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What do your friends, family, and/or significant other think of your love for makeup?
What do your friends, family, and/or significant other think of your love for makeup? Share!
Everyone has always been surprisingly supportive, though I’m sure they initially found it an unusual interest/hobby (given I didn’t grow up wearing makeup). It’s always been a, “It’s your money, so as long as you pay your bills, if it makes you happy, that’s good” kind of attitude. I’m sure everyone thinks I have a wee bit too much 😉 Since it’s also my job, they let it slide.
Thanks to Theresa for today’s question! Do you have a question idea? Submit yours here.
My mother thinks I have too much, my friends describe me as ”the girl who’s really good with makeup” and my sister thinks it’s novelty. I stopped caring about the latter a long time ago and I’m really happy with my stash.
My Fiance is entirely supportive of it. =D My mum on the other hand, thinks it’s a bit silly and unnecessary – she always says she’s “glad she doesn’t worry about that stuff”. While I don’t expect her to be full blown obsessed with makeup, I wish her attitude towards it was a little more positive.
My parents definitely don’t get it. They think I’m crazy for buying so many products just to try them. But it’s fun! It’s something I’m good at, and I can be creative with it. I like to tell people that makeup is like art, but for my face. I’m terrible at drawing and painting, but when it comes to makeup, I’m never discouraged when something doesn’t work. I just want to try again or try something new!
They think that its okay because I usually have the “no makeup look” and they know if I don’t use it I would give it to them.
My friends think it’s perfectly fine (most of them are just as beauty obsessed as I am), but my family seems to think it’s a bit too much even though I don’t buy cosmetics too often, just when I do, it tends to be semi-luxury products that some could consider an investment. My mother has always been the kind to spend as little as possible on make-up even though she loves wearing it, so I think she just finds my attitude a waste of money 😀 As to my husband, he believes I look best without any make-up on, so he can’t understand my love for it, but he’s not against me buying it if it makes me happy!
My father is a very conservative spender and refuses to purchase anything more than the bare essentials until he has $2 million in his and my mother’s retirement account and he thinks that I, at the ripe old age of 19, should either invest or put into a retirement account 100% of my earnings and life savings and not buy anything. So, he’s not very understanding whatsoever and is actually quite against me getting makeup as gifts or even me using my own money to buy makeup. My mother is much more understanding and enjoys going to Sephora or Ulta with me!
For my college graduation gift, my parents put money into my IRA :O I can relate!
Everyone thinks it’s a bit excessive, I think if I ever started blogging like my mother and manager keep telling me, they’d be more understanding. My stash is a little overwhelming if you aren’t incredibly into make up, which I understand.
Hmm this a is good question. My boyfriend says I do need to stop buying makeup since I really buy a lot of it. Although I’m sure he really doesn’t mind, he knows it makes me really happy and he ‘s fine to buy whatever he wants so it works out well for both of us. I’m sure there are worse things I could be spending my money on.
As my husband is a photographer so he’s super supportive. I think he likes the fact that he never has to book a MUA! 😉 He even gave me the Naked palette as a wedding present and was disappointed that I bought Naked 3 already. 😀
Some of my friends are also MUAs or at least make up crazy so they understand but some (mostly guys!) don’t understand. I just heard yesterday: ‘But you’ll never be able to use all this up, will you?’ Not the point, guys!
Most guys just don’t get it, when it comes to makeup, but the few who do tend to be really fantastic at it.
I’ve been a lurker for ever so long! However, here goes: I didn’t grow up wearing make up either and believe me when I say that make up is pretty much taboo in my family given that my mom doesn’t wear a stitch of it because of the notion that make up somehow makes you lose your innocence. Anywho, I’m 23 and I started about 3 years ago. I have a pretty decent collection given that a) I’m a student b) My make up splurge money still comes from my Dad-he doesn’t seem to mind so much- and c) I’m a doctor, in India…In a government hospital where we treat the poorest of the poor and even moisturiser seems like a luxury, let alone make up! Also given that I rarely have ANY occasions to wear make up, my SO and sister (also a doctor) kind of can’t understand me…..but its my joy and that orange lipstick that never gets worn lights up my gloomier days so they all tolerate it 🙂
I have to say that I am very lucky in that area. My husband is really supportive. He knows it’s something that makes me happy and it has nothing to do with being vain or trying to be pretty for other people. It’s more of my creative outlet. My kids just kinda roll there eyes about it lol.
