Ladies, Are You Afraid to Let a Man See You Without Makeup? Men, Do You Ever Wish You Could Wear Something to Cover Acne? (Skin Problems.)

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seoulsearch

OutWrite Trouble
May 23, 2009
16,525
5,461
113
#1
Hey Everyone,

It's no secret that some women don't look like themselves anymore after getting "all dolled up," especially if it's in a photograph that uses today's extreme filters:



Now there is no doubt this woman looks beautiful in both of the above picture. But the topic I want to talk about is when someone is suffering from skin issues, such as acne, rosacea, eczema, psoriasis, seborrheic dermatitis, etc.

As someone who has dealt with almost all of these issues on her face over the years, sometimes all at once (my current doctor and dermatologist disagree as to what I'm battling right now,) I also know the "magic" that makeup can do for one's confidence when going out in public:





Especially after going through a worldwide pandemic, going out and looking like you have a terrible affliction does not go over well in public spaces. Human beings are visual creatures, and usually distracted (and critical) of someone visibly looking like they have a serious illness. I've read about some instances where people (or their kids) have conditions like psoriasis on other larger, visible areas of the body (hands and arms, for instance,) people think they have a contagious disease and will refuse to have any contact with or even sit near them.

Now I know the first thing most will say is, "Wash your face!" or "Your skin would clear up if you didn't wear all that makeup!" And my plea would be to please, get to know that person and their story before making that judgment or offering "advice."

As a chronic sufferer of such conditions, my own experience is that it really depends. OF COURSE poor hygiene and/or the wrong products (or ones that have ingredients you are sensitive to) will make it worse. But during a time when I worked from home, I was able to go without makeup most days of the week and my skin only got worse (mostly due to the cold AND dryness from indoor heating, which for me, always causes my skin to get worse.)

Even the people I've met from CC have seen the difference in person -- I wash off all my makeup as soon as I can at the end of the day, and they were able to witness the angry red patches I was enduring at the time. But, not wanting to look like I'm diseased when I go out in public, I choose the best makeup (highest quality, least irritating ingredients) I can afford, use as light of a coating as I can to make myself look human, then wash it off as soon as I get home.

Right now I'm blessed to be in a somewhat hot and humid environment, so I only have a few isolated red patches, but as soon as I'm back in the cold, my skin will resemble the "before" pictures in the examples above.

Would I be afraid of a potential date seeing me without makeup? Absolutely, especially if we were just getting to know each other. But it's certainly not something I would hide and would accept whatever reaction he had (even if that meant flat-out rejection.) I recently read a heartbreaking account of a woman whose husband insisted she wear makeup all the time at home, because he was "sick of seeing red spots" if she didn't wear it.

On the flipside, I've always felt sorry for men with the same issues, because they don't have socially acceptable way of covering it:



Many years ago, I remember seeing a young man waiting in line at a theme park on a blistering hot day whose entire face looked like this. I was praying for him the whole time, because I knew firsthand how incredibly painful it must be, both physically and socially -- and, heartbreakingly, men don't have an option to try to cover it up, as women do.

* Do you have skin problems, or know others who do? What kinds of doctors and treatments have you been through? What worked and what didn't?

* Ladies, do you use makeup to hide redness, flare-ups, and/or scars, especially in public? Are you afraid of people seeing you without your makeup? Why or why not?

* At what stage in the dating process would you be willing to allow a potential date to see you without makeup?

* Gentlemen, what would you think if your date showed up in her natural skin, and it looked like the "before" pictures above? Ladies, are you turned off when men suffer with acne or other skin problems?

* Men, do you ever wish there was a way to cover your own skin imperfections?

I'm looking forward to an interesting, and hopefully, compassionate discussion. 🌹
 

Lynx

Folksy yet erudite
Aug 13, 2014
27,418
9,407
113
#2
Whataya MEAN men don't have makeup to hide stuff like that?

I mean... They don't generally advertise it, but some guys use it for some things.
 

seoulsearch

OutWrite Trouble
May 23, 2009
16,525
5,461
113
#3
Whataya MEAN men don't have makeup to hide stuff like that? I mean... They don't generally advertise it, but some guys use it for some things.
Now this is interesting...

