Yes and no. Yes, in that I'm a realist and practical and understand that my face is my face and if you don't like it, well, that's your problem, not mine. No, in that I've never felt conventionally pretty or secure about my looks and believe that a little help gives me more confidence.

Putting on makeup for a nice event or for jut running errands takes me about the same amount of time, 5-10 minutes, depending on if I dawdle. It's not a mask or a costume. Darkening my eyelashes and evening out my skin tone slightly make me feel better about myself. It's really all about me.

I always wear makeup if I'm leaving the house or having people over. At a minimum, it's foundation, concealer and a tiny amount of blush. I have blotchy skin and dark circles that I'd rather not run around in public with.

I realized that I didn't answer the question as to being comfortable with my face. Yes, I am though starting to feel less so in the fact that I am starting to look tired. I don't care about looking younger but I want to look well rested! I also have to go back to my old day time face cream as my skin doesn't look as good now that I am using a different one.

I'm comfortable with my face but seldom go without make-up, dong my hair and putting on a nice outfit. I've always been this way. My mother so wasn't this way. She was totally opposite and I think that's where my desire to look pulled together at all times came from. But, I'm also very visual so I like my environment to look as nice as possible. I'm always rearranging, repainting, redesigning, etc. everything I see in my mind; good or bad, it's just how I roll.

With each passing year I'm becoming more comfortable with my face.

Beginning in my teens I was critical of everything I perceived as a flaw. That was back when the blue-eyed blondes (Cheryl Tiegs, Christie Brinkley, etc) set the standards for beauty, at least for those of us who read Seventeen and Mademoiselle magazines. I was petite, dark hair, brown eyes.

I wear minimal make-up, but apply it nearly every day. Under eye concealer, tinted sunscreen, blush, dk. brown eyeliner near top lashes, a touch of mascara & lipgloss. I wear the same makeup whether I'm cleaning house or going to a big event. It doesn't change my appearance as much as it makes me feel polished and put together.

My sister and I were talking recently about how we hated when anyone told us we looked like our mother, even though she was regarded as a pretty woman. Now that she's no longer with us we search the mirror to find her face and are happy to see the resemblance. Live & learn ;)

When I go out for a meal or shopping for something besides groceries. It's difficult enough to get someone to help me in a store without scaring them. :-)

A funny story: at my previous home, I was in the garden most days from spring through fall. The first time I went to a homeowners' meeting, no one recognized me because I had on nice clothes and makeup-- instead of -- baggy shorts and tees; hiking boots and a Tilly Hat with my long hair tucked up inside it.

My Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.....I don't know if any of you watch this show? It is hilarious...and thought you might enjoy these video clips and also a ETA: feature STORY at the AVCLUB website that talks about the show.....since we're talking about what we go through and what we're comfortable with ---ourselves!. And how we are deeply influenced in how others see us.

Anyway, enjoy!

One more, this one is a spoof on the song
"I'm worth it"

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend

reminds me of this, which i think ive posted before

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyeTJVU4wVo

The sexy getting ready song was really funny.

I've seen that Amy Schumer one! It's very funny... the AV club featured story mentions it, and a few others like it, too.

Also let's not forget that all those with young preteen girls in their life need to see this!

More Rachel Bloom with "the historically accurate disney princess song?

LOL . . . love that video!

My SIL (in Texas) just had her "permanent makeup" redone. I'm thinking it's all tattooed. Eye liner, eyebrows and lips. She says that she likes that she doesn't look totally washed out when she gets up. It's lasts about ten years. The thought of letting someone do that to me makes me cringe. Oh, the pain of it all!

I'm calling blufff on all this "tinted moisturizer" marketing nonsense

now that I own some, as discussed in the thread below, I think it's just a new name for foundation because people think of foundation as something their mother wore

I agree with this, and that goes for BB and CC creams, some of which are much heavier than some foundations.

And for the record, I am more comfortable with some makeup on my face, even when I'm home alone. :)

What amazes me is when I see women out running errands with what I'd consider to be "evening" or "big event" makeup, including very obvious false eyelashes.

Okay, I confess, what are "BB" and "CC" creams?

