Irish women hiding their beauty?

Venus In Furs

The ass-hurt and insecurity and paranoia a little button shaped like a thumbs-up engenders, is nothing short of bizarre and hilarious.

Tasden

Venus In Furs wrote: »

The ass-hurt and insecurity and paranoia a little button shaped like a thumbs-up is nothing short of bizarre and hilarious.

Oh don't use the word bizarre, I made that mistake earlier!

funnights74

katemarch wrote: »

What one modern young man succinctly calls a POB

Pink clothes, Orange skin, Blonde hair.

Lots of 'em about. I agree with the OP, mostly, though I like a bit of make-up to brighten a look and bring out the best points of a face; those green eyes, with greeny smudgy colour to make them sparkle. The shiny nose damped down with a dab of powder, etc. The monobrow to be plucked, please!!!

But fake tan - if it is used at all - must be applied with a master hand and ultra discretion. That orange-all-over look is disaster and makes them all look the same, anyway, so whats the point?



The only time it's worth it, in my opinion, is after a long winter when pale Celtic skin just looks so grey and weary: then a very subtle dusting of warmth can possibly be justified if applied with maximum caution.

Just my tuppenceworth as a lifelong makeup fan!

A girl working with me has gone from the usual amount of make up a year ago to basically being orange, and i mean glow in the dark. She would have been considered reasonable attractive to the point now where you wonder she has decent lights in her house so she can see what she has created.

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

ALiasEX wrote: »

If it's not about beauty (as you say), how else can it make you feel more confident/feel good about yourself?

Because it's something I enjoy doing. It's something I find relaxing to do. I feel fully dressed when I have my makeup done. I don't do all that for the benefit of other people. It's all for me

yosser hughes

feamainn wrote: »

Hi everyone. I just wanted to get people's opinions. I'm an Irish girl, 18 so obviously I'm not saying we all do this (I definitely don't) but...
Why do so many Irish women hide their beauty behind a mask of heavy make up and our apparently "best friend" (actually our worst enemy), fake tan? I know so many girls who are beautiful but then they decide to "look nice" and end up covering up their beauty. I really think it's sad because I know a lot of my friends do it out of insecurity.
There was a girl in school who was absolutely stunning with snow white skin, long black hair and huge green kind of cat like (if that makes sense) eyes. We were all jealous and in awe of her but then one day meeting her outside of school we couldn't believe it. She had packed on the smidiú and fake tan and her looks were completely lost! We had told some lads about her and they were extremely underwhelmed but she really is completely beautiful! That's just one example that stands out for me.
There are really so many gorgeous girls that just in my opinion, can't accept being Irish??? It's like they go around trying to look like Kim Kardashian or Beyoncé and it just does not work. Imagine Rihanna trying to look like a Scandinavian girl. She would look like ****e. Her beauty is hers. Think of the Irish women who are known internationally as beautiful, Saoirse Ronan, Sarah Bolger, Tara Lee, Katie Mcgrath or even the Scottish actress Karren Gillain. None of them try to look like something they're not. They all embrace and accentuate their Celtic beauty and that's why they're so gorgeous!
Can't we at least boycott fake tan. Sometimes it's not too bad but it never,NEVER looks natural and everyone looks better without it. Even foreigners think it looks bad and our own men aren't fans either.
I wear make up but never fake tan. My friends always say "Yeah but you can get away with pale!" What does that mean??? They're all lovely with it too and pale skin is NOT a bad thing that needs to be "gotten away with".

I'm not having a dig or saying us Irish are unattractive because nobody can ignore the tons of pretty girls but some of us need to stop hiding it away. Does anybody else agree?

I have never heard of any of those people apart from Saoirse Ronan, who, by the way is NOT beautiful. She has extremely pushy parents. She's not ugly but she's not beautiful.
There are plenty of beautiful Irish women, why do you care, one way or the other?

BreadnBuddha

Tasden wrote: »

Oh don't use the word bizarre, I made that mistake earlier!

You can say whatever you want, you can write whatever you want and think whatever you want. It doesn't make you right, and it doesn't make me wrong.