My friends all wear makeup, so it’s not a big deal, but my family is mixed on the issue. Besides my sister and myself, no one else in my family really indulges in makeup. My mother is surprisingly supportive of my makeup hobby, even though she doesn’t wear any makeup herself. She even buys me makeup as gifts because she knows I love it so much. I guess she just understands that I’m a girly girl, and makeup comes with the territory. It took my husband some getting used to, but now he is also supportive of my makeup hobby. At one time, he hated that I bought and wore makeup, but once I explained to him that my love of makeup was no different than his love and investment in video games, suddenly the world made sense to him. He hasn’t complained about it since. He now buys me makeup for gifts as well and makes it known when I wear a makeup combo that he likes. Now, the rest of my family is a different story. They aren’t crazy about my love of makeup at all (particularly my bold lip colors). Anytime I wear “visible” makeup (as in anything colorful) to a family gathering, I usually get a comment or two from a family member about wearing too much makeup. Honestly, any makeup that is more than a MLBB lipgloss is “too much makeup” in my family’s eyes. But I can honestly say it doesn’t bother me. I buy and wear makeup because I love it, and no one’s opinion can change my mind about it.
I HAAATE it when people, especially family, make ‘comments’ on what makeup you wear!!! Why do they do it??
I’d have to agree. It’s your face you’re painting on, not theirs! Annoying. 😐
Supportive. My family see it as a nice hobby. Friends love it – are happy to discuss new products etc. and even ask me for recommendations! I haven’t had a negative reaction yet.
My first beauty obsession was nail polish. My mom was nosy and opened my helmer once and threw a fit. Sad thing was I hadn’t put much of my collection in it yet! I now have almost two full helmers, so I’m guessing I have close to 900+ bottles. After that it was perfume, I have over 150 bottles, some unopened. Now its make-up. As with every new “hobby” I’ve amassed quite a collection. I bought an antique vanity and it’s stuffed full. No one knows about the perfume or make-up. I have a whole bedroom devoted to it. Sometimes it makes me happy, other times I’m overwhelmed…
A lot of people comment on how much make up I have and asking me if I actually wear everything, but in general they are supportive.
I am trying to skim down my stash and finish stuff though.
My mom loves borrowing my lip products. My boyfriend says I’ve been getting really good at it lately and shoots me compliments at every opportunity (I’ve been trying out new products and techniques).
Mine are fine with it, they don’t understand my taste for high-end makeup and skincare, but they don’t judge! It only gets weird when I don’t want to leave the house without makeup, then friends start rolling their eyes
Those who know about it are really supportive! I don’t have any friends in real life who are into makeup (which is one of the reasons why I started a blog), so when I first got into it I wasn’t sure how they’d react. Took me a couple of months to “come clean,” but they’ve been very supportive! I can tell they don’t understand what I’m talking about at all when I talk about it, but they listen LOL The fiance wasn’t too sure what it was in the beginning, but he never expressed much of an opinion. A while ago we went out for dinner with some friends, and they asked how he felt about the amount of makeup I have. He said:” oh it’s OK. It’s more or less contained in one place now.” I find that hilarious 😉
I think that my parents don’t really understand this passion about make up but, at the same time, they’re OK with it as long as it makes me happy. My boyfriend is not that supportive, though, and mocks me about it every now and then (in a loving friendly way of course). Despite all this, I found in make up a hobby that makes me feel good and I really don’t care much about what other people think of it. 🙂
My husband has nightmares about how much I send on makeup. He thinks that its money that could have been put to better use. He’s a good sport about it, though. Whatever makes his wife happy. My sisters love it. They raid my makeup stash for stuff they like. My home is their free makeup store.