Terriks, I am friends with someone who wears the most OTT false lashes, and almost no other makeup. It is very distracting.

Like many things we do in life, makeup becomes a habit. I've been wearing it since I was 15, so that's a lotta years! For years I wore it every day, since I was one of those women who liked to 'look good' when my DH came home. When we met I was wearing make up, and felt I had an image to live up to~hey, I was young! lol Now that i'm retired, and don't leave the house everyday, I give my skin a breather. If i'm going grocery shopping i'll put on a bit of mascara, blush, and lip liner, smudged, and add a gloss or even chap stick. Out for the evening, and I'll get out my 'bag of tricks' as I like to call my gaggle of lip pencils, eye pencils, blushes, eye shadows, and everything else necessary for the do over. I'm not extream, and could probably do w/o half of the 'collection'. Make up makes me feel better, but that's because I know it defiitely makes me look better. I would never go under the knife, but am getting pretty serious about 'attacking' what the aging process has 'purposely' done to my face. ;/

Can't wait to hear about your experience tomorrow, Jen. Don't let them talk you into a pair of those duck lips! ;)

When I was younger, my skin was very acne-prone, and I never went anywhere without makeup. I am more comfortable with my face these days, and I rarely wear makeup at home. I do wear makeup to work everyday. I have blonde lashes, so I feel very naked without mascara.

I think it's just honest to say I look better with makeup. I would love to be a natural beauty, but I'm just not, and that's ok. I enjoy products and makeup.

Mtn, BB and CC (beauty balm, color corrector) creams are just another name for light foundation with multiple "benefits" like spf, priming, anti-aging ingredients, mattifying, etc. It's a trend that started in Japan, with a few brands, and spread to every makeup line in existence :-)

The product I use on my face is from Paula's Choice. It's called Barely There Sheer Matte Tint and has broad spectrum SPF 30. It is the only effective daily sunscreen product I've found I can wear year round that won't cause breakouts. If someone is looking for foundation coverage, this isn't it. True to its name, it looks barely there.

Ohhhh...

I am scary without makeup. Years ago, one of my kids got sick as I getting ready to go to work. My employer had a 2 hour rule for sick calls or you were marked "absent." Being "absent " wasn't a good thing. DH took our daughter to work with him & I went to work WITHOUT makeup. They sent me home - "you look terrible, go home." They all thought I was sick. True story.

I am comfortable with my face. I might even love it if I didn't have redness, under-eye darkness, and a thin upper lip with pesky vertical lip lines! But I also like makeup and the subtle "polish" it can bring to my look for work and other public outings. Bottom line - I am both comfortable with my face and like enhancing it with makeup.

Romy,

Years ago, when I was single, I was out so late I did not, err, come home. I was able to wash my face and I kept a change of clothes in my office, but I was makeup free. My admin., who was young like me, said to me (in a funny/serious way, shaking her head) "don't, just don't, do that again".

Re: tinted moisturizer, BB & CC creams - I have only used tinted moisturizer once - several years ago and don't even remember what brand. These are different from foundation. True foundation doesn't have moisturizer. Usually a tinted moisturizer, bb & cc creams are more sheer than a foundation. The CC cream I have been using has anti-aging ingredients added among other things. I think I mentioned early that although I had loved this product, the last week or so I'm re-thinking. I'm getting a little too dewy LOL. I got to thinking - I am using a new moisturizer and I'm thinking the moisturizer plus the CC are just too much - especially as we are starting to have warmer temps. I can probably use it in the winter when I'm drier, but I'm pretty sure there is no way I could use both these products during our summers.

I am comfortable with my face and I always wear makeup unless I'm sick and home in bed. I've used Retin A for about twenty years (mid 50's now) and vit c for about ten years and I attribute my good skin tone to those. Living in the foothills outside of Denver, and spending a lot of time outdoors necessitates sunscreen and lip protection so I always wear foundation and lipstick with spf.. But I think my skin looks good without foundation and I wear it bc I feel better protected and my skin feels more comfortable (less tight) with it on.

I wear eye makeup too because I like the way I look with it, feel more polished and professional, and it takes me about three minutes. I have my brows done professionally so I don't have to do anything there

I never wore makeup in high school or college and even went without for my wedding. I thought I looked better without it then.