Go on then, are you going to answer my question? What personal preference have I expressed in terms of looks? Or are you too busy trying to dodge a bullet by mocking the person who's calling you out for doing the very thing that's most harmful to those in a vulnerable and fragile state in relation to obsessive criticism of their self image?

bb1234567

Vomit wrote: »

They do it probably because there is huge peer and media pressure to do it.

Is there really though? I feel like this is played up by women a lot more than it actually is. Who is telling you to wear makeup? who's telling you you look ugly when you don't? Because Ive sure as hell never seen a man tell a woman she looked awful for not wearing makeup.

bb1234567

yosser hughes wrote: »

I have never heard of any of those people apart from Saoirse Ronan, who, by the way is NOT beautiful. She has extremely pushy parents. She's not ugly but she's not beautiful.
There are plenty of beautiful Irish women, why do you care, one way or the other?

Because what you say goes hmmm. I'm sure lots of people find her to be beautiful, just because you think she isn't doesn't mean she isn't. OP thinks she is.

Tasden

BreadnBuddha wrote: »

You can say whatever you want, you can write whatever you want and think whatever you want. It doesn't make you right, and it doesn't make me wrong.

Go on then, are you going to answer my question? What personal preference have I expressed in terms of looks? Or are you too busy trying to dodge a bullet by mocking the person who's calling you out for doing the very thing that's most harmful to those in a vulnerable and fragile state in relation to obsessive criticism of their self image?

You said you were done,why would I bother engaging with somebody when they've said they're finished with the discussion?

I didn't criticise anybody. I said why I personally found one woman beautiful. Same way you said you find women attractive when they are healthy, wearing flattering clothing and not caked in fake tan. I find a woman's face beautiful because it is symmetrical and proportionate (amongst other things), its unique and pleasing to look at. God forbid I should say such a thing. You would hate to hear why I find beyonce or cameron diaz gorgeous. Its ok as you say to have preferences when searching for a woman in porn but not to say that a stunning woman looks beautiful because of her bone structure..? Where do i stand with saying james deen is attractive?

And I never said anybody was right or wrong, I've only given my opinion. Same as everybody else in the thread.

yosser hughes

bb1234567 wrote: »

Because what you say goes hmmm. I'm sure lots of people find her to be beautiful, just because you think she isn't doesn't mean she isn't. OP thinks she is.

indeed! Of course beauty is in the eye of the beerholder and all that.

BreadnBuddha

Tasden wrote: »

You said you were done,why would I bother engaging with somebody when they've said they're finished with the discussion?

I didn't criticise anybody. I said why I personally found one woman beautiful. Same way you said you find women attractive when they are healthy, wearing flattering clothing and not caked in fake tan. I find a woman's face beautiful because it is symmetrical and proportionate (amongst other things), its unique and pleasing to look at. God forbid I should say such a thing. You would hate to hear why I find beyonce or cameron diaz gorgeous. Its ok as you say to have preferences when searching for a woman in porn but not to say that a stunning woman looks beautiful because of her bone structure..? Where do i stand with saying james deen is attractive?

And I never said anybody was right or wrong, I've only given my opinion. Same as everybody else in the thread.

The only part of that which is correct is the 'healthy' part. I said no such thing about caked in fake tan or flattering clothes. In fact, I said I'd rather a healthy woman wearing a flecky tracksuit from a charity shop than a tarted up lazy woman.

We're going in circles. So maybe we'll agree to disagree. Or disagree to agree. Whichever is more to your liking. You pick; I'm a real gentleman. :P

retro:electro

Who gives a crap. Let people do what makes them happy. Each to their own.

Galwayguy35

Most women look great with make up on, traveller women tend to overdo it though with the fake tan.

Mister Vain

feamainn wrote: »

Think of the Irish women who are known internationally as beautiful, Saoirse Ronan, Sarah Bolger, Tara Lee, Katie Mcgrath or even the Scottish actress Karren Gillain.

Not the best examples tbh. Charlie Murphy from Love/Hate is much hotter than any of those.

Ditto Jennifer McGuire.

