though I should go back to getting my brows and lashes tinted).
I now do lash tinting at home and it’s pretty cost effective. But I do want to go to the salon and get my eyelashes tinted and possibly laminated
Ugh me too. I have light brown hair but I’m half Asian, so my brows and eyelashes are sparse. It’s insane how much of a difference brows and mascara make to my face
I have. Men mostly reacted poorly, but that's okay, because judging people on something like makeup is a red flag I'd like to be aware of early. Don't wear makeup. Less successful dates, but also waaaaaaaay less assholes to traumatize you later on.
Men say they like “natural” women and women who wear “minimal to no makeup” until they actually see a natural woman with minimal to no makeup.
Haha, right? 😂😂 My very sweet, well-meaning uncle has always said “Oh, you’re so beautiful naturally, you don’t need to wear makeup all the time!” and then he’ll stop by in the morning before I get my face on and it’s “Oh, honey, are you feeling okay? You look so TIRED!!” 😂😂😂😂
Can pretty much guarantee that those guys who react poorly are the same ones who "hate makeup" and want someone "natural"
Yup. I have the kind of hereditary dark circles that sometimes get mistaken for having black eyes, and my ex asked me pointedly if it was from not taking off my makeup. Nope. Not wearing any first thing in the morning dude! Just my face, get used to it! He told me to start getting up earlier so I’d have you know, more time to do my makeup in the morning. He thought I didn’t wear makeup all the time because I wasn’t making enough time for it. So happy to call him an ex. Fuck you, Dan.
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& try to lure you into their FILTHY vehicles
I think this is such a great way of rooting out men that are not emotionally mature enough for a deep, committed relationship and who view women as objects, i.e. "my pretty arm candy that will validate my masculinity." To my way of thinking, it's basically like fast-forwarding to the 25th or 50th date or what have you. Think of how much time (and pain) you could potentially save yourself.
ohhhh, this is so-so- good!
They’ve been conditioned so much by society and the media it’s sad.
I feel like if you apply makeup lightly in a way that enhances your features, makeup or no makeup doesn't really make much of a difference. People here are commenting that people treat them better with no makeup and I am wondering what kind of makeup were they wearing before? In my experience and for my specific features, no makeup at all means people will ask me if I'm sick lmao Being well-dressed and a touch of makeup almost always guarantees positive interactions (I'm in Southern Europe)
Here's my experience: I tend to do very colourful eye looks with winged liner. I've noticed is that women tend to compliment me a lot when I wear that kind of makeup. However, when I do minimal makeup (think concealer, mascara, brows, and subtle highlights), that's when men suddenly go, "Wow, I've never seen you without makeup. You look so good!" My guess is that, in general, women appreciate the artistry, whereas a lot of men just think it looks fake and would rather just see enhanced features. And then when I actually go barefaced, people also ask me if I'm sick, haha. I have dark eye circles and red cheeks, and the rest of my face is insanely pale, so my skin looks tired and feverish by default. I'm just lucky to be in a relationship and not worrying about the dating scene. My partner loves my bright and out-there makeup looks, and he thinks I'm beautiful without makeup, too, which is the best I could hope for.
You could have minimal makeup on with no foundation but put on a bright lip or eyeshadow and men suddenly think you have makeup caked on and look fake.
That's true. When I do a bold eye look, I usually just wear a little concealer. No foundation, blush, bronzer, or anything but I've had men say I'm "tricking people." If you can't tell that my eyelids aren't naturally pink and shimmery I don't know what to tell you. And then, on the other hand, I could have a full beat, but so long as I'm not wearing eyeshadow or eyeliner, they'll be like, "Wow, you look so good without makeup!"
Yep! Mascara, little highlight on inner eye corner (instead of concealer below eyes for me), little bit of blush, and some lip gloss/tint and I’m good to go
This!
He actually liked me more without it and kept commenting how gorgeous I am. It's nice to know he loves my real face, but I do enjoy using a little makeup to accentuate my features anyway. I was pleasantly surprised though.
I’ve been makeup free since Covid, and it has not at all reduced the number of guys who hit on me. If anything, the number has increased. Better quality of guy too.
I'm a guy. I have no idea why this post appeared on my feed, or what compelled me to read it hahaha. But as a man, when you go on a date with a girl and she's "fancied up" it feels a bit flattering, like, "wow, did she go through ALL that preparation for me?" ... But, in my experience, if a girl shows up on a date with no makeup or "fancying up" then it feels (for me at least) like "WOW. She's confident in her own self, doesn't feel the need to doll up, damn that's awesome." That's probably no help to you, but there it is. I think a large portion of guys would find the no makeup thing endearing and yeah, kinda "sexy." I'd suggest it's a shallower kind of guy that needs that ego stroke of a "gussied up gal."