I tend to think of myself as a beauty community enthusiast, and while I know there have been attempts to market makeup to men (even creating specialized lines,) I was still under the impression that the only men who actually wore makeup were either actors or...

Uh... Men who don't like women, if you get my drift.

Do you personally know any manly men who wear makeup?

I actually mean that as a serious question and not just sarcasm And if so, I'd be interested in getting some tips from them. After all, men would be under more societal pressure than women to make any kind of coverup look as natural and undetectable as possible.

And the only men I know of who are teaching making on YouTube are all ones who aren't interested in the ladies, except as consumers to buy their products or classes.
 

Lynx

Folksy yet erudite
Aug 13, 2014
27,418
9,407
113
#4
Now this is interesting...

I tend to think of myself as a beauty community enthusiast, and while I know there have been attempts to market makeup to men (even creating specialized lines,) I was still under the impression that the only men who actually wore makeup were either actors or...

Uh... Men who don't like women, if you get my drift.

Do you personally know any manly men who wear makeup?

I actually mean that as a serious question and not just sarcasm And if so, I'd be interested in getting some tips from them. After all, men would be under more societal pressure than women to make any kind of coverup look as natural and undetectable as possible.

And the only men I know of who are teaching making on YouTube are all ones who aren't interested in the ladies, except as consumers to buy their products or classes.
Usually there's not as much social pressure for guys to use makeup, even to cover stuff. I know multiple grown men, just at the small place where I w*rk, who have zit outbreaks all the time.

I don't personally know any guys who use makeup, but I know of them. They have jobs a bit higher up the food chain than mine, where being seen with lots of facial difficulties might have much harsher consequences.

And a lot of them seem to be Japanese for some reason.
 

seoulsearch

OutWrite Trouble
May 23, 2009
16,525
5,461
113
#5
Whataya MEAN men don't have makeup to hide stuff like that?

I mean... They don't generally advertise it, but some guys use it for some things.
Usually there's not as much social pressure for guys to use makeup, even to cover stuff. I know multiple grown men, just at the small place where I w*rk, who have zit outbreaks all the time.

I don't personally know any guys who use makeup, but I know of them. They have jobs a bit higher up the food chain than mine, where being seen with lots of facial difficulties might have much harsher consequences.
For the record, having experienced the differences myself, I would see nothing wrong with straight men wearing makeup (as a coverup, not a fashion statement or to look like women,) but I don't expect that to happen anytime soon. I would actually applaud it being seen as socially acceptable because I've seen a lot of young men whom I felt sorry for because I know their acne is likely a struggle for them.

I actually had a boyfriend years ago who allowed me to cover up his blemishes as an experiment and we were just going to dinner, so it's not like he was wearing it for very long. Even he had to admit the difference. And he was interested in trying my skincare products to see if it would clear them up.

He also didn't have many spots and they weren't too hard to cover up -- which is another thing you learn when you've had problem skin.

Skin breakouts are very much like war -- there are varying stages and degrees of severity, so you wind up collecting an arsenal of weapons that you learn to deploy as lightly, or as heavily as needed, depending on the situation -- and terrain.
 

Lynx

Folksy yet erudite
Aug 13, 2014
27,418
9,407
113
#6
And I thought some video games required strategy...
 

seoulsearch

OutWrite Trouble
May 23, 2009
16,525
5,461
113
#7
And I thought some video games required strategy...
I'm sure some of the ladies out there know what I'm talking about.

For instance, one winter, my dermatologist thought I was dealing with at least 3 different conditions at once, on different sections of my face.

First, I needed a good, non-irritating but very effective moisturizer, which is hard to find with today's "the more things we cram into products the better" mindset.

Next, the psoriasis on my forehead could only be covered by a mineral powder that wouldn't cling and would flatten out the rough patches. But the rosacea and eczema resulted in a rough, bumpy, almost blistered texture that required light, alternating layers of thinned-out liquid, cream, AND powder products.

Pimples, which have several stages, usually require experimentation with every weapon I have at my disposal, depending on their current state.