Galwayguy35 wrote: »

Most women look great with make up on, traveller women tend to overdo it though with the fake tan.

God yes the traveller women really over do it, although they over do a lot of things in fairness. Most traveller women have incredible boobs though. You'd have to wonder where they're stealing them from.

Robsweezie

that would suggest there was beauty to hide in the first place.



(I joke, don't break out the pitchforks just yet)

Timberrrrrrrr

yosser hughes wrote: »

I have never heard of any of those people apart from Saoirse Ronan, who, by the way is NOT beautiful. She has extremely pushy parents. She's not ugly but she's not beautiful.
There are plenty of beautiful Irish women, why do you care, one way or the other?

What does that have to do with anything?

Rezident

I agree OP. The fake tan thing really does look odd to me. I don't think it suits everyone. I think they're going for the 'just back from holiday' look, but either they're using way too much of it or else fake tan is too dark brown, it looks a bit wrong sometimes, like they've just been varnished.

I'm also a big fan of the pale skin, dark hair and green eyes look, like that of my beautiful fiancee - even with her milk-bottle legs

Peist2007

Totally agree, lose the fake tan ladies. Us men like the natural look. I fear its a psychological crutch for some though

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

Well if "us men" like the natural look then i suggest "us men" refrain from wearing fake tan themselves. Women aren't applying tan to themselves just for men's benefit

pickarooney

Venus In Furs wrote: »

I wear a little bit of make-up - "Women look better without make-up" actually means "Women look better with a small bit of well applied make-up" -

Or it actually means what it says. Why is it harder to grasp the idea that a man would find a woman more attractive without make-up and it is to comprehend that a woman would find a man more attractive without make-up?

Sittingpretty

pickarooney wrote: »

Or it actually means what it says. Why is it harder to grasp the idea that a man would find a woman more attractive without make-up and it is to comprehend that a woman would find a man more attractive without make-up?

Because most men haven't a clue what well applied minimal make up looks like.

I went through 4 years of University wearing make up every day only to be told recently by an old college flame who was with me everyday that he'd always assumed I was a no make up, fresh faced, au naturel girl.

catallus

LexieOnRale wrote: »

Women aren't applying tan to themselves just for men's benefit

Who are they doing it for then?

Sittingpretty

catallus wrote: »

Who are they doing it for then?

Themselves.

Despite the almost arrogance of a lot of men, not everything a woman does to spruce herself up is done with the motive of attracting a man. Shocking I know.

Wibbs

Sittingpretty wrote: »

Themselves.

OK, then why apply makeup/tan/clothes/heels/etc? What does it accomplish? The intent is to improve on the base "material" for the want of a better word, to make someone look better, younger, taller, longer legged, more even in skin tone, more "fashionable" and to fit in better. While someone is doing it for themselves it is within a social context and construction, that's why it makes people feel better in themselves and yes part of that is sexual attraction, even competition. In short people do it for themselves but as part of their cultural group interaction. Men do that kinda thing too only with fewer bits and pieces involved. At least in our culture. In quite the number of non western cultures it's the men with the fancy hair and makeup and that, where the women are as nature made them.

I once read an article by a woman anthropologist working in New Guinea IIRC and she was getting really good access to the men in various tribal cultures and she said her secret weapon of introduction was Max Factor. They were mad for her cosmetics, the freakier the colours the better.

Timberrrrrrrr

Timberrrrrrrr wrote: »

What does that have to do with anything?

I think it means her looks got her nowhere as she isn't beautiful, but her pushy parents might have been a factor.

Personally I think it's possible her talent got her where she is, though pushy parents probably don't hurt in that industry.

pq0n1ct4ve8zf5

Lord above the male ego must be a fragile thing that ye would easier believe all women are liars than ye would believe not everything we do to our appearance is done with men in mind.

