While reading the “high maintenance” thread, I was struck by the number of times people spoke of women who take an hour (or more) to apply makeup. I wear makeup as part of my daily routine, and it usually takes me around 5 minutes to apply. This includes a light mineral powder foundation/concealer, pencil eyeliner, eyeshadow, mascara and lipstick. I can’t begin to imagine what else I could do to myself that could take an extra 55 minutes. (Even if I were to add blush and eyebrow pencil, two common items that I don’t use, or used more time intensive liquid foundation and eyeliner, I still can’t see it taking that long.)
I also don’t change my makeup for different occasions. If I am wearing makeup at all, it is the same basic “face.”
So for those of you who wear makeup on a regular or semi-regular basis:
A) How long does it take to apply your usual makeup?
B) Do you do your makeup differently for special occasions?
C) If so, how long does that take?
D) If either A or B takes longer than 15 minutes, what accounts for that time?
For men and women who think that makeup is unattractive, unnecessary, anti-feminist, just plain icky, or any combination of those things, your opinions are certainly valid. But, if you would be so kind, I would prefer it if you expressed those opinions in another thread.
My usual makeup takes around 5 minutes. The only time I could see it taking anywhere near 30 is going to a super-dressy event where I’d wnat to use liquid liner. I’m not very good with it, so I go slooooooow.
Mine takes somewhere between 10 and 15 minutes, depending on how slooooowly I am moving. I seriously go in slow motion in the morning (plus my dog hangs out in the bathroom with me and needs scritchies often, and the cat will come in and want a sink drink, etc.).
If I am applying it in the evening, about 5 minutes. Some things that can add time to the process:
Grooming my eyebrows
Curling my eye lashes
Concealer on particularly stubborn blemishes (Still! At 33! Makes me so mad!)
B) Yes, longer for special occasions. Actually, it depends as much on the lighting as the occasion: lower lights = more makeup, as in both more kinds and colors of it and also more of each kind.
C) For special occasions, 10 minutes; maybe 15 if I’m getting really fancy with multiple bindis and elaborate eyes. Maaaybe 20 if I’m stressed out about the occasion and have time to kill, as I find putting on makeup kind of meditative.
I wonder if some people include hair styling with “makeup” time. I once had my hair done up elaborately as an extra for a formal party scene on a TV show, and it took the professional stylist *hours, *with curlers and various curling irons and several products. The result was not as ornate as I’d have expected.
A) How long does it take to apply your usual makeup?
about 8-10 minutes
B) Do you do your makeup differently for special occasions?
usually, yes
**C) If so, how long does that take?[/b[
maybe 15 minutes
D) If either A or B takes longer than 15 minutes, what accounts for that time?
The only time it would take me more than 15 minutes to put my make-up on is when I was into the goth look in college, and even then I didn’t do a full face every day. And it still only took maybe 20 minutes to do.
I have no idea what I’d do to my face to make it take an hour to just put on make-up.
Most of my “getting ready to go out” time is spent deciding what to wear.
A) How long does it take to apply your usual makeup? For work: Five minutes, liner and shadow.
B) Do you do your makeup differently for special occasions? Yep, I may wear concealer, powder, lipgloss, or blush in addition to eyeliner and shadow.
C) If so, how long does that take? Maybe ten minutes.
D) If either A or B takes longer than 15 minutes, what accounts for that time? I might take longer than fifteen minutes if I’m having fun painting myself. It’s really just playing around though.
My whole routine, tub-to-out the door, can be done in just under an hour if I don’t dally. That includes hair and full make-up, which is always the same face.
I can be out the door, showered, dressed and made up in about 30 min. Typically, it takes about 5 min to do my make up.
Way back in the 80’s, when I was determined to not have poker straight hair, I would take forever using a curling iron, mousse, gel…days in front of the mirror I tell you. Right now, 95% of everything I own is in a storage unit, and I could probably get dressed to the nines in under an hour, and that counts digging through boxes.
Now that I have a child, if I get 15 min in a shower all by myself…well…let’s just say I don’t live in that world. It can also slow down make up application when she takes a powder puff and decides Mommy needs it all over her shirt and hair.
A) How long does it take to apply your usual makeup?
About five minutes: liquid foundation, lip gloss.
B) Do you do your makeup differently for special occasions?
Sometimes I use a more expensive powder foundation/concealer.
C) If so, how long does that take?
Ten minutes at the outside.
That’s just for makeup, though. If I am taking my time getting ready (rare, since I have a toddler), it takes about half an hour including showering/shaving, makeup and getting dressed.
10-15 minutes to shower, 10-15 minutes to do everything else, including makeup. The makeup portion of my daily show takes under 5 minutes, including foundation, occasional eye shadow and blush and mascara. The rest of the time is attempting to beat my hair into submission with gel and a towel.
If I’m going someplace nice that requires additional and/or more heavily applied makeup, it takes 10-15 minutes for the whole makeup song and dance, and most of that is spent trying to decide on which color or attempting not to lose an eye to an eyeliner brush.
I wear makeup every day except on weekends, when it’s a 50/50 chance I’ll be wearing it. One of the reasons my weekday ritual is so quick is that I lay all my clothes out the night before, all the way down to bra, socks and undies. That way I don’t have to think about what I’m going to wear before I’ve had coffee; I just stumble from my bed, grab my clothes and head to the shower. It saves at least 10 minutes.