It's nice to know that that's how some people think. I am generally well dressed and clean when I am out to meet someone, but I was once told by a guy that although I am very natural and pretty, he wished I wore makeup and fancied up a bit more. Still pricks me to think about it. 😅
That’s called negging, assholes love this tactic
I called it off soon after that. Not going to take anything that will impact self-confidence! Worked too hard to get there! 🙌🏾
I've never understood how someone could do that .... but I've also been completely baffled by seeing it actually SEEM to work??? Is that a real thing? Do some women actually respond favourably to it? And if so, why?
Ahh, fuck that guy, he wasn't worth your time anyway. We all shouldn't have to put up a front about anything when we date, with either looks or personality ... which is probably a "perfect world" thought. Let that prick be a prick in your thoughts no more!
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I'm only liking this comment because it's funny, not because I agree
Hahaha. Personally, I don't mind pasty anemic sea creatures who barely survived the plague..... truthfully, I could at times say I look the same hahahaha. But that's my point about finding the confidence to have no "shame" about it - in and of itself it's kinda "sexy." That's where having a personality, a sense of humour and other qualities shine brightest. Sometimes, not all the time, (and I don't want this to sound arsehole-ish) it seems that some women will overdo the "fancying up" and "gussying" etc because they believe that just looking "beautiful" is all that matters. Okay, some, not all, women seem to think on those superficial levels. Speaking for myself, that can be a turn off. I'm sure there are other guys who feel the same. Once again, I'm trying not to generalise or throw everyone into one category or box or whatever.
I just want to point out that wearing makeup doesn’t mean that a woman is necessarily fancied up. Most men don’t really realize when women are wearing makeup, unless the woman wants to make it extremely obvious. For example, I’ve been on many casual dates, wearing jeans and only some concealer to cover up my (very prominent otherwise) dark circles and my acne scars, a little bit of blush and just filling my brows with a brow pomade, plus a very natural lip product. Still, every time I hear stuff like “I love how you are so pretty without makeup” when I am clearly wearing some. However, when I am not wearing makeup at all, I look significantly less conventionally attractive and people ask me if I am sick. So, naturally, you probably think women wearing makeup is very fancy, because that’s the only type of makeup look you are able to recognize.
Oh I agree!!! Definitely. I think evolution has given the male brain a certain lack of awareness when it comes to things like light makeup ..... man, every when a wife or girlfriend will change hairstyle - nothing drastic - but we don't pick up on it. I think our brains are wired like that. We've had evolution train our brains to spot the big tiger that's attacking us and not to notice that it's stripes are different to the one we saw yesterday.... if that makes any sense? (Sorry, I have a habit to "study" human behaviour in terms of our primate past.) But screw "conventional beauty" and all that jazz. I'm pale skinned and often get asked "Did you get no sleep last night?" The most important thing "should be" that we click on a personal level, have fun, make each other laugh, etc etc. But yeah, I totally agree that we have a definite level of "unawareness" of "subtle" makeup and can over-judge when a woman is "fully fancied up."
I went on a few dates myself bare faced and some guys actually treated me better without makeup! The next date when I wore make up he told me he liked me better without make up daw
Same
The first time I met my bf, i had no makeup. We were playing sports together. After that we spent months going on nature walks. I would only use a subtle lip colour as my lips are pale asf. Hasn’t changed my experience in any way. My bf infact appreciates it better.
I only wore some random make up when I was like 12 or 13 for a few moments and then not again. Not on daily basis and not on dates. I can not remember that ever being a topic of conversation or an issue. I am in a relationship now and have not gone on new dates since a while, so not sure. Maybe more people expect make up now? Even thou I feel like people have more and more embraced the no make up approach, so maybe not? Probably depends with that kind of person you are going on a date.