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

When I'm single I still get waxed. Who's going to see it when I'm not sleeping with anyone? Nobody. So why do I do it? Because I feel better when I have it done. When I'm in a relationship I wear high heels, makeup, nice clothes. Why? It's not to attract a man - I've already got one. It's because high heels make me walk better, keep my posture better and I take pride in my appearance for myself. I feel more confident when I'm wearing matching underwear. Nobody is going to see it but I do it because I feel better about myself.

pq0n1ct4ve8zf5

Lunchtime wrote: »

How many women would wear make up if they knew they would be spending the entire day home alone with no visitors? If they wear it for themselves then you would expect them to wear it in this scenario.

There's been no study done that I know of so I can't really give you a definitive answer...however I have done just that, many times. And I wouldn't wear make up on a daily basis when I'm out of the house

hatrickpatrick

Irish people in general have a national issue with self esteem in my view. Do you ever notice how it's a relatively rare exception of an Irish person who knows how to take a compliment without getting embarrassed, for example?

Sittingpretty

Wibbs wrote: »

OK, then why apply makeup/tan/clothes/heels/etc? What does it accomplish? The intent is to improve on the base "material" for the want of a better word, to make someone look better, younger, taller, longer legged, more even in skin tone, more "fashionable" and to fit in better. While someone is doing it for themselves it is within a social context and construction, that's why it makes people feel better in themselves and yes part of that is sexual attraction, even competition. In short people do it for themselves but as part of their cultural group interaction. Men do that kinda thing too only with fewer bits and pieces involved. At least in our culture. In quite the number of non western cultures it's the men with the fancy hair and makeup and that, where the women are as nature made them.

I once read an article by a woman anthropologist working in New Guinea IIRC and she was getting really good access to the men in various tribal cultures and she said her secret weapon of introduction was Max Factor. They were mad for her cosmetics, the freakier the colours the better.

I think you might be over thinking it just a fraction.

Sittingpretty

Lunchtime wrote: »

I call bullsh1t on that.

As is your right.

My body looks better with fake tan. There's absolutely no doubt about it.

That said, I don't wear it any more because I cannot be arsed. I also stopped wearing foundation because I discovered BB cream which is cheaper and better for my skin. I probably do look better with foundation tbh but I'm getting too old to care!

bb1234567

Shawn Yummy Goat wrote: »

Lord above the male ego must be a fragile thing that ye would easier believe all women are liars than ye would believe not everything we do to our appearance is done with men in mind.

Maybe not consciously, but any improvement we make on our appearances is so people will find us more attractive.

nokia69

Deleted User wrote: »

My body looks better with fake tan. There's absolutely no doubt about it.

I doubt it

I never saw anyone looking good in fake tan

nokia69

nokia69 wrote: »

I doubt it

I never saw anyone looking good in fake tan

A girl I know 10 years and who I've worked with for 6 years had a baby. I went to visit her and was shocked to see how pale she was. Turned out she wears fake tan absolutely all the time. You'd never know it because she applies it immaculately. If I hadn't seen her without it, I'd be completely oblivious to the fact she wears it.

Point being, there are many many people who wear tan that you'd never know. If you know they're wearing tan, they're wearing it badly.

Call Me Jimmy

I agree with the sentiment on the whole, OP

Kiwi in IE

feamainn wrote: »

Hi everyone. I just wanted to get people's opinions. I'm an Irish girl, 18 so obviously I'm not saying we all do this (I definitely don't) but...
Why do so many Irish women hide their beauty behind a mask of heavy make up and our apparently "best friend" (actually our worst enemy), fake tan? I know so many girls who are beautiful but then they decide to "look nice" and end up covering up their beauty. I really think it's sad because I know a lot of my friends do it out of insecurity.
There was a girl in school who was absolutely stunning with snow white skin, long black hair and huge green kind of cat like (if that makes sense) eyes. We were all jealous and in awe of her but then one day meeting her outside of school we couldn't believe it. She had packed on the smidiú and fake tan and her looks were completely lost! We had told some lads about her and they were extremely underwhelmed but she really is completely beautiful! That's just one example that stands out for me.
There are really so many gorgeous girls that just in my opinion, can't accept being Irish??? It's like they go around trying to look like Kim Kardashian or Beyoncé and it just does not work. Imagine Rihanna trying to look like a Scandinavian girl. She would look like ****e. Her beauty is hers. Think of the Irish women who are known internationally as beautiful, Saoirse Ronan, Sarah Bolger, Tara Lee, Katie Mcgrath or even the Scottish actress Karren Gillain. None of them try to look like something they're not. They all embrace and accentuate their Celtic beauty and that's why they're so gorgeous!
Can't we at least boycott fake tan. Sometimes it's not too bad but it never,NEVER looks natural and everyone looks better without it. Even foreigners think it looks bad and our own men aren't fans either.
I wear make up but never fake tan. My friends always say "Yeah but you can get away with pale!" What does that mean??? They're all lovely with it too and pale skin is NOT a bad thing that needs to be "gotten away with".