They all (husband, sons, even my daughter) think it’s pretty over the top and that I have far more than any sane woman could ever need or even come close to using up (this happens to be the absolute truth!). Even my friends – most of whom do wear some makeup – would likely think I’ve really gone overboard! It was actually very heartening last weekend to be visiting some friends and find, in their main floor powder room, 4 Tom Ford and 1 Chanel lipstick! I didn’t think my friend, J, was into makeup very much. In fact, she wears very little but obviously does wear some subtle toned lipsticks!
On the whole they all think it’s funny but not negative at all- though they all give me grief about taking ages to ‘do my makeup’, which is only sometimes true. My friends think I’m ‘good at makeup’ but I’m the only one who uses a lot so the ‘makeup’ part is what’s distinctive, not the ‘good at’…
My husband thinks I look good with it on and not, which is probably good.
My boyfriend understands and appreciates that it’s my hobby. My mom, on the other hand, doesn’t understands my love and interest in makeup. She’s literally said she’s concerned about my “excess.” She thinks you only need one of each type of product.
ONE OF EACH TYPE OF PRODUCT?
What blasphemy!
That said, there are VERY few in my life who even begin to understand my “need” for over 100 lipsticks, and probably almost as many eyeshadows.
I used to be a rational woman, though. I used to have one plum eyeshadow, one brown, and one grey. I wore dark brown eyeliner with everything.
And I had one berry lipstick, one red lipstick, and clear floss.
For blush, it was one pink/berry, one red.
Then I became disabled, and discovered the joys of over-compensation. 🙂
^ I meant “gloss.”
Though I DO floss my teeth! 🙂
my family doesntt think about it too much cause ive always loved makeup since i was little kid, my husband just thinks i have an addiction but he lets me buy it all the time anyways and my inlaws (which i have a whole lot of) have the strongest opinion of all lol they just cant understand it at all, they think its a waste of time and money yet their always blown away about how great my makeup looks and how i can go from a house coat and no makeup to being really done up and totally glamorous! the tuth is i think its funny when people dont understand their the ones missing out on all the fun im having looking freaking amazing!
I have never found so much negativity towards my passion for makeup. I get yelled at quite often that if I never bought any new makeup or skincare for the rest of my life, I’d still have some left over. They just don’t get it at all. I pay all my bills and work for my own money, but my fiance always chimes in with “you should be saving for our future family,” etc. I wish they were all more supportive. =(
My makeup obsession has been in full swing this year, and my significant other just doesn’t understand how someone who doesn’t wear all that much makeup can buy so much makeup! I tell him it’s because a) we don’t go anywhere that justifies putting on a full face of makeup (he doesn’t seem to get the no-makeup makeup); and b) makeup has an expiration date so I always need to be turning over stock. Besides, he spends waaaay more money on each and everyone of his hobbies than I do on good cosmetics…although my Catholic guilt sometimes gets the better of me.
A Happy Thanksgiving, Christine, to you and your family!
Happy Thanksgiving to you, too, Christina! 🙂
My mom and gramma are both a little puzzled and worried by it, since they both don’t wear makeup. But since I did a professional makeup artistry course this year, both have been asking me to do their makeup for special occasions like weddings so it’s working out well for them and they’ve been less skeptical of my makeup habit, oops, I mean hobby. 🙂
I think my family in general thinks it’s silly, but then they’ll compliment me on my makeup or buy me makeup for my birthday. Although the last year, my mom has said she won’t be buying me any more makeup and started making comments about how I have everything I could need by now (which may be true). They know it makes me happy but I’m sure they kind of wish I had another hobby, like marathon running or something more active. As for my friends, I am not sure what they think besides that I have fun playing around with my makeup and trying new looks. Most of my friends don’t wear makeup, actually. And they don’t know the extent of my love haha.
My family thinks I should be buying drug store makeup, but they’re very supportive otherwise!