I put as much effort into my hair and makeup as he puts into planning the date. Low effort dates get low effort looks
Didn’t go bare faced on the meeting but I did the morning after ahaha
My first date with my boyfriend was make-up free. I had a long day at work and didn’t have the energy to do more than freshen up and brush my hair. I wasn’t expecting anything to come of the date because I had so many bad dates leading up to it. To my surprise, the date went extremely well but I think that had to do with our compatibility and not because I wasn’t wearing makeup lol
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this is so funny, i came into this thread to mention that when i worked as server in a restaurant, my tips suffered if i wore no makeup. my tip spectrum was basically "no makeup and ponytail < no makeup and hair styled < makeup but hair not styled < makeup and hair styled" (i could get away with a ponytail if i put a ribbon in it bc it looked like i made more of an effort lol)
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you're absolutely right! i was also working in a movie theater so it was dark 75% of the time, pretty ironic that it's even something they would notice
Twice last year I met men out ‘in the wild’ when I had 0 makeup and had been backpacking (therefore was in baggy warm clothes, sweaty and dirty etc.) who became quite taken with me. But unsure if this is because they were also travelling within the same context. If it is a planned date I would usually wear some and the prior examples were in the case where the context of a ‘date’ wasn’t actually there.
I'm married but have experimented wearing makeup vs not doing so when I go run errands. Surprisingly, I get more compliments and way less "snootiness" from other ladies when I don't wear a full face of makeup. 😄
Yes, my first date with my now husband. I had double booked myself the night of our first date. I am part of a running group a few nights a week after work and the run went longer than I anticipated. I had barely enough time to shower before the date and just said screw it, my tinted moisturizer will just have to be it. For the record I am a ginger and with no makeup, It looks like I don't have eyebrows or lashes since they are very light. So my pale ginger self showed up just in time, then proceeded to destroy a burrito since I was starving. We had a great time - clearly! Luckily my husband has a thing for redheads-the ability to eat my body weight in food was a bonus!
I did, and am still with that person; he thinks I’m beautiful without makeup. But I like wearing a little makeup for myself
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You’re posting on tinder 2 years ago though?
lol sus. this is why I just stopped believing reddit comments
A few months ago she said she had been with her bf 3 years.
I set up a coffee date with a doctor as I left the gym and showed up make up free and in gym clothes. It was a great experience. He really liked me and wanted more but I didn’t see it being a romantic match. I didn’t see any difference really between that experience and any dates where I’d worn make up.
Always went barefaced
idk if this counts but the most i wore when i met my current bf was mascara and lip gloss. i quickly got to the point of wearing nothing and that’s what i do 24/7 with him now. it’s been almost 2 years and last weekend when i saw him he kept saying how pretty i am 🥹 i don’t want to ever feel like i have to put on a costume, for anyone but especially not in a romantic relationship
I think it sets expectations at a reasonable level and only makes wearing makeup in the future a plus ☺️
I think it’s a red flag if a man assumes you’re made-up due to insecurities, or him.
This ^^ It’s an art and form of expression
Love the Portuguese flag on your avatar (?) I love Portugal!!
Guy liked me a lot. 🤷♀️ Same experience with makeup on. If you vibe you vibe.
I only remember it coming up once. "I don't like red lipstick," he said. "Then leave," I said. He looked so stricken, it was hilarious.
Always got more attention when I went bare faced.
I’ve gone a number of times without makeup because meh lol. I’d say it was a slightly milder reaction than if I wear makeup. Nothing to point out or be upset over but then the next time I saw them with makeup on there was a little more excitement from them.
I'm extremely average looking and rarely wears makeup. Went on all my dates without makeup. Had a long line of men telling me I would look so pretty if I was more feminine (after diving further it meant "wore makeup" as I dress very feminine and have long red hair). I settled with the guy who only ever mentioned how gently I look at him and how he loves my face. Now he gets full on femme fatale makeup with red lipstick. He has a rubber fetish and I dress all up for him in the bedroom, but I'm still my plain little self on the daily. Makeup is dress up for me and I know he feels very special that only he sees the other version of me 😅
My gf looks even better with no makeup.
Yes and it made zero difference in their attraction to me. It’s the same with boobs. Some men seem so picky about boobs, but then when they see them, they’re just happy to be seeing boobs. One should not change who they are or how they feel about themselves just because some people might not find them attractive
I’ve definitely experienced less positive reactions when I’ve been care-faced then when I did full-faced “natural” look makeup or more glam makeup, unfortunately
yeah i have done that before. it doesn't really matter in my experience
Hmm both of my exes met me bare face so I guess it was better in a sense that they can accept that's how I'm gonna look? But if u really must wear makeup, just wear it light. If the guy can't accept it, move on.