I'm fortunate right now in that my skin is pretty clear, but when the winter weather hits, I'm fully prepared.

I am by no means an expert but I wouldn't mind attending a makeup academy or classes that specializes in problem skin (if such classes exist,) because it would be awesome to help others struggling with the same challenges.
 

Mem

Senior Member
Sep 23, 2014
7,163
2,177
113
#8
It is my understanding that over washing irritates the ph balance of the skin and so toning should be adopted as an essential part of the daily routine. It restores the skin's neutrality after cleansing. So, my routine consists of cleansing, toning, then using a moisturizer with an element of sunscreen within it. I also look for the moisturizing, spf infused, foundations especially after adopting a nightly routine (not that I'm consistent in keeping up with the routine) of applying glycolic acid after cleansing and before applying moisturizer.

The 10% glycolic acid serum, which is basically a peel, has become a staple on my nightstand, and I use it liberally. However, the more sensitive should approach its use a lot more delicately, and conservatively, as it will surely sting at first use until your skin has adjusted to its introduction. But I've personally noticed 'immediate' results from the first trial and, though it is pricey, I recognize every bit of its value.

*And now that you've mentioned it, I'll have to make a note to check on the progress of a young man's acne that I had advised about 'washing too much'. Come to think of it, I don't remember noticing any major eruptions. :unsure:
 

Mem

Senior Member
Sep 23, 2014
7,163
2,177
113
#9
P.S. Getting ready for work, I'm reminded of Micellar water. I use it to mitigate my obsessive need to cleanse in lieu of facewash, for the lighter need. For the days I've applied my makeup more heavily, I'll definitely use the facewash, and the micellar water picks up the residue and the toner anything remaining so that I have a 'clean' swab by the time I've made it through the regimen. But I just use micellar water and toner for 'light duty' work. It is gently enough to soak a Q-Tip and run along my lash line to more thoroughly remove any mascara or eyeliner.
 

NightTwister

Well-known member
Jul 5, 2023
2,103
793
113
65
Colorado, USA
#10
I never had a problem with acne. Having to shave twice a day is a pain, and now that I'm getting older having hair grow in all the wrong places isn't great either.
 

seoulsearch

OutWrite Trouble
May 23, 2009
16,525
5,461
113
#11
I never had a problem with acne. Having to shave twice a day is a pain, and now that I'm getting older having hair grow in all the wrong places isn't great either.
Shaving TWICE a day??! :oops:

@NightTwister, what on earth are you growing on your face -- bamboo?!!

I wouldn't have any skin left after the 2nd day, max.

But maybe I'm just very disillusioned at exactly how fast men's facial hair grows... o_O
 

seoulsearch

OutWrite Trouble
May 23, 2009
16,525
5,461
113
#12
It is my understanding that over washing irritates the ph balance of the skin and so toning should be adopted as an essential part of the daily routine. It restores the skin's neutrality after cleansing. So, my routine consists of cleansing, toning, then using a moisturizer with an element of sunscreen within it. I also look for the moisturizing, spf infused, foundations especially after adopting a nightly routine (not that I'm consistent in keeping up with the routine) of applying glycolic acid after cleansing and before applying moisturizer.

The 10% glycolic acid serum, which is basically a peel, has become a staple on my nightstand, and I use it liberally. However, the more sensitive should approach its use a lot more delicately, and conservatively, as it will surely sting at first use until your skin has adjusted to its introduction. But I've personally noticed 'immediate' results from the first trial and, though it is pricey, I recognize every bit of its value.

*And now that you've mentioned it, I'll have to make a note to check on the progress of a young man's acne that I had advised about 'washing too much'. Come to think of it, I don't remember noticing any major eruptions. :unsure:
P.S. Getting ready for work, I'm reminded of Micellar water. I use it to mitigate my obsessive need to cleanse in lieu of facewash, for the lighter need. For the days I've applied my makeup more heavily, I'll definitely use the facewash, and the micellar water picks up the residue and the toner anything remaining so that I have a 'clean' swab by the time I've made it through the regimen. But I just use micellar water and toner for 'light duty' work. It is gently enough to soak a Q-Tip and run along my lash line to more thoroughly remove any mascara or eyeliner.
I've been long-convinced that companies tell us to wash our face twice a day just to sell us more face wash. I mean, I don't know about most people but I'm not running marathons in my sleep, so unless I'm in a warmer climate (or if one has oilier skin,) a few splashes of water seem to suffice.

