How important is makeup to the average middle aged woman?!
Well-known Aussie journalist and newsreader, Tracey Spicer, is asking middle aged women to reconsider their beauty regimes, and is bravely showing her face without makeup.
She hopes that women will realise they don’t HAVE to be fully made up all the time, arguing that it is a ridiculous expectation of society, and can even be a waste of valuable time which could be better spent doing other things.
Do I agree with Tracey?
Sort of.
The Case for No Makeup
I’ll be honest. I work from home, so most days I don’t wear makeup. At all. Yup, generally I’m a middle aged woman without makeup.
As a middle aged woman, I’m comfortable in my own skin. I don’t have to impress anybody.
It’s true – years ago, I refused to leave the house without my war paint on (much like Miss-18-this-week!). The hubster tried to convince me I was beautiful just the way I was, but it took a long time before I believed it. These days, I’ve realised that actually, the natural look isn’t so bad (and I just can’t be bothered LOL).
If I have to pop out to the shops or run errands, I’ll likely dust on a bit of bronzer, and apply some lipstick which takes me all of one minute.
When More Makeup is Required
If I want to look a bit more polished, for example heading to a client meeting, I might start with a good quality primer (but not always), and I will add mascara and blush.
When I get dressed up – for an event or special occasion, I’ll wear all of the above, with the addition of eyebrow pencil. (That’s Miss-18-this-week’s influence – and I’m glad of it! She’s helped me keep interested in my appearance, and break out of my style rut.) Oh, and maybe some pressed powder.
I’m not really one for eyeliner or eyeshadow.
Time spent in front of the mirror for a totally made-up look? Five to ten minutes, tops.
And that’s it.
I do enjoy getting dressed up AND made up but let’s face it, 90% of the time I’m makeup free.
So I really don’t feel it’s a waste of time, or getting in the way of doing other things.
I do applaud Tracey for going “au naturelle” and showing us that real middle aged women have uneven skin tone and fuzzy hair, but I think we all knew that anyways 😉 .
(In the interests of copyright I haven’t shared any of the images of Tracey here but if you Google “Tracey Spicer without makeup” you’ll find them easily.)
What do you think looks better on a middle aged woman – no makeup, a little makeup, or the works?!
I am makeup free 99.99% of the time (I bought make up for my children’s weddings). I am a high school teacher so I am ‘in public’ all the time. Frankly, my dears, I don’t give a damn what I look like. I dress respectably but don’t follow fashion, let my hair go grey… People like me if I make them feel warm and fuzzy, if I make them laugh. I’m the real thing.
I’m sure your students wouldn’t appreciate it even if you did put warpaint on Lurg!
I’ve seen the Tracey Spicer photo’s and the TedX talk she did. In her case I guess its a bit different because of her occupation and the fact she would be made up constantly. She also talks about her hair routine and the fake tan routine and the exercising to keep trim routine – the combination and time taken up by all the beauty routines! I think you look great without makeup! I don’t look so great without it but to be honest while I’m at home (which is most of the time) I dont wear any. If I’m popping to the shops – I put on some foundation, mascara and lipstick. If I’m going out somewhere of an evening – foundation, mascara, eye liner, lipstick, eyebrow pencil and blush. I don’t do eye shadow. Funny how we all have our little routines and likes and dislikes when it comes to makeup! 😉
Wow that is excessive isn’t it. So glad I didn’t end up on TV in that case!
You look gorgeous with and without! At 30 I am much more easy going about it all than I was at say, 20. I used to need a full face of make up just to run to the local supermarket for five minutes. I would put on the works. Now, I’ll put a really quick slathering of BB cream on and off I go (a huge deal compared to what I used to feel comfortable in)!
I have about 3 different ‘looks’ haha. I have special occasions and nights out where I go all out, ‘good’ shopping days where I put on foundation, some bronzer and a bit of colourful day time lippie. Then quick run to the shop on a weekend with just a little BB cream. I hope when I’m closer to your age, I feel as comfortable as you 🙂
Thank you so much! I do think we get a lot more easy going about makeup as we get older (I like that. Easy going not letting yourself go! LOL)
You look lovely both unmade and made-up.
I have always liked makeup and enjoyed wearing it. I am so pale that without it concerned strangers will ask me if I am okay – I am being serious! Even Hubby asks me, (or even the boys, which is impressive for them) if I am feeling well. I am doomed to wear makeup thanks to my natural dead looks. I wish I at least had a tan and then perhaps I would be able to go natural.
Jody, my daughter is the same, looks deathly pale without makeup.
I wear basic make-up to work and I do enjoy taking a bit more time when I go out somewhere special (as in 10 mins instead of 5). When I used to present the news I had to wear thick, heavy make-up and yet I’ve never been really interested in it – my challenge is saving the little make-up I have from the hands of my kids – Miss Yin at 11 is getting into the idea of make-up and Little Yang at 4.5 makes a ready model!
Tell me about it Kathy – Miss-18-this-week still flogs my makeup at times, even though she has loads more of her own!