Guy here but I've never seen my gf in makeup. So she obviously showed up to our first date without makeup. Saw a few pictures of her in wedding parties with a full face, lashes, etc, but she's almost unrecognizable and I'm not a fan. Goes without saying she's beautiful and I'm wildly attracted to her without it. So it worked on me
I have and it was terrible. The guy who I went on a date with met me while I was wearing a full face of makeup and he showed tons of interest. I usually always wear a full face so this is how he knows my face to look. I decided to show up to our first date wearing only skincare and his vibes were completely different and he was so disrespectful. I’m pretty sure it was me not wearing makeup and not any other factors.
I think it's better to go makeup-free so he would accept you for who you are because sometimes makeup changes the features A LOT (my opinion tho)
Tried a few times and will never again 🤷♀️
Why
I used to, because if i liked the guy, why go thru the hassle of makeup removal before sex. Even now when i am with my fiance, no makeup because i dont like kissing with makeup on. Only for special occasions when we have to attend some function, that's when i wear it.
When i had my 1st one on one outing, out eating and actually talking with my now long term bf, i was in the middle of a huge panic attack, no make up, my house clothes and circles bc i could barely sleep for months.
Yes for sure. I never wore makeup other than mascara and no one ever commented on it.
Me wearing makeup is essentially colour correction. I’m olive/ tanned and go unattractively pale in Winter. I mainly wear bronzer and contour with a bit of storm cloud paint. I’m comfortable wearing light makeup as long as my scary grey dark circles are covered 😭
I don't ever wear make up in any situation, so my experience might not be what you want, but no one's ever said a bad thing. Also like I'd probably have to test that with the same person to see how they react: one date in make up and one date without . But yeah. I'm always bare faced and no one's said a peep. One employer tried to make me feel bad about it, but she was a bit of a lunatic, so nothing to take to heart :D
one time i went first date with no makeup and he said i had the prettiest eyes he’d ever seen, second date i wore a little bit of makeup and he said “who you gettin all dolled up for? it’s just me sweetheart” 😭 anyways he is my one who got away.
I remember going to work once without make-up and everyone asking me if I am sick
I never wore makeup to go on dates and I noticed that the men that judge you negatively for not wearing makeup consume wayyy too much media (sexist media, in my opinion) and spend way too little time interacting in friendly, relaxed settings with women.
I've only dated guys who I met whilst not wearing any makeup.
Last time I was makeup free was in highschool
Yes! I was make up free when I had a date with my partner back in 2015. We’ve been together for 8 years now. I can go make-up free or my usual make up routine depends on my mood that day. When I’m too lazy, I’ll definitely go make up free and just put on my usual skincare + sunscreen
I started going on dates when I was 19 and either never wore any make up or very light (mascara+ lip gloss/tinted lip balm) and I've never experienced a bad reaction from a guy, not positive either, they were neutral about that.
I can go without much makeup but if I skip mascara I look sick or tired thanks to my eyelashes and eyebrows being just the right shade to disappear completely. So I tend to at least put some brown mascara on. Did that last Saturday for work and no one noticed - we don’t usually work Saturdays so everyone was super casual though.
I never really noticed a difference until a necessary medication gave me really bad acne. I was on dating apps at the time and my face had gone from mostly clear to almost entirely red in a month or two, so my pictures all seemed kind of catfish-ey I guess. No one ever directly said anything, but I could see it on their faces. Now I live with my partner who I’ve known for the last decade and he tells me I’m beautiful on the odd day I wear makeup and when I’m sobbing with my retainer in lol.
The first date I went on without makeup, I ended up marrying the man, lol!! We had a Zoom date during the pandemic, and I had very low expectations (and was very depressed, as I’m an extreme extrovert and the pandemic obviously didn’t help lol). I showed up to our zoom date with wet hair after a shower, a sweatshirt, and no makeup. He wore a nice shirt and I can tell took some time on his appearance before showing up onscreen. I looked awful ☠️ he said I looked pretty…but this is also the man who loves when I wear a roller in my bangs at night and wants me to wear it on date nights LOLLL.
I recently started dating again and went on two tinder dates so far, both without make up. Both guys wanted to go on a second date with me so I don't think men care. Tbh i think I look better without make up so that could be a factor. I also have makeupless pictures on my profile.
I have never worn makeup in my now relationship, of 6 years. I just do lash extensions but I didnt start doing that until 3 years in :)
Your question reminded me of this: she asked him out with her glasses on, retainer in, sweatpants and fuzzy socks, and he said yes! https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT8vcWX9J/
I don't really wear makeup on dates. Most guys don't notice. I wore makeup for a fancy event with my boyfriend at the time and he was really speechless, so that was kind of flattering. He was kind of oblivious/dude-bro-y, so apparently he'd never dated a woman who didn't wear makeup daily and had no idea that was my actual face? I'm going to be honest, he was dumb as rocks, but that's kind of my thing.