However, I'm not at all comfortable with my hands! Too much gardening and not enough protection over the years I guess.

Re the Botox and fillers, I do both. Botox is very subtle for me, I don't need much and I don't need to hide after I've had it done. The filler is the opposite. I do it at the corners of my mouth and going down toward my jaw and it's a huge improvement for me. But I bruise VERY badly and look like I've been in a terrible accident for about ten days afterward. At that point the bruises are faded enough so I can cover them with makeup, but until then there is no way to hide it. Despite this, I've done it three times now because it just makes me look (and feel) good. It lasts about a year and a half for me. The first two times I did it my DH was away and I never told him. This last time he missed the first three days of recovery and was shocked when he saw me. He could not believe I had done that voluntarily.

I never really learned how to wear make-up. I use some basics. I wash/style my hair everyday, try to wear nice outfits ( I don't own any sweats), and have worked hard at staying trim. Why.....because I am NOT pretty! I have always wanted to be. I do not plan to get any " procedures" so I have to live with it.

I was also blessed with good genes so I can get away without make up. I'm almost 55 and I have very few wrinkles. A few years ago I did have to have a brow lift and eye lid work due to my very saggy eye lids, and it did smooth out some of the lines on my forehead.

I've got freckles, small pores, and fairly smooth skin. My skin tends to be dry, so I can use virtually any thing on my face for moisturizer. I don't get dark circles-the worst I'd say I have is a bit of redness on my nose.

When I was in my teens and 20's I played up my eyes-I used to have very thick, long lashes and my eyes are blue, but age has not been kind to my lashes. They're much more sparse now, and due to allergies, i can't really wear mascara. I've developed more of a jowly look (thanks Mom) than I like, but I can honestly say that I am comfortable with my bare face. Although my DH does like it when i wear make up. And my best friend won't leave the house without being fully made up. That woman owns more cosmetics and creams & potions than Ulta carries!

Tinted Moisturizer.

I love it! As I have aged my skin is dryer (not as much in t zone). I can skip the moisturizing and I can skip the sun screen and do the all in one product. Just like all makeup tinted moisturizers are not created equally. I do not apply tinted moisturizer the same as a foundation. A little goes a very long way. One tube of my Lancome lasts forever. When applied properly and sparingly with a good product you are left with slightly dewy skin with some natural skin showing through for a more natural look. If you have a tendency to shine in your T zone a little transparent powder in that area gives a nice finished look. I often get women asking me if I have foundation on or if I just have naturally really nice skin.

remodelorbuild, I also get Botox in my forehead and filler (Restylane) under my eyes. I've had very slight bruising with the filler, nothing that concealer can't hide. Lately no bruising at all. I get about 18 months out of one dose of filler.

I'm curious about which filler you use for the rest of your face. You are lucky you get such long wear from yours. My SIL once had Radiesse in the lines between her nose and mouth corners and it lasted only 6 weeks.

Hi Linelle, it was Juvaderm Voluma the last two times, but I think it was another Juvaderm version the first time - maybe Juvaderm Ultra?

Voluma is supposed to be one of the longest lasting. I'm about to find out - getting mine in just a few hours so I'll let you know how it fares over time.

I am thinking of getting filler at the sides of my mouth. I don't have elevens on my forehead but I am starting to have prominent nasal/labial folds and I am not happy about it!

Go Jen!!! What area(s)?

I had my filler done today and I'm a bit sore and tired but I LOVE the results and they should get even better. (I was able to go out to dinner afterward, so you know I didn't suffer too badly. ;-)) I had Voluma in my temples and cheeks, and a Botox brow lift and a bit of Botox in my chin. It took a long time and the doctor had blocked out most of his afternoon to "sculpt" my face. His wife is his nurse and they are just a delight. They allowed my DH to come in and watch, and that was really helpful. DH made an appointment to have his Kybella procedure done there before we left.

