Reply #10: Some makeup, yes

[Flaxbee]

YOu don't have to apply it with a trowel, or even wear much color. But a little foundation or powder to even out skin tone (and reduce shine), mascara and lipstick (my favorite is actually in a chapstick tube from the health food store -- Terra Tints in "Blaze". It's part of looking well-groomed, unless you're blessed with flawless skin and rosy cheeks and naturally dark eyelashes. I'm a lawyer and in business, and it does sorta add to the whole effect. I refuse to wear pantyhose, though, so to each his/her own. But -- you don't want to see a guy with a forest of nosehair growing out of his nose, and that kind of male grooming I think makes men look better (also controlling a unibrow situation). A little makeup I think also adds to the professional look. But you don't need paint. You'd be surprised how much a smooth complexion, a little blush, mascara and tinted gloss can make a difference. And none of those items need cost much. But it depends on your job, I think, too. My sister is a marine biologist and ain't no way she's gonna lug foundation and mascara when she's out tagging seals or examining scats. But she does wear very light makeup when she's got to run the board meetings. And some of the products are much better now, too -- foundations with SPF, lipstick with SPF, etc.

I don't see it as male domination. I expect men to look pulled together, too, and frankly, some of them should use "products" (good cleansers and lotions) to look better.