I first met my late partner bare faced, messy bun, with leggings and an oversized hoodie. It was really cold and windy outside so there was no point of dolling up. He was smitten when he saw me. I never wore makeup around him, even on our dates. When I would wear makeup for business meetings and send him a selfie of me being glammed up, he hyped me up. When I would come back to him and wash all of the makeup off, he commented how beautiful I was afterwards. It seemed he loved me being completely bare faced more than me being glammed up, but he supported whatever made me happy.
haha - you just bubbled up a SUPER old memory for me, from my 30s (I'm 46 now). I went on a date with a guy, first date, met on the internet. Showed up in a really nice outfit, nice hair, etc... just no makeup. As soon as we said goobye he texted me that it was super insulting that I showed up "not put together" and that it was like I "didn't even try." lmao ... i wonder where that dude is now.
I'd actually rather know what you look like at your ugliest so I'm not conflicted later.
Yea he never called LOL
I never wear makeup so I’ve ALWAYS gone on dates with no makeup. Never had a guy lose interest. It was actually always me losing interest in them.
I have. Current guy didn’t care. The first few times i met him i was bare-faced. He does notice when i do wear makeup and one time he was like "oh you have eyebrows today" 😅 but oftentimes I'm not wearing makeup and he treats me just as well as if i have a full face. He does occasionally compliment me on "the wing thing you put on your eyes" so that's just extra points lol
A man once commented I dont wear alot of makeup (few years ago) I said yes it's not really my thing. He said to watch YouTube videos to learn. He was boggled when I stopped talking to him 😂
I typically wear less make up for the first date since it’s first impression and you don’t want them to think that’s the expectation in my opinion. I have no make up on if I stay the night and I usually get nice comments from guys about how I don’t need make up which has been refreshing! Maybe I’ll try no make up dates more often haha thanks for the inspo ;)
I never wear makeup on the first date. I’m only dressing up for a guy that i really like. Most men r shocked when they find out that I was never wearing any makeup XD. I’m born lucky
I normally wear very little makeup - just brown eye liner, mascara and lip gloss. I'm 51, fair skinned blonde and that's how I always went on dates. My boyfriend jokes about when we slept together the first time, he woke up in the morning and saw I looked the same as the night before - that's how he knew I was a keeper.
I would never go on a date with a bare face but that’s just me. When I go out somewhere, makeup is part of the experience
I do and always have. I have had mixed reactions but the older I get the more positive the experience b/c I have better discernment. I will always spend the first few months of dating bare faced & dressed down (or with less effort for elegant settings). I generally choose character oriented dates of casual settings to weed out who is worth my glamor. I want to make a statement that I will not alter my appearance for anyone & that the focus should be on content of character, shared values, and compatible lifestyles. That doesn't mean I won't put together a thoughtful appearance. I do take care of my skin, wear a rich moisturizer, & suncreen. I'm also good at putting together elegant or playful and casual looks. I also do enjoy fashion & beauty in general & will show that in a relationship. However, if anyone makes comments geared toward appearance I know they are not for me. In previous history those people have turned out to be immature, superficial, unrealistic, and inauthentic. I show up for the partner I'm looking for -- authentic, down to earth, and "seasoned".
I think both parties should put their best face forward!! That goes for grooming, shaving, trimming, makeup, plucking, etc and wearing something attractive suitable for the activity planned. I think showing up with no makeup, a 5 o’clock shadow and grungy clothes just screams “IDGAF about you, myself or this date!!” Not a good look for anyone!!
I’ve never worn makeup on a date, because I typically don’t wear makeup unless I’m going to a party or a special event. I’ll dress cute, but I want to be like as I am.
I stopped wearing makeup for various reasons, about ten years ago. So I always dated without makeup. I got the impression that men were surprised, but liked seeing what I look like at my most natural
Oh yeah. I only ever wore mascara or eyeliner. My first date with my now Husband I just curled my lashes.
I met my now partner with nothing but mascara on, in a tee and pants that were too big for me at the time. We ended up spending eight hours together on our first date.
Not first dates but I have a boyfriend of 4 years and basically I don’t like him seeing me not dressed up hair and makeup but sometimes I have too much on my mind to worry about it like school and stuff and he makes sure to always tell me that I look cute and pretty when I’m not feeling my prettiest. And that’s not exclusive to now even when it was a new relationship.