(Hair is another story -- the shampoo companies would surely put me on their A-list, as I have to wash my hair everyday, partially as a calming ritual.)

I love talking to people about their personal care routines -- what works for them and what doesn't, and the journey it took to get there, because it's so highly individual.

One crucial thing I've learned is that whenever a buzzy ingredient comes out -- it might very well be my skin's new arch nemesis. Both niacinamide and hyaluronic acid have been touted as skincare wunderkinds for years, and it's become nearly impossible to find anything without them -- but on me, they produce a burn-like rash.

There is a part of me that thinks I would have loved to have been a dermatologist turned esthetician, as I think I would have enjoyed helping people try to find what works for them.

I don't have anyone close to me who is also into such products, so it's always a treat when I visit friends and we literally have a hundred bottles out for each other to try (that's not an exaggeration -- at the last such gathering, I counted 37, and that was just for skin and hair; I didn't even get to counting the makeup.) :oops:
 

NightTwister

Well-known member
Jul 5, 2023
2,103
793
113
65
Colorado, USA
#13
Shaving TWICE a day??! :oops:

@NightTwister, what on earth are you growing on your face -- bamboo?!!

I wouldn't have any skin left after the 2nd day, max.

But maybe I'm just very disillusioned at exactly how fast men's facial hair grows... o_O
Unfortunately it grows that fast. Where I DON'T have any hair and never have is on my legs. Many women are plenty jealous about that.
 

RodB651

Well-known member
Feb 11, 2021
739
456
63
59
#14
Gentlemen, what would you think if your date showed up in her natural skin, and it looked like the "before" pictures above? Ladies, are you turned off when men suffer with acne or other skin problems?
The sooner the better I think. 😀
 

Lynx

Folksy yet erudite
Aug 13, 2014
27,418
9,407
113
#17
Hey Everyone,

It's no secret that some women don't look like themselves anymore after getting "all dolled up," especially if it's in a photograph that uses today's extreme filters:



Now there is no doubt this woman looks beautiful in both of the above picture. But the topic I want to talk about is when someone is suffering from skin issues, such as acne, rosacea, eczema, psoriasis, seborrheic dermatitis, etc.

As someone who has dealt with almost all of these issues on her face over the years, sometimes all at once (my current doctor and dermatologist disagree as to what I'm battling right now,) I also know the "magic" that makeup can do for one's confidence when going out in public:





Especially after going through a worldwide pandemic, going out and looking like you have a terrible affliction does not go over well in public spaces. Human beings are visual creatures, and usually distracted (and critical) of someone visibly looking like they have a serious illness. I've read about some instances where people (or their kids) have conditions like psoriasis on other larger, visible areas of the body (hands and arms, for instance,) people think they have a contagious disease and will refuse to have any contact with or even sit near them.

Now I know the first thing most will say is, "Wash your face!" or "Your skin would clear up if you didn't wear all that makeup!" And my plea would be to please, get to know that person and their story before making that judgment or offering "advice."

As a chronic sufferer of such conditions, my own experience is that it really depends. OF COURSE poor hygiene and/or the wrong products (or ones that have ingredients you are sensitive to) will make it worse. But during a time when I worked from home, I was able to go without makeup most days of the week and my skin only got worse (mostly due to the cold AND dryness from indoor heating, which for me, always causes my skin to get worse.)

Even the people I've met from CC have seen the difference in person -- I wash off all my makeup as soon as I can at the end of the day, and they were able to witness the angry red patches I was enduring at the time. But, not wanting to look like I'm diseased when I go out in public, I choose the best makeup (highest quality, least irritating ingredients) I can afford, use as light of a coating as I can to make myself look human, then wash it off as soon as I get home.

