OK...How much IS too much?

[MiCHiE]

This is something that has bugged me for a while and really has me

. Especially lately, with Kim Kardashian everywhere, it never fails that someone on a forum/messageboard/blog will say something like, "She's really pretty, but she wears absolutely too much makeup..... My first impression is, "This is obviously a person who wears no makeup." She's not wearing much more than powder, lipstick/gloss, shadow, blush, lashes....which is what I wear almost everyday. I know that there are women (mainly WoC) who still think WoC should never wear red lipstick and blush is "over the top". Quite frankly, it makes me wonder what other women say about me.

I think we're all in the know about MU and ofcourse, we all love it. It seems only appropriate that I ask ladies and gents who have some idea (and whose opinions are trusted and valued)....How much makeup is too much to wear? and what it your opinion of why people scream, "TOO MUCH!" all the time?

 

[Vlada]

When the make-up wears you - that's when it's too much :]

 

[Love Always Ivy]

^^^^ ahahah greatest answer ever.

i do know what you mean though. when i do my makeup i wear full foundation, concealer, lid and crease and outer v shadows with base, mascara, filled in brows, lipstick and gloss, and blush. meanwhile, my friends will only do a light shadow, gloss and mascara.

when i get glammed up to go somewhere special, the only difference from normal makeup would bie more detail to contouring and maybe false eyelashes..... but the color choices i would wear would be maybe more frosty or glittery

i think the question shouldnt be "am i wearing too much makeup" but rather "does it look like i am wearing too much makeup".... because i dont think its the type of products you wear but how you wear them. like you shouldnt look all masque-y and cakey with your foundation or like a clown with your blush.

 

[lara]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vlada When the make-up wears you - that's when it's too much :]

This is a fantastic motto; I tell it to my customers every day. That and 'it's a make-up brush, not a magic wand'

I think with Kim Kardashian it's not that she wears too much make-up rather that she wear her make-up so obviously. Everything is very hard and sharp and, well, dense. I always think that she looks like she's come from a glamour photography session where they trowel on the black eyeliner and keep all the edges sharp, rather than her taking that same depth of eyeliner and smoothing off the edges, blending out her bronzer a bit more, softening down the lipliner, etc etc. It's not the amount that counts, it's the way it's applied.

To be honest I don't really look at her and go, 'eh, make-up'; I look at her and think she needs to develop a marketable asset beyond wearing apple-bottomed skintight dresses.

 

[corngrl2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vlada When the make-up wears you - that's when it's too much :]

This quote pretty much sums it up. If you see the makeup before you see the person's face..it is just too much.

 

[JustDivine]

Quote:

Originally Posted by corngrl2 This quote pretty much sums it up. If you see the makeup before you see the person's face..it is just too much.

My sentiments exactly

There are ppl out there who think that any makeup is too much....so there are varying degrees of opinion on this. But I think anything that wears you rather than you wearing it, is over the top

 

[eyelinerlover]

I think it depends on the individual to be honest.

Im rather heavy on the old bit eye makeup. I like to wear black,turquose,blue,silver, whatever i feel that day colour of shadow. Plus liquid eyeliner everyday with flicks etc,some times glitter liner etc etc.

But it just suits my face so much and its all well blended and not drag queen in a bad way,more a good way!

But face wise i use use studio tech,and some dolly mix blusher so my face is natural. Im lucky i have good skin so that always looks okay.

I dont wear lipstick or gloss,as i have full lips and like to keep it natural with vasaline.

I suppose for me heavy makeup would be heavy base and or blusher and lipstick,badly applied as well.

Depends as well on your style and obviously the views of the person seeing you with the makeup. To some of my peers more than a slick of cold cream is too much make up!

 

[smilebacklovely]

I think someone is wearing too much makeup when you look at them and the only thing you see is their makeup.
I think most people though don't understand that makeup can be art, and that it doesn't mean we're trying to hide something or that we're not happy with the way we look. There are some people that will just never understand haha.

 

[Blushbaby]

Take the makeup off Kim and nobody would give her a second glance..the makeup definately wears HER.

 

[Shimmer]

There's this very fine line where makeup crosses from being something that accentuates a person's eyes, bone structure, and skin...to something that over powers all sense of naturality in a person's look.
A metric ton of makeup can look good provided it's done appropriately and blended out, but once the makeup is being put on just for the sake of having makeup on, it's not pretty anymore, IMO.