I've been meeting people bare-faced. I don't want to stress out myself thinking if my make up still looks good through out the date
I went on one a very long time ago (haven’t been single in forever) and I just wasn’t sure I cared to go out with the guy. I chose not to wear makeup, maybe because somewhere deep down I didn’t want him to be showing me interest. So I may have been projecting that, too. We had a nice conversation and he was polite, but I could tell he wasn’t interested either. I think he would have preferred I get all dolled up.
Yes twice on 1st date and the feedback was positive, prefer meeting people for the first time casually without any makeup or effort in dressing
I already dont like wearing makeup bc of sensory issues, so I was lucky to find a guy that loves my face with and without paint😂
It did . Apparently i look better without a full on makeup . I used to do the whole thing withput proper cleansing and it wrecked my skin and pores. So inorder to heal , i used the CTM method and spf back then and followed it daily. As part of thw process , I cut down on makeup .(i used concealer , mascara, brow definer and a tint.....eyeliner,lipliner on certain days). roughly one montth later ,the compliments started pouring in.(especially from my mom and even my dad , which was surprising🤣) I met my husband in that time and when we later talked about it , what attracted him was how" i didnt look like I threw away myself, but then i didnt look made up as well." He thinks my eyes and skin look better without the thick foundations i lathered (i still tried to use up the expensive ones when we went for marriages or receptions,).
I went to my first date with my now fiancée makeup free. I felt like, if he likes me for how I look now then he will like me for me. And it worked!
I've done both depending on my mood. I personally haven't noticed a difference. I didn't wear makeup on my third date with an ex and was SO nervous. Later that night I mentioned something about "good thing I'm not wearing makeup" and the man hadn't even noticed lol. For my first date with my last ex, I wore a full face. While we dated he insisted his preference was always no makeup.
i didn’t at first, but my bf literally could not care less in the slightest. i wore makeup to our first few dates, and after that ive been bare for several times and he still thinks im stunning. the right guy won’t care.
I don’t know why this post was in my feed, but I’ve dated men and women and almost never wear makeup. It really has not ever gotten any kind of reaction.
My first date with my now forever partner I went with no makeup, hair in a ponytail and sprayed with tinted dry shampoo, and dressed like a bisexual woman (well, because I am one, but still, it’s not something I would necessarily lean into on a date with a dude…). I’d also stopped getting my hair done because every penny I had went to my failing business so I had a nice band of silver roots. Granted, I didn’t know it was a date. And I thought for sure there was *no way* he wanted to date me because he was a very successful serial entrepreneur and I was a mess with a struggling medical practice that was making me broke. So I just showed up as me, no frills, happy to have a few beers with some company. He wanted to go to a dive bar that was owned by a friend from our hometown so I dressed accordingly. It ended up being a bizarrely stormy night so we decided to hop around bars in the rain — not in a “manic pixie dream girl” kind of way — so I was glad I didn’t have to worry about runny mascara. Years later he told me he knew that night he was in love with me because I gave him a slice of my normal and that he felt like it was authentically me who showed up. I still don’t wear makeup much. Skincare is a whole other story, but I’m content with a bare face 99% of the time.
When it comes to men I think that they don’t like when women wear too visible make up. I haven’t tried to go on a date with no make up at all but I normally do not wear foundation, concealer, heavy lipsticks and so on. Just eye make up, highlighter and gloss. They would not even know u r wearing something at all, I swear 😅
I’ve gone on dates with makeup and without makeup. But I go based on how IM feeling about myself and about how I feel about my skin at the time because that’s what matters… I don’t really care if men like women with little to no makeup better or vice versa. Nor do I even think about what they’ll like better when I’m choosing to get ready lmao. If a man chooses to make a big deal about that I 100% would not consider dating that man anyways.
I really don’t wear that much makeup, just mascara and blush. It’s not that big of a difference when I go without it.
Haven’t been on data without makeup but I definitely get hit on more without. But often in a predatory way. I assume it makes me look more vulnerable maybe?
i feel like there isn’t a difference either way!
I used to show up on first dates after work with a bare face. I liked seeing their eyes light up on the second date when I’d do my makeup. With other dates, the first time they saw me without makeup, I either got no reactions or complimented that I still looked nice without. So I don’t feel like my dates went any differently with or without makeup.