I often have makeup free days but now that I’ve started a beauty blog I do feel abit more self conscious about it.
LOL me too … plus the pressure to look fashionable too!
When I became a plumber/apprentice, I would just wear a bb cream and even now at home with the girls I wear a BB cream, but if I go out at night or to church on the weekend I put make-up on. The great thing about not using make-up is you don’t have to keep stocking up on supplies. I make one big purchase each year which lasts me for a year until the next time I replace the items. And you look fab with or without make-up. xx
Thanks Bec. BB cream is great – it has moisturiser, sunscreen AND makes you look good (or at least the one I use does!)!
OMG…. i am 47 & proud of where i have come from & how my body carries me. I am a size 16 with boobs, tummy, hips, bum, thighs oh the list could go on & on. I am not over excited about my body but hey, to tell the truth who really is – but i wear clothes that suit my body & that i feel awesome in. And of course some days are better than others.
But make up has always been in my life – i actually LOVE it (on other people) – i dont wear make up 98 % of the time i never have & i find that people actually coment on that, and they are really taken back when i say i dont wear make up, i dont cleanse, tone or moisturise – its all just natural. If hubby & i are off to a spec occassion (wedding / engagement / spec birthday) i may just put a bit of lippy on ( usually it just tinted lip gloss), foundation, blush, eye liner, ( i have my eye lashes tinted) i guess i am lucky
Yes I am more “cuddly” than I was in years gone by but I’m a lot happier with my looks now than I was as a teen. Which is ironic because like most teens, I was gorgeous and never fully realised or appreciated it back then!!!!
I think as long as a woman feels comfortable herself, then it doesn’t matter if they wear a full face, part make up or none at all. We all have different thoughts on what is a waste of time when it comes to beauty but I don’t think it’s helpful to push these thoughts on others. I read an article a couple of months ago by a 21 year old woman who said that women need to embrace the grey and stop dying their hair. Which (in my opinion) is fine and dandy when you are middle aged because it’s almost expected…not so much when you 15. I dye my hair because I want to and I like the way it looks. My sole reason is not because of societal pressure.
Exactly – let’s not throw the baby out with the bathwater. I must admit I love it when people are surprised to learn I have a 20 & 18 year old!!!
I think what ever you feel comfortable in works!
I always wear tinted moisturiser, eye liner and lip gloss. That’s my basic. And I don’t go out without them. I’m ok admitting that. 🙂
So I have to put on quite a bit tomorrow because doing a wee thing with Channel 7 but I’m dreading it as I’m SHOCKING at putting it on! I love natural beauty but a bit of foundation does help me smooth out the lines etc. x
I’m like Emily. I really am hopeless at putting makeup on, but have started an interesting collection of broken veins which I keep on display (on my cheeks), which could do with a bit of concealing. I just think that the times I’ve concealed veins, it seems to highlight the wrinkles. So I go au naturelle and frighten the many men I work with. I figure if my hubby is brave enough to deal with me, why put on a show for anyone else? (And it has something to do with me being a bit lazy and a lot disorganised in a morning, too).
Whatever makes you feel good, that’s my motto. I rarely go makeup free, apart from exercising or going to bed, and I’m okay with that. During the day I wear my basics: foundation, mascara, eyeliner & gloss. Sometimes so eyeshadow and blush. And for a special occasion I take a little more care and will do up the eyes a bit more and go a lippy. I’m a girly girl. So I love make up. But of course each to their own.
I love Tracey and can totally get why she is doing that but I also agree, she would have to, fir her job wear a LOT of make-up, hairspray and styling which would be exhausting and feel heavy, not quite like the average mum.
For me, a little eyeliner, tinted moisturiser and lipstick make me feel fresh and ready in the morning – even if my only outing is to school drop off!
But I also wash it all off everynight and when at home on the weekend gardening probably wont bother with any.
I think whatever makes you happy and what makes you feel comfortable in your own skin and go with that. You look lovely fresh faced and with no makeup. You have such a great skin colour. Very lucky.
Thanks Renee!
I think you great both ways. I have had years of skin/acne troubles so I am a little self conscious about always leaving the house with a little foundation on but I still go more natural than a heavier makeup look.
I did too Lisa, I think that’s why I always insisted on wearing so much makeup as a young ‘un.
I wear a little make up to work, I use powder, mascara and lip gloss for work, if I am going for a night out I’ll add concealer and eyeliner and eye shadow but apart from that I am pretty much make up free. I will admit to being a little shocked when I saw Tracey on telly on the weekend and think that might have been taking it to the extreme especially when they started talking about not shaving the arm pits…. hmmm…I will admit to NEVER going that far!
Oh concealer! I forgot that! I usually only wear it when doing the full makeup jobby 🙂
Concealer and mascara here, maybe some lip gloss if the kids haven’t stolen it. I’m a minimalist in this department.
Less make up works for most but you actually look a lot younger without.
That’s so sweet of you! xxx