A friend of mine, R, and I got into a conversation about makeup the other night and were deciding how much is too much. When she puts on makeup every day, she goes to town. I don’t exactly know why but she likes it and pulls it off pretty well. When she puts on bronzer especially, it looks like she has enough on to last her a week. And it’s not just the bronzer. She has tons of eyeshadow on and her eyeliner is creepily thick.
I always make fun of her because even though I tend to put a lot of makeup on, I am half a shade darker. She looks completely transformed. Like I said, she has the amazing ability to pull it off, but I know that if I ever put that much makeup on, I’d look like a drag queen. Don’t get me wrong; some people look really good with a lot of makeup and if that’s your thing, then go for it.
How much makeup is too much for you (if there is too much)? Do you know anyone who puts on a ton of makeup and pulls it off well?

guest
I was just about to do a blog like this!
I have very pale features. Red hair and green eyes. My skin is lily white…so I can’t handle a lot of makeup. A little light brown liner smugged in the lash line, a champain colour swept under the brow bone and the corner of my eye, neutral shadows on the lid, and some of my just for redheads mascara. I wear lip gloss when it’s not windy outside…otherwise my hair will stick to my face.
Too much makeup on me is very different then too much makeup on someone else.
guest
I struggle between too much and too little. of course, what I think is too much is probably normal for a lot of women, but I would really like to be wearing less. When I try to, everyone says I look tired, and then I think I need to be wearing more makeup. I know that’s stupid, but that’s also why I think I wear too much – because I can’t go without it without being self conscious.
But I think on anyone, the moment you start noticing their makeup more than their face perhaps it is too much. There are a lot of women who can pull off wearing a lot and you still don’t notice it more than their beauty.
guest
i normally only wear a little brown or purple eyeliner on top and dark brown mascara. i think that makeup should be used to enhance features, not completely change your face. for everyday wear, lipstick and blush is too much, and sometimes foundation can make you look soo cakey and done up. but it does depend on the person (;
sunflower / 359 posts
I couldn’t concentrate much because of the picture.
I always put on a light shade of make-up, don’t think me face can handle too much.
I dislike it when I can see the line when a girl’s foundation ends and her natural skin color begins, looks like a mask.
sunflower / 451 posts
I look like a chimney sweep if I wear any bronzer at all. And I can play up my eyes, but I am too pale to wear really heavy eye make up. I can have the whole works (eyeliner, eyeshadow, and mascara) but not caked on. I can get away with dark lipstick.
And I think the lady in the picture has too much by anyone’s standards. If you look like a clown, it’s too much. If you look more dramatic, it’s fine.
guest
I’m in between. Sometimes I’ll just wear my mineral foundation, blush, and mascara. Other times, when I’m in the mood, I’ll add eyeshadow in the mix.
When I was younger, yes, I put on more makeup than I should. Then, as I settled into long-term relationships over the years, makeup just wasn’t as important and now that I’ve been single for 9 months, I’m trying to make an effort to make myself look better, hence the eyeshadow! Lol
My sister, though, is one who wears a ton of makeup and eyeshadow and eyeliner and whatnot. It’s a bit much for me and she’s always telling me I need to spice up my look.
guest
What I just hate is when girls put so much eyeliner around their eyes that they look like a raccoon. Eyeliner is not meant to be that thick, especially on the bottom eyelid! Very few women can pull it off. And it just looks so horrible. I hate it.
Remember, just because you see models wear a certain makeup style in a magazine does not mean it looks good in real life.
guest
if it takes me more than 10 minutes to do my make up, then it’s too much
guest
I don’t usually wear makeup.
When I do, I’ll only wear a little bit of eye shadow, eyeliner, mascara..
