Things About Makeup Guys Can't Stand

For most women, makeup is a huge part of their daily routines. Many little girls start experimenting with beauty products at a young age, and there's absolutely no denying the fact that putting on makeup can be super fun. Whether you go for a natural look, a smoky eye, or a bold lip, using makeup is a great way to change up your look and feel great about yourself. However, men don't always love it.

Unfortunately, there are quite a few things about makeup that guys can't stand. From how it can smudge to how it can completely change a person's face, men just aren't always the biggest fans. Of course, it doesn't really matter what men think is attractive, and, if you love to wear makeup, then continue to rock whatever beauty products you'd like. It's your face and you have every right to do whatever you want with it. Still, it's interesting to know the things about makeup that drive guys crazy... and not in a good way.

Despite how much women might like to try new things and have fun with makeup, men often prefer when women don't go too over the top with their looks. Makes sense then that many guys can't stand when a woman wears lipstick that's super bright, as they're afraid they'll mess it up if they go in for a kiss. Additionally, men apparently think that bright lipstick is a bit much.

"I love seeing my girlfriend look nice because it makes her happy, but there's no need to overdo it," one guy told Shape. He went on to say he likes a "moderate amount of make-up" but detests bright lipstick. Another man told Cosmopolitan, "If her lipstick is too bright, I'm afraid to get in there and really kiss her if the opportunity arises."

Clearly, wearing bright lipstick is a risk, and, as great as it might look, it can also be pretty off-putting to men.

One of the more popular lip colors for women is definitely a natural shade. For a lot of women, a natural lip is a great way to appear more natural while also making your lips stand out a little more. However, it seems as though guys just don't understand the point of something that blends into your face. In fact, one man told Byrdie that natural lipstick is kind of pointless and just annoys him. "I don't get lipstick that makes the lips the same color as women's faces," he explained.

Truly, a natural lipstick can be a great choice if you want to look a little more natural, but it can also be tricky for the men in your life. If your natural lipstick or clear lipgloss really matches your skin tone well, we imagine that men might not know whether or not you're wearing lipstick and could be surprised to find it rub off on them when you lock lips. You should do whatever you want when it comes to makeup, but it doesn't hurt to be aware that guys aren't into natural lipstick.

Picking the perfect photo to put on your online dating profile or app can be a daunting task, and, if you want to attract a man with your photo, you probably assume that having makeup on in your picture is the right way to go. And for the most part, that's true. However, a study from Zoosk, an online dating site, found that men are pretty particular when it comes to women's' makeup when they're dating.

According to the study, "women who wear some sort of lip color are 119 percent more likely to get first messages than those who don't," Bustle reported. "Furthermore, men are 38 percent more likely to want to meet a woman if she's wearing lipstick in her online dating photo."

However, it seems as though guys can't stand certain makeup in person. Specifically, "57% of men don't think red lipstick on a date is attractive," Bustle reported. For whatever reason, red lipstick is too much for men to come face to face with in real life. Still, the lip color often looks good, so, if you love red lipstick, keep rockin' it.

Most women know the stress that comes with picking out the perfect shade of foundation for their skin tone. A lot of times, your skin tone gets darker as you tan in the summer, so you have to pick a new shade (via StyleCaster), and, in the winter, you have to choose a lighter shade again. It can be confusing, and it's a common issue for women to have a line between their face and their neck where they didn't blend their foundation in — and apparently, guys can't stand that.

As one man told Shape, "I hate when you can see where the makeup stops at the neckline." Obviously, this man doesn't know the struggle of blending foundation in, but it's clear that men aren't fans of foundation that makes women look like their faces and necks are different colors. Again, guys don't usually understand the complexities of makeup and all the work that goes into doing a full face, but, if you want to attract a guy, try to blend your foundation in well.

It's no secret that men often profess to love the "natural" makeup look, even when that look actually requires quite a bit of makeup. However, there is one specific component about makeup that really confuses and annoys guys. One Byrdie writer asked her male Facebook friends to share the things about makeup they didn't like or didn't understand, and a number of responses were about eyebrows.

"Either they didn't understand the really thin eyebrows look (literally no one is doing that anymore, so maybe they're thinking about the '90s?) or the really big ones that are 'painted on,'" the site reported. Understandably, guys can't stand eyebrows that look painted on because they're afraid they'll rub off, and no one wants that. On the other hand, they also didn't like super-thin eyebrows, so, once again, women just can't win.