 

[newagetomatoz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by smilebacklovely I think someone is wearing too much makeup when you look at them and the only thing you see is their makeup. ...

I was thinking the exact same thing. I usually do a full eye, foundation, concealer, contouring, blush, highlight, and my chapstick (can't break that habit for lipgloss!), and I know people think I probably wear too much, but it is probably because they just wear concealer, eyeliner, mascara, and gloss, so in comparison, it is a lot. But it comes down to when you see a person, which do you see first; their makeup or them?

 

[Daphne69]

who the %&@$ is Kim Kardashian?

 

[aziajs]

I don't think Kim wears too much makeup but I do agree that it's the way she wears it. I'll be honest and say that I can't be too objective where she is concerned because I think she is so cold and I actually like her makeup most of the time. Here is a pic that I happen to love and I think her makeup perfectly accents her face without being overdone.

Aside from Kim, I think alot of people who don't wear makeup have a skewed view of what "too much" really is. I have a friend who constantly says she doesn't like wearing makeup because she "doesn't want all that makeup caked on her face". I have tried to tell her that she doesn't have to have makeup caked on her face. It's a matter of what you use and how you apply it but she doesn't get it.

I think that people wear too much makeup when you can't get past looking at the makeup to see the paerson behind it.

 

[Kuuipo]

I think her makeup is fine-I would like to see her use softer eyeliner-maybe a deep brown-she looks way older than she claims to be. She does dress like a prostitute much of the time.

 

[MiCHiE]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blushbaby Take the makeup off Kim and nobody would give her a second glance..the makeup definately wears HER.

That would probably be true for many of us. While studies have shown that men prefer less, I don't think any man would pass on her because of a smokey eye in the daytime.

 

[MsCocoa]

I agree with those who said it isn't how much but more how much it looks like you're wearing, I like Kim K's make up (the smokey eye and nude lip look) but it often looks heavy, whoever said dense hit the nail on the head.

 

[mariecinder]

Sometimes I think I wear too much make up. Mostly because at my office of mostly women I definitely wear the most make up. And I've never been to work with less than foundation, concealor, shadow, liner, and mascara. But to me its just a part of who I am. I love my make up and I think I wear it well because mostly people are complimenting my eyes.

 

[Fairybelle]

Too much makeup, IMHO, is when it looks like you threw everything on from your makeup kit and you emphasized EVERYTHING, with no 'balance' anywhere. By 'balance' (and this is more of an issue for daytime looks) lighter lips with heavier eyes and vice versa, having a light hand with contour powders, and even being careful not to make eyebrows too dramatic if they aren't that way naturally. With foundation, some women need to wear a bit more because they might have scars, discoloration, etc.. But if it is the wrong shade...then it looks bad!

Personally, I am a makeup whore. I love makeup. I even wear it to the gym, and I don't have shame! I am just careful with my blending, and use neutral colors on weekdays and make sure that I practice 'balance'. Weekends and evenings I love to add more color. Some people may think I wear 'too much', but one person's 'overload' is another's 'minimal'.

 

[Fairybelle]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ♥MiCHiE♥ That would probably be true for many of us. While studies have shown that men prefer less, I don't think any man would pass on her because of a smokey eye in the daytime.

I LOVE this quote Michie!

It really sums it up. See, men THINK that they prefer less, but if you look at women they think are 'hot', most are made up or have been Photoshopped to death on the internet. IMHO there are a very few women who can pass as stunning 'au naturale'. Most of my friends wear something, but even the professed 'makeup phobes' that I know come to me at the end of the day and simply ask what I am wearing or how my skin looks flawless...I tell them "It's all MAC hon!" and I start their addiction with my praise of a 'lil Studio Fix and Spice lipliner...

 

[MiCHiE]

Yes, it's so funny....I think it is just a personal preference and not a general rule. I've seen FOTDs with a list of products used and it does not look like a lot or overdone. Although it does sound like even some of us are wearing too much by what I'm reading here. The first people to pop into my head as far as too much are some of the clients whose nails I've done (ex.: the harsh line of black almost completely around the eye, clumped mascara), MiMi from The Drew Carey Show, Tammy Faye (RIP), and Christina Aguilera (the Hulk Hogan Bronzer, gobs of blush, and ever-present red lips). All and all, I guess I'm not bothered by the standard "too much", but bad is bad---whether it's just a little or a lot.