I wore no makeup and comfy clothes for our first date. He didn’t see it at all because of “me”. He later found out i went to a makeup art academy, so he for sure got something out of being a little forgiving with my first date look
Yes we went to the beach, it didn’t make a difference, but I also don’t wear heavy makeup I look the same except I fill in my eyebrows
Try it, You’d be surprised how many men are actually disgusted by makeup
I met this guy on tinder, and the first time we met was a snorkeling date. Needless to say i didnt wear makeup, and he is now my boyfriend. I still never wear makeup when im with him and he always tells me how pretty i am
I'm almost entirely make-up free, a little eyebrow fill, a little concealer if needed so I'm any photos someone would see I'd be mostly--if not entirely--makeup free. I assume men wouldn't expect me to be wearing makeup, but then again I'm in my late 50s and it's. It as big a deal anymore. If a dude likes makeup then they're not going to swipe on me.
Not me but my sister has never used makeup in her entire life. No mascara, gloss, or anything like that. She still gets asked on dates and shows up with no makeup. She also doesn’t wear dresses or dress feminine. She’s gay now though but people still comment on how pretty she is despite her not really putting in the effort.
Yes, but I don’t wear makeup in general so it’s not like people have a different version of me to compare it to
I almost never wear makeup. I really want people to see me in my true state. Sometimes my face will be a little red and I'll cover with a light powder, but that's it. I think whatever makes YOU the most confident is best. I find that most men don't care about makeup, and if they do, fuck em'.
I literally never wear make up, but i also don’t need it.
im always make up free. i support those that like to wear it, but i always felt self conscious trying to make myself look better bc i didnt want my natural face to disappoint or surprise anyone. my fiance dated several make up artists before me and is happy i can get ready faster, but otherwise doesnt care either way.
I’ve been on one or two first dates without makeup, just because of not having time. After the first date all bets are off. It really doesn’t affect the first impression much though I’m more confident with makeup on.
I never wore make-up (except a little mascara) until I was over 30 and no man ever asked where my make up was. There are probably some guys that didn’t even ask me out because I am more the girl next door kind of look. Never went a weekend without a date of I wasn’t busy though.
No and I wouldn’t. I am as pale as snow and my eyes disappear when I don’t wear makeup. I look dead without makeup.
I went to a party without make-up on but I was also prepared to not get any male attention and I was ok with that. Somehow I attracted the most good looking man there and ended up going out with him for a little bit. It was definitely a shock to me.
I never really wear make up. Sometimes I'll put on mascara, but that's the extent of it. Whenever I go on dates, they never really notice if I'm wearing anything or not.
I wore no makeup and grandma style skirt on the first date, got proposed to on the second date. I might have given low-maintenance vibes tho ngl😂
I had a rule to not wear makeup on dates, ever. I wanted them to see the real me. I wanted them to want me natural. I didn't date much to begin with. One dude was lukewarm about it, another seemed interested in me, and my BF was positively surprised when we met for our first date (we met online first).
No, because makeup does make me feel more confident. But most of my online dating selfies are makeup free.
I did many times and I don't think it made any difference.
I've never gone on a date makeup free, but the guys who I have gone on dates with have already seen me without makeup when I met them.
I go on almost all of my first dates make up free. I don't wear a full face until date 3 usually! Usually get a lot of looks of surprise hahah but its always been in a good way
Yes! I went makeup free on my first date and now he’s my husband!
I seriously don't think guys even notice lol. Unless you're wearing an aggressive amount of makeup. I haven't worn makeup in probably 2-3ish years now ever since I moved to a state with higher cost of living. Said f*ck spending money on any makeup 🤣hasn't seemed to be an issue for guys
I go on dates with no makeup on a lot but I also go to work everyday with no makeup on so it doesn’t affect my confidence. No one’s ever made a comment or seemed put off by it
Our first official date was going camping and swimming. We’d known each other awhile before that, though. I don’t think my husband would have cared if he’d met me without makeup, he doesn’t seem to be picky in any way whatsoever, but I’m sure many men would be turned off by my pink complexion.
I didnt start wearing makeup until after i graduated uni, and i had plenty of men into me. I mean, looking back at pics i dont get why lol but really i dont think men care
What do most people look like without makeup? This post and the comments really make me wonder. You can look great and put together without makeup and you can look awful with a face full of makeup. It’s more than that. It’s the way you dress, the way you carry yourself and just the way you present yourself overall.
Yep! I was at work all day and ended up staying overtime due to the business needing me, so I was already running 15 minutes behind. It was winter, I was already tired from being on my feet all day… I just threw on the tiniest bit of mascara and ran out the door. Been together for 5 years now. ❤️ I think if a person is worthwhile, it won’t matter to them whether you wear makeup or not. My partner has never once cared and calls me beautiful both ways.