Well my sister thinks I have a bit too much but she is the only one who kind of understands. My husband gets quite annoyed by the clutter and the space it uses up especially nailpolish. My friends don’t know the actual size of my collection even though they know i like make up. if they saw all my makeup they would probably think i’m some huge frickin weirdo. I used to be quite low maintenance and tomboyish and my friends are similar i guess…
Not only my friends and family, but I think generally makeup as a hobby is looked down upon because it is coded as a feminine activity – and this is something that goes back centuries; it’s in Shakespeare. Misogyny is often expressed in terms of hatred of cosmetics, which are said to prove the stereotype of women as deceitful and vain. I think there are many legitimate arguments against the makeup industry (which I make myself) but specifically these kind of anti-makeup (i.e. anti-woman) comments I get just make me love makeup more. If makeup is a womanly activity, then I am proud to do it, because I’m proud to be a woman. The other side of it, though, is women who are shamed for not wearing makeup because they are not seen as feminine enough. It’s very complex. We should celebrate our femininity and our love for makeup without hurting women who express their femininity in other ways.
My boyfriend likes my makeup but once or twice he has said that the amount of time I spend on it is excessive, which bothered me a bit. I think it’s very cute how he misunderstands and knows very little about makeup. It’s kind of like magic to him. 🙂
I agree, Astrogherkin.
I wear makeup for *me.* I don’t wear it because I think my face is “not good enough” as it is, or to try to “beguile” men, or anything like that. I just think it’s fun to work with, and I get a mood lift from doing an artful makeup job on myself.
Well said. I’m glad someone recognises the misogyny.
So, last weekend, my daughter had a sleepover party for her 13th birthday. When the girls got bored, I let them at my makeup, and instructed them to go to town on the makeovers! They were stunned at the size of the collection (which, compared to others here, probably really isn’t that big), and had a field day–all week, my baby has heard that she has the “best mom ever!”
The people in my life will playfully kid me about my collection, but no one is particularly critical. I will share that my obsession has totally influenced my mom–this is a woman who wears the same clothes she’s had for decades, and would happily spend her days rolling in the mud on her farm. However, she is allllllll about the makeup goodies, and will buy just for the pretty, even if she doesn’t regularly wear the items!
Hope you have a fantastic Thanksgiving, Christine!
Happy Thanksgiving, Stephanie! 🙂
Similar here! My daughters’ friends think my nail polish collection (about 100 bottles) is awesome and think I’m pretty cool for having it. They love coming over and doing manicures!
^ What fun!
You do sound like a “cool” mother.
I’d have LOVED it if my mother had done something like that, but she’s just never been that “into” makeup, and didn’t have much to spend on “frivolities” when I was growing up.
Everyone in my family thinks that I have a ton of makeup and sometimes they are supportive or not at all. Especially when I wear bright or noticeable makeup they either say it’s too much or they love it. My friends love that I am into makeup but still think I look better without it.
It’s a hobby that makes me happy and I am really happy with my stash/collection.
Most of my friends are fellow b/vloggers, so there’s that, hahaha. My dad doesn’t care. He even buys me gifts from Sephora for my birthday and Christmas if I ask! The only thing he doesn’t like is when I grab him to Sephora sometimes 😛
It’s mixed, for me.
My friends who also like and wear makeup love to “talk shop” with me, and often ask me for advice or input.
Those who don’t wear makeup are utterly perplexed, and often openly bored by the subject.
My mother, who used to wear makeup but had to stop due to allergies, gets impatient with me sometimes because I buy so much (even though I of course pay for it all), and often fusses at me for “trying to make it look so perfect.”
I figure, it’s my face, and my money, so I keep right on doing what I want to do.
My folks are concerned, but my S.O. just accepts it. My friends mostly just think it’s fantastic to have a make up artist on speed dial.
Everytime I buy a new makeup palette my always cousin says “How many more colors can the rainbow have???” Hehe.
everyone I know is really supportive, cause I’m also a painter and they know it’s kind of an extension of that. I don’t have very much makeup at all so I don’t really get many comments on the size of my stash! (other than “you have such a small amount of makeup omg what do you want for christmas???”)
My family doesn’t care, if anything they encourage it (I grew up in a makeup wearing family). I do find that living in Florida, makeup is very popular & it’s not weird to be obsessed with it. But when I lived in the northeast, everyone thought I was really odd for liking makeup and nail polish.