I'm not having a dig or saying us Irish are unattractive because nobody can ignore the tons of pretty girls but some of us need to stop hiding it away. Does anybody else agree?

I have to agree with you OP. I would never touch fake tan, I can't stand the stuff and quite often when I have had a function to attend I've had Irish friends and family say 'would you not get a spray tan?'. Fake tan looks horrible and it is so overused in Ireland. Also foundation that is too brown or orange for the wearer is very common. I am used to it now but when I first moved here I found it hard not to stare at women going round looking like oompa loompas. It is really, really unattractive to the point of sometimes being dirty looking, and often the girl underneath the horrible orange stuff would be really attractive if she looked a bit more normal.

feamainn

Kiwi in IE wrote: »

I have to agree with you OP. I would never touch fake tan, I can't stand the stuff and quite often when I have had a function to attend I've had Irish friends and family say 'would you not get a spray tan?'. Fake tan looks horrible and it is so overused in Ireland. Also foundation that is too brown or orange for the wearer is very common. I am used to it now but when I first moved here I found it hard not to stare at women going round looking like oompa loompas. It is really, really unattractive to the point of sometimes being dirty looking, and often the girl underneath the horrible orange stuff would be really attractive if she looked a bit more normal.

Dead on. Foundation that's too dark for your skin will always always look orange. I just wish more girls would embrace their true beauty. They'd be 10 times more attractive! Where are you from?

Kiwi in IE

feamainn wrote: »

Dead on. Foundation that's too dark for your skin will always always look orange. I just wish more girls would embrace their true beauty. They'd be 10 times more attractive! Where are you from?

New Zealand. Lived here nearly 5 years.

the evasion_kid

Even worse sometimes is the painted eyebrows,its like they shaved them off and got a sharpie to design their own,they aren't so bad as long as they don't go overboard with it and end up looking like a praying mantis!

mohawk

feamainn wrote: »

Dead on. Foundation that's too dark for your skin will always always look orange. I just wish more girls would embrace their true beauty. They'd be 10 times more attractive!

Agree. If you are pasty just accept it and wear a foundation that works for your skin tone and not to much. Dark make-up is ageing and don't get me started on the Orange face/ white neck look.

GalwayGirl26

If you have lovely pale skin, dark hair, green eyes fair play to you, and go ahead and don't pile on the make-up. But if, like me, you have reddish skin, mouse brown hair and dirt-coloured eyes, then I think you are perfectly entitled to try and make the most of yourself without being judged for it.

TheBeardedLady

Shawn Yummy Goat wrote: »

I'd say fake tan is one of those things like colouring your hair, in that once you start it's kind of hard to give up. In fairness, done right and not overdone, it does even skin tone and make limbs look longer. Irish complexions in Irish weather tend towards the mottled like, I can see how it got popular to wear for going out. It's not exactly uncommon in northern England or Scotland like, for the same reasons I'd imagine.

Personally I've never bothered and I'm fairly pale, couldn't give a ****e if anyone else wears it once I'm not sharing a bed with them. I wear make up and that if I have to be fancy, but no way would I go near tan

People in all Western countries with a Summer spend hours outside sunbathing. They're doing it because they believe (and tbh, I believe) they look better. I know I look better in the Summer here than the Winter. I feel more confident about exposing my skin in the Summer when I've a tan as I look slimmer (Though I'm not fat so not trying to hide anything) and it evens out skin tone etc.