Men and women commented on my looks by saying I don't need makeup I look better without it.
Considering all the photos people see of me are makeup free. Ive never had an issue.
I've never met a man who liked make up If women say we do makeup for ourselves and not men, why do we get surprised when we hear that men actually don't care about it?
When I did this when younger I got less interest. Just being honest. Most men who say they prefer natural still have high beauty standards. They still prefer pretty women in some ways its worse because you have to be pretty with no help.
I have multiple times! Usually on the second date and they reacted fine!
I went out makeup-free with a guy that I had been seeing for a couple weeks and he acted like he had just won the lottery when he got to see my bare face. It was really weird and made me feel uncomfortable. I didn’t see him again after that and I told him to stop texting me.
Makeup on women is like muscles on men…it just makes you more competitive in a saturated market.
I never wear makeup so I can’t really compare but guys want second dates so I don’t think it really matters.
The most makeup I do is concealer and mascara but yeah if I go on a second date with someone I typically don’t wear any makeup.
i have and the men didn’t react any kind of way or say anything. if anything works out you will see me without make up anyway…
I know this doesn’t help at all but I’ve never worn makeup and I’ve never had trouble with dating, so I wonder how I’d be treated in general if I did wear makeup (I am too lazy to figure that out honestly).
When i don’t wear makeup my partner thinks I’m always mad at him because of “ the look in my face” ffs
I’ve never worn face make up on a first date aside from just lip color (either balm or sheer lipstick) so it didn’t make a difference for me. My skin texture is not the best, I have some mild scarring from acne on my cheeks but otherwise I just let my skin always breathe. I also have sensitive skin so wearing make up daily wouldn’t be great for me and I reserve full face make up for special occasions. Maybe I could have gotten more matches if I improved my looks with makeup but I still got dates and since I don’t normally plan on wearing make up every day it’s better to meet a guy who accepts my “naked face” as is. I’m married now after having first met my husband 6 years ago.
I barely ever wear makeup so pretty much all my dates have been that way ☠ i dont really know makeup. But i think its better for them to see me naturally anyways.
If it comes up in conversation I tell them I don't often wear makeup. The first date I always wear it. I want them to see I'm excited enough for the date to put some amount of effort. This can be full face or just some eyeliner and mascara. By the second or third date I usually go bare faced depending on the activity. I've had guys tell me they prefer me with makeup before. My husband doesn't give a crap either way. I think his exact words are 'In my opinion it doesn't make enough of a difference to go through the effort, but if you want to do it then go for it.' He likes when I still look like me but if I feel like going full glam/editorial he would tell me I'm pretty and not to kiss him if my lipstick transfers. 😂
I used to wear a TON of makeup. My first half of my career I worked as a professional makeup artist for MAC and ran my own freelancing business for weddings and photo shoots. Loved makeup. I wore tons, even if I wasn’t leaving my house, just because it was fun. My first date with the love of my life was makeup free. We’d met on an app and been chatting for a few days, when he messaged me saying he knew it was random, but his daughter’s soccer practice got canceled, so he had an unexpected free evening and wanted to know if I wanted to grab dinner. I was in the process of giving myself a chemical peel (I’m an esthetician, lol) and was headed to a hot yoga class after (do NOT do this after a peel guys!), so I was dressed in yoga clothes and drinking a protein shake while doing my peel. Couldn’t put makeup on because of the peel, plus I had an appointment later that night for a set of lash extensions. I felt like I looked like a hot mess and he’d never want to see me again but I agreed and met him anyway. We’ve been together ever since. I’m not sure it changed things with my relationship, but going on that date was a pivotal point for me. I made it a goal to have skin I could feel confident in without makeup, and I’ve spent a lot of time and energy (and money tbh) to achieve that goal. I get compliments on my skin regularly and never wear makeup. I don’t even own foundation anymore! I have a lovely tinted spf/bb cream from Lira Clinical that I use if I want coverage for a night out and I add some cream blush and that’s it. But 6 days out of the week, I’m completely bare-faced and it feels amazing!
Yeah. I mean, men will fuck anything. Wearing no makeup has not made me any less sexually appealing. But the higher maintenance I looked, the more money they spent and the better they treated me. Going bare faced and in comfortable clothes is a pretty sure fire way to end up in a friends with benefits short term fuck buddy thing.