I won't lie - even with numbing cream it wasn't entirely painless. But it was bearable and I'm so glad I had it done! My face has a much healthier look than before. The hollows are diminished and everything looks slightly lifted - a lot less droopy. I still look like myself, just a healthier, more robust version of me. I have a tiny bit of bruising at the temples and not much swelling. I may swell some overnight but it shouldn't be too bad. The full result will still be a few days in coming, but I'm very, very happy. It was a definite positive experience for me.

I had heard Dr D referred to as an artist, and that seems like an apt description. He's good at what he does and I'm so very glad that my hairdresser told me about him, and that I didn't proceed with the other doctor I was planning to go with. Dr D's method of working from the top down makes excellent sense to me now that I've seen how this works!

I am thrilled for you. I was so happy when I had my face lift some years ago. For me, I felt that I was just prettier. It wouldn't be honest of me to talk about healthier or rested but I thought I looked younger and prettier. Vanity speaks, but that's ok. I have a good idea of how you feel. It is a kick in the head to see what you think as a diminishing of your good looks and a step to stop that for a while. Otherwise we wouldn't spend thousands and some discomfort, or I wouldn't anyway. Glad you liked your artist and that your dh also did. It's a good thing and so is a touch of pride in your appearance. Glad you are spreading the word.

Thank you for the kind words, westsider! Yes, like you describe I feel I've done something very nice for myself. I must admit that I felt a little sad when I finally came to the full realization of how much my face had changed over the past ten years. Kind of like saying goodbye to a more youthful me. I know we all face aging differently and that's fine and normal, but I did wake up this morning and look at my slightly puffy "new" face from all angles and felt a surge of joy that I no longer droop the way I did yesterday morning! I'm still slightly sore but my biggest complaint is that I'm stiff from sleeping on my back all night long. I usually toss and turn every which way and end up with my face squished into the pillows. I was advised not to do that before leaving the doctor yesterday!

I'm so glad that you were able to do something that made you feel better about yourself. Life is so short. So why not! :-)

Jen, glad it went well and you're happy with the results! I don't know if you've had Botox before, but for some of us, the full effects don't show for 7-10 days.

The first time I had Restylane under my eyes, there was no anesthetic component. Not fun or pleasant. Still I came back for more. Now there's a poke and a built-in anesthetic and it's virtually painless.

Thanks, Linelle! Yep, the doc told me I wouldn't see results from the Botox for a few days at least. He said I'd be very pleased at how it's going to open up my eyes once it takes effect so I'm anticipating that!

Linelle, how often do you go back for Botox? I've got an appointment for early June to have another round of it. It was actually quite painless, but that Voluma was a different animal! I was told that subsequent treatments - so long as I don't let it disappear entirely before topping it off - won't be nearly as bad.

Glad you're happy with the result, TR. What does Botox in the chin do?

Interesting thread!

I'd like to know about Kybella. My neck is the thing that bothers me (62).

I''m curious to know how the botox in your chin affects your mouth movement, if at all. I just recently started getting botox above my upper lip to try and get rid of or at least slow down the vertical lines I'm getting there. I'd like to also try botox on my chin because of small lines I'm getting there too. But I'm a bit nervous about getting botox above and below my mouth. If not done properly you can end up with problems (trouble pronouncing some letters and even drooling!) I almost got my chin done yesterday when I went in for my upper lip, but I chickened out.

Yes, it is an interesting thread. I have always been comfortable with my face, but have worn makeup from my teens through to now (64!). My mother introduced me to it, and most of my peers have worn it. It just seems normal, part of getting dressed. Eye makeup and lipstick have been staples. I had thick brown hair, long lashes, hazel eyes and a very fair complexion. My hair turned white quite early, and I let it be many years ago. People used to ask me how to get hair like it;). What a change! I think it confused some because my face was young-looking but the hair was white.

These days my lashes are sparse and my hair is no longer annoyingly thick. I never thought it would thin so much, but thankfully it does have body. Now I mainly stick to eyeliner and lipstick and wear it most days. No more mascara and rarely other products except for foundation. Luckily my forehead is smooth and I have few wrinkles so far, particularly as I have contact allergies so I am afraid of fillers or Botox. The neck is beginning to droop when I bend my neck down though - yikes!