My family thought it was a waste of money, but a couple friends back when thought it was cool. My husband likes it, though he likes my natural face too. He has done some painting studies and stuff and likes how the dark and light works and stuff.
I have only come to this obsession in the last few years but I think I am old enough to do as I please without really caring what family/friends think! Nevertheless, I am a little bit embarrassed about the amount of blushes and eyeshadows I have managed to accumulate recently. Prior to the obsession I never wore lipstick, had a few eyeliners, one eyeshadow and no blushes!! LOL. My daughter recently visited for a few days. She likes makeup in a reasonable way, even so, I did put away some of the array and I tucked most of my vast brush collection out of sight. My dear guy never liked me to wear much makeup and so I did not. He has not made a fuss at all about any of this and even compliments me from time to time. I have to keep it all very subtle, but then, at my age, that is for the best. I wonder if I could have been wearing makeup all along? Well, never too late..I say .
My mother seems to be torn between oh-you-have-so-much polite disbelief and maybe the tiniest smidge of disapproval over the excessiveness of my stash (not the makeup itself) but she is always happy to look at my new things and occasionally borrow stuff so it just makes me smile to myself. And I always make a point to buy her really expensive things she would never purchase herself as gifts and she adores that (she cried over Prada bath salts, oh mum!)…
My husband has never commented on anything. Though I did overhear him once when I showed him a new lipstick I’d bought at lunch time and the bloke next to him said under his breath as I was walking away “How many pink lipsticks does she even need?” and he promptly replied “As many as she damn well likes.”
‘Nuff said 😉
My best friend thinks it’s completely awesome.
I really don’t care what anyone else thinks.
Fantastic response from your husband 😉
Wow, CeeBee – does your husband have a brother who’s single? lol
My friends don’t like it. Especially my guy friends….they think its too materialistic to spend so much time thinking about makeup and make fun of me for it. Its not that i’m bad at it either…I get people asking me to do their makeup all the time and they ask for tips on how to apply it, they just think it makes a girl seem shallow minded. I used to get mad at them for it, but I feel like i’m starting to understand their perspective :/
I don’t think my friends know how deep in I am haha!! I think a lot of them would be surprised to see how much makeup I actually own. It’s getting a little out of control but I swear I’m done after I get my hands on a Naked 3 palette (the Canadian Sephora site doesn’t have it up for sale yet!).
My mom thinks it’s just fun. I’m in my mid-twenties, have a mortgage, a good job, and I’m paying my bills, so she doesn’t have a problem with it. Kind of the same as Christine where “if it makes me happy” but I’m not putting myself in the hole for it, it’s all good & fun. Plus I give my mom stuff once in a while if it doesn’t suit me, and I think it’s better to give stuff to people if you won’t use it rather than just hide it away in a drawer. She does say though that when I have kids I’d better be spending that money on them instead! Haha 🙂
My boyfriend is so funny about my makeup stash! I get packages in the mail all.the.time. filled with beauty goodies and he often teases me about it! But really he has the same attitude as my mom, it’s fun for me & he knows I enjoy it so he never gives me too much flack 😀
If you think about it, everyone has something they like to collect, whether it’s to do with gardening, cooking, photography, sports, home stuff, christmas stuff, knowledge stuff…I could go on all day:) Makeup’s no different. Anyway, I’m 44 and haven’t worn much makeup all my life but is my new found love. My collection is only very small at the moment but my wish list is humongous:D Hubby is very supportive but mum sometimes tsks.
I hate how there’s a startling amount of straight men who will go out of their way to let you know ‘they don’t like make-up’. They feel it’s acceptable to just casually slip it into conversation when you’re wearing a full face of make-up, insinuating ‘you’ve got something to hide’ or are ‘prettier without it’. Irks me to no end, it’s not their place to say anything.
^ I heard THAT! I agree – nobody should offer unsolicited advice, and I’ve found that often the same guys who make disparaging remarks about “all that stuff you put on your face” will be the ones who make snide remarks about “that spot on your face,” or tell you that you “look tired.”
They say they “don’t like makeup,” but they still expect you to look like a goddess.
