Though I am decidedly low-maintenance (My hair is constantly in a ponytail or braid, I live in jeans and boots and I've been living out of a backpack for the last nine months) I hate going out without makeup! A little bit weird, right?

To be fair, I suspect I look worse that most people without makeup. I have blonde eyelashes and little-to-no coloring in my cheeks and lips. A professor once actually stopped mid-lecture during an early morning class to ask me if I was sick or going to faint!

No, no, Professor Gremmels. I'm just not wearing any makeup.

So know, I'm almost always wearing mascara and Benetint on my lips and cheeks even if I'm only running to the grocery store.

What about you?

If I do I always get asked if I am sick or they say "You look tired today."

The funniest response was when I was in a hotel in San Diego last year. I had taken all my make-up off and decided I was hungry so ran down to the Baja Fesh takeaway place across the street afterward...sans make-up and with my glasses on.

The girl behind the counter stared at me through taking 4 people's orders and when i reached the register said,

"Like are you SOMEBODY???"

I knew she meant "famous" because San Diego Comic Con was going on there (I was attending with friends) and said, "No."

She responded, "Well, I thought you were cuz you have no make-up on and glasses. Like you know, you are hiding from fans."

That amused me much.

Make-up-free is my normal state. I will put some on for random occasions, and I enjoy doing it, but it's not anywhere near daily.

And it's less frequent since meeting my husband because he prefers me without make-up.

I know I have a leg up on at least my eyelashes; I was getting my make-up done for my wedding and the woman said, "I normally do false eyelashes but you really don't need them." *flutter flutter*

Edit: I was just staring at this post trying to figure out how to make people not hate me while sharing my eyelash anecdote. Why is it so hard to say nice things about yourself? Especially physically? *sigh*

Indeed, it *is* really hard to say that stuff isn't it?

Here, I'll help: I've got nice lips and teeth, great hair, a cute nose and nice legs!

I didn't start wearing makeup until I was about 23 or so. Like all through college, I would slap on some mascara if I was in the mood, and that was it. But now I wear makeup every day. I'm not an expert (I buy cheap-o drug store varieties) but I definitely wear mascara, powder and blush every day, and then eye liner or shadow if I'm feeling particularly fancy.

I used to have a co-worker who would, without fail, say "You look tired today!" if I wasn't wearing makeup. I took that as a pretty obvious sign that I shouldn't be too lazy to make myself up before work.

But also, I'm super intimidated by makeup - even by makeup blogs or tutorials, like I don't know if I'll ever care enough to splurge on the really nice stuff, and frankly I think I look good enough in cheap makeup.

I love makeup. I'm really artistic and creative so putting on my makeup is like creating a new work of art every morning. It's this amazing opportunity to just play. I feel like people are blank canvases to be painted and adorned.

Makeup is also a bit like armor. It's the protective layer between myself and the world. I feel really exposed if I go out bare faced.

I think it's like that Oscar Wilde quote, "A man's face is his autobiography. A woman's face is her work of fiction.”

I spent a lot of time in makeup in my teens - from the age of 14 until around 19, I wouldn't leave my house (and often just my bedroom) without makeup. Once I turned 29 and moved to Canada, where I had no reason to leave the house (ever - for about five years!) I grew out of wearing makeup constantly. I don't necessarily like myself without makeup, but I don't wear it unless I'm going somewhere important or I plan to stay in one place for a while. I find my face feels less gross when I haven't worn makeup.

I have started to in the last few years but before that I always wore it. Not because I had to, but because it was a part of getting dressed. I wouldn't go out without pants on, why would I go out without mascara?

Since working from home I wear a lot less make up. Obviously because I'm not interacting with people all day every day any more.

Most often if I'm going out during the day I'll wear mineral powder, blush and mascara. If I'm hitting the town I'll amp it up.

"Like are you SOMEBODY???"

Hilarious. This genuinely made me laugh out loud. If only we all could have such flattering no-makeup experiences!

I once gave up makeup for over a month in high school as part of a pact made with a friend. Sad to say, it was one of the toughest months of my life--amazing what a little mascara and foundation does for one's self confidence! I quickly threw away and untagged any photos of myself taken during that period.

Indeed: I have a similar eyelash situation, and though I used to hate them because everybody would accuse me of falsies I have begun to like my lashes - sometimes enough to wear mascara (when I want to feel a bit like a drag queen, which is not unusual).

SarahVon: I love that you chimed in! Thanks for paving the path for positive self-evaluation.

Sometimes I think we don't tout what we like about ourselves because we don't want to be thought of as alienating those who do not share those traits. We seem to not give people (other than ourselves) credit for being capable of appreciating many forms of beauty, which is much more insulting than anyone's self-assurance. We must think that our values somehow invalidate another's. How silly!