You absolutely need to be convinced that your provider knows exactly what they're doing. Had there ever been a doubt in my mind, even while the procedures were underway, I would've gotten up and said no more. Having such glowing recommendations from people I know made me extremely comfortable with my choice of doctor. I never even considered that I might come out all wonky or drooly -- oh, but wouldn't that be heartbreaking! Dr D used a very small amount of Botox in my chin to smooth out a wrinkle there. Maybe it hasn't taken full effect yet but I don't even notice it's there - except the wrinkle is much smoother. We had discussed using Belotero there but the doc said its effectiveness and longevity is so variable, and he thought he could reliably achieve the same thing with Botox. What I saved not using the Belotero made the brow lift a little more in my budget, and I'm so glad I had that done. I had initially not planned to.

Found this pic online of a Botoxed chin. It helps with that sort of orange peel look many of us get there as we age too.

I'm still bruised today of course (at the temples but nowhere else), but don't feel bad. Just a little bit sore still. I've been able to just take it easy today which was really nice. Maybe tomorrow I'll put on my makeup and take this new face out somewhere. :-)

TR- what's the voluma in the temples for? crowsfeet? glad all went well!

No, it's for volume loss. My doc says that's one of the first places we lose it as we age and it makes the face take on a hollow, more skeletal appearance. I would never have even considered how my temples look, but once he filled them I could see a big difference. These pics found online illustrate it pretty well.

Jen, I get Botox approx. every 3 months, so your appt. is about right. No pain with Botox? Mine feels like being poked with a pin dozens of times. Owwwww! But, it's over quickly and it's kinda funny when I think about it.

I'd be afraid of any procedure/filler that could reduce the mobility of my mouth. While Botox is notorious for no movement in the forehead, I think it's only when it's overdone. I always get natural looking eyebrow movement.

Thanks, Linelle. I figured I was on the right track with the timing but it never hurts to learn what others are doing.

One thing that impressed me about this doctor is that he said he could have done a little more, but wants to always err on the conservative side. He said the faces that leave his office and go out into the world are his very best advertisement and he's not sending anyone out of there looking unnatural. He said he patently refuses to do duck lips, even if a woman were to come in and ask for big, pillowy ones. If that's not what nature gave you originally, you're not getting them from him. ;-)

Glad to hear it went well!

Happy all went well for you yesterday TR, I was thinking about you wondering how it was going. I hear that the look gets better and better with time and filler looks the best at 6 months, so if you are loving it now, just image in six months!

Thanks so much, ladies! I really appreciate the kind words. :-)

Sounds like everything went really well, TR. I am so happy for you and especially that you found your Dr D (that is the 'name' of my doc too!). So many similarities you have related in the way they do things. So glad you can see some results already too. The best is yet to come!

I am thinking of getting Voluma next visit so will be looking to you for more info on results. He recommended it the last time I was there in Jan for filler and I wanted to think on it. He gave me some literature.

I can definitely run errands and go workout and grocery shopping without makeup. I would not go to work without makeup. I am fortunate that my family genetically has good skin and doesn't wrinkle very much although now that I am in my 50's and menopausal I do notice some changes that have me a little concerned. I'm just overall less confident in my appearance. I don't know what I will do. Would I ever consider a filler or botox? After reading about it here, maybe. Oh well, I'm really too busy at work to even think about it. I am due for the dermatologist in May for my annual checkup and I'll maybe see how I am feeling about it then.

We had someone interviewing for a faculty position, and I don't think she was wearing makeup. Of course, she was in her early 30's and naturally beautiful and confident and very tall, but I thought this was pretty cool.

I once read that as you age you get the face you deserve, meaning if you have abused your skin, it will show (sun, smoking, alcohol for example.) Genes play a big role and one that we can't change. I am very comfortable with my face. On workdays I wear a touch of foundation, blush and lipstick (or gloss)-sometimes eye shadow and mascara. On weekends, just moisturizer with sunscreen and some lip gloss. If we go out for dinner, as is the case tonight, I "glam it up" a bit more if I feel like it.

My DH has the most beautiful skin and looks 10 years younger. People are always shocked at his age (64), but his mother has amazing skin and so did her late mother.