At the end of the day, though, do what you want with your eyebrows. Guys might not like when they look painted on, but that's their problem.

Most women understand and appreciate the smokey eye look, and have tried it out at least once in their lives. It's a classic look, for the most part, and can look amazing whether you're going out on the town or having a romantic date night at home. However, men tend to think it's intimidating in person, and they can't stand it.

According to a study from the dating site Zoosk, when guys see a woman wearing eye makeup on a dating app, they're all for it. "Apparently women who wear eye makeup receive a whopping 139 percent more first messages than women who don't," Bustle reported. However, that number drastically changes when men meet up with women on dates. As reported by Bustle, "66 percent don't find a date more attractive if she's wearing dark eye makeup." Guys apparently think that dark eye makeup like a smokey eye is too much and a little off-putting.

Thanks to members of the Kardashian family, including Khloé Kardashian and Kylie Jenner, contouring your face is all the rage these days. Yes, contouring is one of many trends started by the Kardashians. You've likely seen videos of women with different colored stripes all over their face, and then watched with wonder as they blend it in and suddenly appear to have higher cheekbones and a more defined jawline. It's definitely pretty, but many guys don't like it. In fact, many makeup artists don't even like it.

As one makeup artist wrote in PopSugar, the contour look needs to go. Explaining her reasoning, makeup artist Nicole Moleti wrote that she is "against this contouring trend" because "everyone is just wearing too much makeup." And men agree. According to a study conducted by researchers at Bangor University and Aberdeen University and published in the Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, guys don't like all that much makeup on a woman's face. "Men and women both preferred the images of the models wearing 40% less makeup than they initially put on," Time reported.

From desiring a more natural appearance to likely being annoyed when all that contouring makeup rubs off, guys aren't fans of the look.

For the most part, mascara is a great way to make your eyelashes appear longer and fuller and to draw attention to your eyes. However, mascara is also a double-edged sword. If you wear waterproof mascara, it's hard to remove at the end of the day, but, if you don't go waterproof, you run the risk of it smudging everywhere. And as one writer at Elite Daily noted, it can be embarrassing when a guy points out that your makeup is messed up, and, well, guys don't really like it.

However, as author of Why We Love Helen Fisher, PhD, told Cosmopolitan, guys really only are bothered when your actual eyes look off. "Red, bloodshot eyes and whites of the eyes that don't look bright, on the other hand, are very noticeable because they show you're unhealthy, run-down, or strung out...and that is never attractive," she said. Basically, when your eyes are worn out, guys aren't fans, and, while they're okay with slightly smudged eye makeup, we doubt they'd care much for raccoon eyes.

A common item in any woman's makeup arsenal is eyeliner. The product can be used to create a mysterious smokey eye, a dramatic cat eye, and everything in between. However, guys sometimes consider eyeliner to be deceiving, and they can't stand being tricked.

According to The Sydney Morning Herald, a study from dating site Zoosk asked men what their thoughts were on different aspects of makeup, and one man in particular had some words about eyeliner. "A lot depends on the photo," the man explained, per The Sydney Morning Herald. "Eyeliner might mean she looks better in the shot, but in real life it's a totally different story. I'm probably more likely to tap a girl if she's wearing some make-up than none at all.” 

So, while guys might want to see some makeup on a dating profile photo, they also assume that eyeliner makes women only look better in photos — not in real life.

As most women know all too well, sometimes makeup just smudges, even if you used a great setting spray. It can be unavoidable at times, but that doesn't make it any less annoying when it happens. As one woman told Elle, it's basically easier to not wear any makeup for fear of smudging. "I feel comfortable wearing no makeup," she explained. "My face feels more free and I spend less time thinking about whether or not part of my face is smudged or distorted due to unruly makeup." 

And it seems like guys feel the same way about it. As Helen Fisher, PhD, author of Why We Love, told Cosmopolitan of men's feelings on beauty products, makeup that smudges is not exactly ideal. "It rubs off easily onto their skin and the edges of their shirts, so it discourages them from kissing, touching, and coming closer to you, which is what they really want to do!" she said. When makeup rubs off, it can get messy, and no one wants that.

As much fun as makeup can be, it's no secret that it's also a lot of work. Of course, it's always easier to go makeup-free, but then imperfections are out on full display and that can be nervewracking. However, guys can't stand it when makeup washes off easily for a lot of reasons, and they end up getting annoyed.