It doesn’t happen in the real world, guys. 😛
My family doesn’t quite get it, but they let me be…..one of my sisters finds it fun because I lend her stuff and have taught her to apply eyeshadow and try new products. She´s very patient with me when we go shopping and I stop by the makeup counters for a looooong time :)! I have no makeup addict friends, so I don´t really talk about makeup with them – thank goodness for Temptalia.com, where I feel at home! My boyfriend does not get it AT ALL :D!
My mom thinks I’m crazy, but then understands when she compares it to her love of shoes haha Some of my friends, they just laugh about it. But others, they get annoyed on how long it takes me to get ready for a night out or anything, and question why I “NEED” to put it on. My boyfriend can be both ways. He will be out with me sometimes helping me pick a certain color which the ladies at the counter thinks he’s just awesome to do that. Other times, he says I don’t need to bother with it since I’m already beautiful which is nice to hear. Have to wonder though if they just say those things so you don’t take longer hahaha I’ll take it though 🙂
My mom doesn’t understand it and thinks it’s excessive. She’s told me to “stop buying so much makeup” and tells me that I don’t need anymore and won’t be able to use up everything I have (that’s not the point). She thinks I should be saving up my money or spending it on more worthwhile things. I try to ignore her comments and do my thing. I figure, I work very hard and deserve to treat myself to things I want. I don’t leave all my makeup out in the open in plain view, though. I know I own a lot but I really try to stick to buying stuff that I know I will use and try to make calculated purchases. I try to set aside a bit of a beauty budget for myself and buy things if I think they’re a really good deal or I will get good use out of them. My ex boyfriend didn’t understand my love of makeup. He preferred me without and didn’t see the need to put on any makeup. But for me, makeup is fun!
Everyone that knows me personally thinks I’m a bit crazy and can’t understand why I “need” so much. My husband just lovingly rolls his eyes about the whole thing. But I also belong to a great group of ladies on Facebook that absolutely understands and shares my love of all the sparklies.
My best friend of 14 years always knew I had a knack for makeup ever since we were kids (we used to play with my/her mother’s vanity items back then and she was always puzzled about how I could “prettify” myself when she just consistently ended up looking like a clown LOL), but she still expresses her shock over how much makeup I have by teasing me in jest (e.g. “I am so talking to your mom to tell on your credit card bill. You’re going to be so screwed.”) or by genuinely “interviewing” me out of curiosity (e.g. “What the hell you put so much stuff on your face how do you figure out the correct order for that!?”).
My boyfriend of 3 years used to reprimand me every once in a while for spending way too much on makeup, but I think he came to his senses and realized I am never ever EVER going to stop, so he just gave up. LOL. He never really had an issue about my wearing of makeup, though. Just the spending bit (but he always insists I look great even without makeup on when I go all “I’m so ugly I want to cry” PMS mode on him, and also even on normal days).
My mother.. mm, she’s really fond of makeup as well to the extent that I actually learned my first few makeup tricks from her, such as how to properly put on lipstick and do my eyebrows (up until now, when she feels as if there’s something wrong with how I did my makeup, she would give me tips or offer to demonstrate applying it lol). She also bought me my first “play makeup kit” (you know, those sets and palettes you get from Toys ‘R Us with clown-like pigments), and let me borrow her middle to high-end cosmetics as I grew older. I now have more makeup than her, though, and although I get told off every once in a while for spending so much on them, she always ends up with “Give me some of those, ok!?” 😆
P.S. It really sucks how school always makes me miss out on the best “Temptalia Asks You” posts and just get to them when I’m back-reading days after. 🙁
My husband and my brother think that the amount of products and the amount of love I have for said products is crazy, but they are super sweet about it. They listen when I gush about it, and they save coupons for me on products they think I would like. My mom totally gets it, although she is not that way. My brother’s girlfriend feels the same way I do. My best friend makes fun of it a little (to an extent that doesn’t bother me, because I know I’m obsessive/compulsive), but she also asks for advice on beauty products and loves what I pick out for her (mostly). Most of my other friends just want to see what nail polish I will wear next.