Right now I'm blessed to be in a somewhat hot and humid environment, so I only have a few isolated red patches, but as soon as I'm back in the cold, my skin will resemble the "before" pictures in the examples above.

Would I be afraid of a potential date seeing me without makeup? Absolutely, especially if we were just getting to know each other. But it's certainly not something I would hide and would accept whatever reaction he had (even if that meant flat-out rejection.) I recently read a heartbreaking account of a woman whose husband insisted she wear makeup all the time at home, because he was "sick of seeing red spots" if she didn't wear it.

On the flipside, I've always felt sorry for men with the same issues, because they don't have socially acceptable way of covering it:



Many years ago, I remember seeing a young man waiting in line at a theme park on a blistering hot day whose entire face looked like this. I was praying for him the whole time, because I knew firsthand how incredibly painful it must be, both physically and socially -- and, heartbreakingly, men don't have an option to try to cover it up, as women do.

* Do you have skin problems, or know others who do? What kinds of doctors and treatments have you been through? What worked and what didn't?

* Ladies, do you use makeup to hide redness, flare-ups, and/or scars, especially in public? Are you afraid of people seeing you without your makeup? Why or why not?

* At what stage in the dating process would you be willing to allow a potential date to see you without makeup?

* Gentlemen, what would you think if your date showed up in her natural skin, and it looked like the "before" pictures above? Ladies, are you turned off when men suffer with acne or other skin problems?

* Men, do you ever wish there was a way to cover your own skin imperfections?

I'm looking forward to an interesting, and hopefully, compassionate discussion. 🌹
Oh yeah. Thanks tourist. I forgot to actually answer the question.

I'd be cool with it. Whether she had acne or eczema or something, or if she was just a girl with no makeup, I'd prefer that instead of a face with a picture painted on it. I can tell what kind of person I'm talking to a lot better without makeup all over her face.

Comedian quote:
My girlfriend said she couldn't deal with artificiality. Everything must be genuine and real. I replied, "Your eyebrows are drawn on your forehead." She didn't like that.

Of course I understand using makeup to hide some stuff, for social reasons. It can wind up being easier than dealing with lowest-common-denominator humanity's reaction to your skin problems. And a lot of people don't really understand what a girl looks like naturally, and if you show up without makeup people might ask if you're sick. >.> But you asked what we guys would think about it.
 

Ballaurena

Well-known member
May 27, 2024
416
279
63
#18
You all make me thankful for what I've got. I've never been prone to breakouts and I seem to be winkle-resistant but I get sunburned even by my laptop if I don't wear a good sunscreen. And my face easily gets reddened from exercise or emotions.

And when I tried the acne stuff my sisters used when we were teens for the few zits I did have, it just turned me bright red. The same for the so-called mild astringent of salicylic acid (or something like that) that was suggested for those with sensitive skin. Really I just needed to wash my face a few times a week but nobody was suggesting that and I knew I was a dunce so I listened to the ads and the beauty magazines that steered me wrong.

And when I sprung for getting my eyebrows waxed, the area just looked red and inflamed for two weeks. Never again.

I feel bad for those with real skin issues, though. I have a friend a few years younger than me with bad eczema. She is pretty grounded but has been getting Botox treatments for a while now because her skin is aged ahead of its time. I don't blame her a bit and applaud her for being real about her condition.

Along those lines, I don't think less of someone for using makeup for server problems, female or male.

I can't say I wouldn't be bothered by someone with distractingly red skin, though I surely wouldn't turn them away over it unless I felt that I was just too weak to deal with it and they deserved better. Hopefully inner beauty would be enough to trump any exterior defect.
 

timemeddler

Active member
Jul 13, 2023
449
201
43
#19
Ever been to an anime or scifi convention? guys do it all the time for that sort of thing
 

seoulsearch

OutWrite Trouble
May 23, 2009
16,525
5,461
113
#20
Ever been to an anime or scifi convention? guys do it all the time for that sort of thing
I can totally understand it for that sort of event.

But I see that as more like an extension of Halloween or a party.

I'm thinking along the lines of whether straight men would wear makeup to school, work, and church -- not as a costume, but part of their everyday routines.