I go to the local pool here in Madrid during the Summer and people are really hardcore about sunbathing. I don't have the patience for it, personally and don't want to get skin cancer, so I stay in the shade most of the time but the amount of people who lie out in the direct sun during the hottest part of the day is mad.

Irish women don't have that option, so they use fake tan. Spanish women use fake tan in the Winter, btw. Sunbeds are also popular. I agree that many Irish women have that gorgeous, milky, pale skin that's beautiful and looks better without it but many, like myself, don't. I've never worn fake tan in my life though but then I don't expose much flesh in the Winter anyway - many women in Ireland do.

Fake tan might look **** when applied badly but at least it's healthier than sunbeds and lying in direct sun, I suppose.

Wibbs

Sittingpretty wrote: »

I think you might be over thinking it just a fraction.

Infinitely better than under thinking it mind you...

Meangadh

Meh. I wear a very light layer of fake tan when I go out, and I wear makeup every day- a very small amount for work and a good bit when I go out. It's kind of turned into a bit of a hobby for me, I love playing around with colours and brands and different brushes and stuff. It's fairly harmless I think, and if I get enjoyment out of it I couldn't give a flying feck what anyone thinks to be honest.

And believe me, I'm my own harshest critic so no matter what anyone thinks about my appearance, I've thought it too and then some. I enjoy it and feel I look better for it, so that's enough for me.

Sittingpretty

Wibbs wrote: »

Infinitely better than under thinking it mind you...

Is it though? I think there are topics more worthy of over thought than Irish women and their fake tan/make up.
I wouldn't have thought it possible to under think something so trivial.

Shenshen

GalwayGirl26 wrote: »

If you have lovely pale skin, dark hair, green eyes fair play to you, and go ahead and don't pile on the make-up. But if, like me, you have reddish skin, mouse brown hair and dirt-coloured eyes, then I think you are perfectly entitled to try and make the most of yourself without being judged for it.

I agree with that, but I guess it's not quite what the OP meant.

My mother used to say that you should see make-up, but not notice it. I usually wear a tiny bit of foundation to cover redness on my face, and as my eyebrows are pale to the point of non-existence, I use a light brown eyebrow pencil.
I realise that I go for a minimal look myself, but I do agree with the OP that there are a lot of women who would make sure that you notice the make-up they wear. In fact, they make sure that it's the first thing you would notice about them. And I don't think that this enhances their looks - on the contrary.

feamainn

GalwayGirl26 wrote: »

If you have lovely pale skin, dark hair, green eyes fair play to you, and go ahead and don't pile on the make-up. But if, like me, you have reddish skin, mouse brown hair and dirt-coloured eyes, then I think you are perfectly entitled to try and make the most of yourself without being judged for it.

I'm not trying to be mean. Wear it if you want but imo the tan doesn't make you look better at all. If you think the redness in your skin looks bad the tan is just another type of bad. Counter productive. You can use skin care products to get rid of redness though. Benton is a really good brand.

Just what I think. I just wanted see what others felt.

feamainn

Shenshen wrote: »

I agree with that, but I guess it's not quite what the OP meant.

My mother used to say that you should see make-up, but not notice it. I usually wear a tiny bit of foundation to cover redness on my face, and as my eyebrows are pale to the point of non-existence, I use a light brown eyebrow pencil.
I realise that I go for a minimal look myself, but I do agree with the OP that there are a lot of women who would make sure that you notice the make-up they wear. In fact, they make sure that it's the first thing you would notice about them. And I don't think that this enhances their looks - on the contrary.

Some people nowadays want people to know that their tan is fake. Like they think it makes it look like they've made an effort.

TheBeardedLady

feamainn wrote: »

I'm not trying to be mean. Wear it if you want but imo the tan doesn't make you look better at all. If you think the redness in your skin looks bad the tan is just another type of bad. Counter productive. You can use skin care products to get rid of redness though. Benton is a really good brand.

Just what I think. I just wanted see what others felt.

How do you know she looks worse with it on? Is it that you hate fake tan full stop or just badly applied fake tan? How do you feel about normal tans?