As NBC News reported, there's a reason why the joke about taking a girl "swimming on the first date" became so popular: Men don't like when women look completely different when their makeup washes off. Even Men's Health posted an entire article about how women shouldn't wear makeup, penning how "a naked female face" is super attractive.

Clearly, guys don't like being duped by a lot of makeup. If you want to please a man, go all natural... or use a tough setting spray. Or, you know, just do whatever you want because it's your face.

One of the biggest issues men have with makeup is that it makes it seem as though women are trying too hard to look good, and they aren't crazy about that. Though most men claim to prefer the "natural" look, that "natural" look usually ends up taking a lot of work to achieve, which is why the no-makeup makeup trend has become so popular.

As Baze Mpinja, a former beauty editor for Glamour, told NBC News, men are put off when it looks like a woman has spent too much time on her appearance, specifically when it comes to makeup. "You're supposed to hide the work that goes into looking pretty," Mpinja said. "If you admit how much effort you're putting in, it begs the question why." Guys can't stand it when a woman obviously has on a lot of makeup. Again, though, if you want to go all out and do a dramatic smokey eye and bold lip, then go for it. You decide.

A good pair of fake eyelashes can take your look to a whole new level. They can make you look really glamorous, and they're perfect for going out (or for taking a fab Instagram selfie). You can go the old-school, DIY route and glue them on yourself, or you can be extra and get eyelash extensions done by a professional. Either way, though, it seems like guys aren't as crazy about fake eyelashes as women are.

A man named Sean summed it up well for Cosmopolitan. He told the magazine that the reason he doesn't like "oversized eyelashes" is because "they're just too long and make them [women] look like giraffes." Yikes! As amusing as Sean's opinion is, he's not alone in his dislike for fake lashes. Glamour asked some guys what they thought of fake eyelashes, and one man named Tony echoed what a lot of the men were saying. "I say they're not cool. And I can totally tell when women are wearing them," he said. For whatever reason, it just really bugs guys when your makeup is easy to spot. Isn't that the point of fake eyelashes, though? We want long lashes that draw attention. Guys just don't get it.

Blush is a staple in most women's makeup bags. It's a quick way to look flirty and energized, even if you haven't had your morning coffee yet. Some blush formulas are more sheer and buildable, while others look more bold. But apparently men don't find bright blush attractive. One man told Cosmopolitan that "the blush on their cheeks — they look like clowns sometimes." That's a harsh comparison.

Another man had a softer view of blush, telling Cosmopolitan that he was attracted to "the tiniest amount of pink color on a woman's cheeks." He went to say, "The more natural, the better. I like it because it looks like she just came in from outside on a cold day or just finished running." A man quoted by Shape seemed to agree. "I love seeing [a] woman in makeup, but like a lot of guys, I don't like seeing a heavy amount of it," he said. So, a little blush is appealing to guys, but not a clownish amount. However, at the end of the day, what's important is that you're wearing the makeup that you like. If that's bright blush, then go for it.

The overall attitude many guys have toward makeup is that less is more. It's very clear that guys often can't stand when a woman is covered in makeup and doesn't look like her natural self, although there are plenty of other things men aren't fond of when it comes to makeup. Really, they just tend to be wary of it in general.

According to a study from the School of Psychology at Bangor University, "women are likely wearing cosmetics to appeal to the mistaken preferences of others," as reported by The Atlantic. "These mistaken preferences seem more tied to the perceived expectancies of men, and, to a lesser degree, of women." Actor Adrian Grenier even told Shape, "Less is more. Definitely. You don't want to overdo it. If you don't exude beauty from within, no amount of makeup will be able to cover that up." 

Clearly, men can't stand makeup for the most part, and that's that.

At the end of the day, women can do whatever they want with makeup. While guys are entitled to their opinions, that doesn't mean women should have to change their habits to please men. If men are intimidated by a lot of makeup, well, then that's on them. Women who can do a full face of makeup, contour their cheekbones, and pull off a red lip or a smokey eye. And those who do are equally as amazing as those who choose not to, and that's the truth.

While guys might not be able to stand the way makeup sometimes changes a woman's appearance, the truth of the matter is they still seem to prefer some makeup over no makeup at all (via Bustle). Just like there are definitely clothing trends men prefer over others, so too are there makeup trends guys like and makeup trends they don't like. Whatever the case, it's not their face, so their opinion doesn't really matter in the end.