I wear makeup almost every day, unless I’m having one of those clean the house/ go to Home Depot / mow the lawn kind of days. But I’m not one of those women who will not emerge from the house without her face on; I don’t wear enough makeup to look that different with or without. Better with it, I hope, but that’s all.
A) How long does it take to apply your usual makeup?
5 minutes, tops.
B) Do you do your makeup differently for special occasions?
No. I might wear a bit more (eye shadow, for example), or a different color (brighter red for the lips) but I don’t use more things or put it on differently.
C) If so, how long does that take?
Five minutes, tops.
FTR, I wear a mineral foundation, eye liner, eye shadow, and light lipstick. I don’t wear mascara because I wear contacts and tend to touch my eyes, and so mascara bugs my contacts.
A: Under 5 minutes. Lipstick, undereye concealer, mascara.
B: Yes
C: Maybe 20 minutes for the most super-special occasions
D: I’m doing things I don’t routinely do. I’m waiting for the first coat/layer to dry/set before applying the next coat/layer. I’m being a perfectionist and doing something over (yeah, liquid eyeliner, I’m talking to you).
I read somewhere about a famous beauty who needed two hours for the makeup. Hmph. I thought the great thig about being a famous beauty was that you looked naturally fabulous so makeup didn’t need any time at all! Then I was all ready to think the two hours meant the whole thing–hair, nails, etc. But no. The famous beauty was said to have spent 45 minutes on mascara alone. Pfft!
Thanks for the responses so far. Just to clarify, I was asking about the application of makeup only. If you want to talk about your entire grooming routine I’m fine with that, but I was really only curious about the time it takes to apply products to your face.
A) How long does it take to apply your usual makeup?
About 5 min for moisturizer, powder, blush, eyeliner, browliner, eye shadow, and mascara.
B) Do you do your makeup differently for special occasions?
I might go a little heavier on the eye makeup, with a different shadow color, and add lipstick.
C) If so, how long does that take?
The exact same amount of time as my daily makeup.
I think (especially the men) in that thread were exaggerating about the time that makeup alone takes. I don’t know anyone that takes an hour to put on just makeup. On the other hand, I’m starting to understand why I see so many women out and about whose foundation looks like hell if people really are taking just 5 minutes or so to do their entire makeup AND they are including foundation. Blend, blend, blend.
I hate my freckles so I usually use some kind of foundation even if it is just powder. A little eyeliner, curl the lashes, put on mascara and a little lip stain/stick/gloss and it’s usually about 10-15 minutes. I only wear eyeshadow if I’m going out dancing or to a special occasion. Then it takes about five minutes longer so I don’t look like a clown put it on for me.
A) How long does it take to apply your usual makeup?
2 - 15 minutes, depending on how awake I am. Sunscreen, foundation, concealer (if necessary), liquid eyeliner, curl eyelashes, chapstick.
B) Do you do your makeup differently for special occasions?
Yes – I add mascara and lip gloss.
C) If so, how long does that take?
Less than 1 minute extra.
D) If either A or B takes longer than 15 minutes, what accounts for that time?
Sometimes I’m still half-asleep. Sometimes I mess up on my eyeliner and have to start again. Sometimes I decide that today is the day I will use eye shadow, and then after a few minutes, I’ll wipe everything off and decide to leave that for another day. Sometimes I’ll waste time plucking a stray eyebrow hair or two.
A) 3 - 5 minutes, for everyday makeup. Tinted moisturizer, powder, blush on my cheeks and eyelids, liner, mascara, lipgloss.
B) “Special occasion” makeup for me basically means actual eyeshadow, with shading and highlighting and all that good stuff.
C) Maybe two extra minutes
Most of my makeup is very sheer, and just meant to sort of brighten me up. It doesn’t require any real precision. I’m guessing that people who take 15 minutes or more are working with stuff that needs blending, or liquid eyeliner, strong colors, etc.
I’m going to preface my answers to say that I’m totally high-maintenance. I prefer to think of myself as well groomed, but for some people that means high-maintenance. Fine. The Mr. digs it and has never complained about how much time it takes for me to get ready, so I don’t much care.
So, with that out of the way - I wear a full face to work everyday. This includes:
Foundation Primer
cream foundation
concealer
eye-brow pencil
eye shadow
eye liner
mascara
blush
lip primer
lip liner
lip gloss
Believe it or not, I don’t actually look like a ho or a clown with all that on because I take at least 30 minutes to make sure everything is blended perfectly, and to check things in differnet lights to make sure I haven’t gone crazy with the blush (which can happen in the AM when it’s pitch black outside).
I will use different products if it’s a special occasion. Sometimes they are glittery. You really have to take your time with glitter or you wind up looking like an idiot. Usually the maximum time would be about 45 minutes.
As to what accounts for the time, it’s a few things. Firstly, I apply my foundation with a brush. This gives a much more natural, smooth finish, but it takes time. Secondly, eye-make up takes time to be done artfully and subtly - other wise you look like either a ho or a 6 year old playing with mommy’s makeup. Things like lipgloss and blush take no time at all.
FWIW, I don’t usually wear any makeup on the weekend unless I’m going to some fancy event (which doesn’t happen very often). I also don’t wear it on vacation, or camping or skiing or any of those other places where women get mocked for wearing it. I only wear it to the office because I think it makes me look more polished and professional.
