If a Good Friend's Makeup is Unflattering, Do You Tell Her?

[cno64]

If a good friend persists in wearing her makeup in a way that is unflattering, would you all mention it to her, or try to just ignore it, figuring that it's *her* face to do with as she likes?
If I were the one wearing the unflattering look, I would want to be told, in a diplomatic way.
Instead of, "You've got on way too much lipstick!" I'd rather hear something like, "You have such beautiful eyes; why don't you go lighter on the lips, to play up your gorgeous eyes?"
I could still ignore that advice if I chose to, but it might make me do some self-evaluation, anyhow.
What think the rest of you?

 

[purrtykitty]

I'm kinda of the to-each-her-own school of thought. Unless there is something horribly wrong, like mis-matched foundation, migrating mascara, or feathering lipstick...the classic makeup missteps, I just let them be. I figure, if they really want my advice, they'll come to me.

 

[SparklingWaves]

It depends on the person. I have some friends that really want to know and others that don't EVER want to change their style.

 

[chocolategoddes]

If it's a good friend, like you stated, then I would feel comfortable enough with her where I could voice my opinion, knowing she wouldn't take it the wrong way.
Because most of my friends know that I'm a makeup freak, they don't mind it if I comment on their makeup with a "Hey, you might wanna lay off the liner" or "Your eyebrows are crooked."
But if a friend has a certain look that she's comfortable with and doesn't want to change, it doesn't bother me because that's her style.

kinda like what purrtykitty said.

 

[LMD84]

i tell my friends if they've got mascara down their face and stuff like that but if it's a certain style of make up they wear then i leave them be. one friend loves the look of heavy black liner and only wears liner and mascara every day. personally i think she'd look lovely without all the eyeliner but it's not my place to say. i did tell one friend though to try out powder blush rather than cream blush - purely because she never blended the cream blush so it was litterally two pink spots on her cheeks!! i told her if she's in a run powder doesnt take as much blending. she listened and now her cheeks look lovely!

 

[TexasBelle]

This is such a tough issue.

Personally, I really want to be told if there's something wrong or "off" about my makeup. My partner is good about this - if I ever have a foundation mis-match, or wear eyeshadow colors that don't work, etc., he will tell me outright, and I appreciate that.

But some of my friends have such fragile egos and self-esteems. Yesterday there was a work-related picnic, and I noticed immediately in the natural lighting that one of my friends had on an orange-y foundation that didn't match her skin and wasn't blended in. Looked like a mask. Did I tell her? No, because she cries over every little thing. I was afraid of her reaction.

I have another friend who has some serious sun damage on her face and looks older than I do, despite being 5 years younger than me. Her makeup often settles into the lines around her eyes and looks like a real mess. But I've known her long enough to know that she is one of the most fragile people I've ever been friends with. Any little thing, any comment about her clothes or hair or whatever, and she'll cry and mope over it. So there's no way I'm going to tell her about her foundation settling into her wrinkles. I haven't told her about her migrating lower eyeliner, either, though it looks wretched.

I've been lucky, I guess, in having dealt with some very harsh critics in my past. Bosses who criticized every little thing, etc. I've learned how to accept feedback without letting it injure me, and without getting mad. I WANT to know what's wrong with my makeup, my clothes, etc. But I suspect that most people don't.

 

[iadoremac]

I have very few female friends and the ones i have would appreciate it if i told them but i know some people take offense as they dont like hearing the truth but i think you should tell them anyway before someone else who isnt close to them tells them and lest they wonder why you didnt tell them in the first place

 

[blazeno.8]

I probably wouldn't unless it was solicited or it is understood that we give each other feed back.

 

[OfficerJenny]

I won't comment on something unless it's like... your eyebrow is rubbing off, your mascara/liner is running, or your foundation doesn't match.
Unless they ask, that's a whole nother story

 

[TISH1124]

Since my bff and are are makeup buffs...yes we 100% tell each other if there are things that we don't like...But just random friends NO...not unless it is something totally out of place...lash hanging off...lipstick smeared etc...I think to each their own and who am I to judge based on what I like...If they ask me what I think...then yes I will tell them but I won't just come out with CC no...I'm no MA

 

[coachkitten]

Like everyone else said I would never offer my comments unless asked. I would be open to someone telling me if I looked a mess.

 

[ClaireAvril]

Quote:

Originally Posted by chocolategoddes If it's a good friend, like you stated, then I would feel comfortable enough with her where I could voice my opinion, knowing she wouldn't take it the wrong way. Because most of my friends know that I'm a makeup freak, they don't mind it if I comment on their makeup with a "Hey, you might wanna lay off the liner" or "Your eyebrows are crooked." But if a friend has a certain look that she's comfortable with and doesn't want to change, it doesn't bother me because that's her style. kinda like what purrtykitty said.

i second this.

 

[kaliraksha]

I know my friends style from shopping with them for makeup and I am aware of that. There are some things she likes that I don't, if I see something she's wearing that I think she likes then I won't say anything. But, I'll definitely tell her if it is a common mishap (mascara running, eyeliner rubbed off, lipstick off mouth, etc) or if she asks. And if she asks, I'll always do the positive-negative kind of feedback like the OP said.

 

[kittykit]

I do that with my best friend but with any other girlfriends of mine, I don't unless they ask.

 

[leenybeeny]

I think if they want to know, they will ask. I do. When I get a new foundation, I will ask hubby and a couple close friends.. how does this look? And they are always honest with me...

If she doesn't ask, I would keep it to myself.. unless it's a booboo, like she rubbed her eye and got mascara down her face. That is different - like something green stuck bewteen their teeth

 

[mtrimier]

I leave it on a need to know basis. My best female friend and I are comfortable enough with each other to say stuff like "that is not a good color on you", etc., but with other friends, like others have stated, I'll let them know if something is running away from their face or if they have lipstick on their teeth, but other than that I let them rock whatever, however.

 

[ginger9]

I would only say something if it there's an application problem. ie. lipstick on the teeth, running mascara or liner etc. I accept the fact that people have different tastes in makeup so it doesn't bother me as long as it's not sloppily applied. I mean just look at me, I sport a thick and unpainted brow. All my friends get them professionally shaped or draw on them. I know I am going against the grain but it's my choice. I don't get upset when people suggest that I get them tweaked but I don’t do it, maybe I will someday but not now.

The only time I said something was to my best friend who wears no makeup so I kindly suggested to her that if she's interested I'd be happy to go makeup shopping with her, and it turned out that she wanted to, but just didn't know where to start.

 

[sharkbytes]

Well, luckily my very best (and oldest) friend is a fellow makeup-board member and addict

And her taste/application is generally impeccable, but if it weren't, we're comfy enough with each other that I could tell her that I felt her makeup looked off.

My mother, too, gets the bold-faced truth from me, and it's appreciated.

Everyone else in the world gets nothing but a smile unless *specifically* asked.

 

[Sabrunka]

Yah I would.. Of course I'd say it nicely.. Just letting her/him know that so and so would look better for her, because so and so at the moment makes her face look "aged" or "drab" or whatever. They shouldn't get mad.. I know I wouldn't if someone was trying to make me look better!

 

[aggrolounge]

I'm one of those people that dwells on criticism and can't deal! So I really don't tell people if I don't really like the way they're makin' their face.. because I know I fall through the floor when people do that to me. Like others have said.. only ridiculous makeup mishaps like dislodged falsies or l/s'ed teeth need to be pointed out.
If you have to criticize, be gentle! Tact is a wonderful thing :3