I’m too pale to wear anything major.
guest
Some girls can put it off well with a lot of makeup
While others looks like barbie dolls
PURE PLASTIC
I dont put on a lotda makeup – too much hassle
guest
I think when it comes to make up, these are the bare essentials:
-a natural looking pink gloss or lipstick/tinted lip balm
-eyeliner (brown, black-brown, or black if you are dark-toned)
-mascara
-foundation or some kind of powder to even out skintone (if you are not blessed with perfect skin)
-blush for an extra pinch of color in the cheeks.
guest
There is no such thing as “too much makeup” if you know how to apply it properly and use the right colors
guest
hmm, i just wanted to say that makeup is weird how it can change or at least “improve” someone’s appearances. my friend use to not wear any makeup and when she started, i thought it made her look a lil funky..but as time went on, i was use to her with makeup and so when she came w/o makeup, she looked a lil funky. go figure..
p.s, the picture is kinda freaky looking. hah. and to answer the question, yes there is such a thing as too much makeup–i just know when i see it.
guest
LOL – what a funny photo. Too much makeup depends on the event and whether it was applied well to compliment the person and occasion.
guest
before I start, the lady in the picture has too much make up on.
I can’t really say what is too much make up, it depends on the person and I guess the occasion. Some occasions I would wear more make up than others.
Though I can’t wear much make up anyway because I have light skin so its really noticeable on me if I have too much.
guest
Less is more
Now that I’m wearing contact lenses and I have more sensitive eyes, I don’t use any mascara or eyeliner, just a little bit of foundation and that’s about it. I know a lot of girls who use definitely too much make up, which is sad… because they can’t feel beautiful without it.
guest
I’m guessing the make up she’s wearing is for a theatrical play, for Cats musical play?
Sometimes you can use less makeup with a few bad colors for your shade and end up looking like it is “too much.”
guest
LOL that pic is scary. o_O
I wear very minimal make-up (lip balm and tinted moisturizer) but thankfully it works for me. On occasion, if I’m going out, I’ll put on eyeliner/shadow.
I guess a good guideline to go by is keep your day look minimal and play it up a little when you go out at night (dinner, dancing, etc).
guest
I know a girl who absolutely coats on her make-up. She must use half a bottle of liquid foundation and half a stick of eyeliner every time she puts it on. Her foundation is so thick that if her face even barely brushes against something, there is a large smudge of foundation on it. Once, I saw her without make-up, and she looked terrible. Her skin was all splotchy and she had huge dark circles under her eyes. I knew her when she was little, and her skin wasn’t bad at all, so I can only tack that one to excessive make-up use.
On the contrary, I know another girl (strangely enough, the first girl’s sister) who wears no make-up at all. She looks just as bad. I’ve seen her with make-up (for a play we were doing), and she looked a lot better.
So you just have to find the right balance. For me, some powder, eye liner, and mascera is enough. Occasionally, I brush on some blush, maybe some lip gloss/stick.
hydrangea / 53 posts
I don’t wear make up at all… I wear it on special occasions.
orchid / 209 posts
I dunno, somehow I don’t like the make up style of the 80s.
I guess to be safe, too little is better than too much…
guest
i have pale skin & pretty good bone structure, so i can pull off wearing a lot of makeup as long as i stay away from bronzer LOL i tend to have fun with my makeup, so sometimes i will look like a M.A.C. ad if i get too carried away…my favorite eyeshadow is currently a very metallic gold i like to wear with bronze and gold eyeliners
no one’s told me my makeup looks bad or overdone since i was like…13 and was experimenting with goth makeup LOL and i think i look good >: )
guest
Usually when I go to school, I just put on some mascara and eyeliner, nude or clear lip gloss When I go out, I’d put some eye shadow, liner, and mascara, lip gloss. That’s it! Anything more than that is too much for me. Hehe
guest
I think that a tanned complexion can take heavier makeup compared with a fairer skin tone. After getting getting about 3 tones darker after a holiday, I realized that putting more makeup and stronger eyeshadow than usual looked pretty good, while in the past I lwould look like a drag queen.
sunflower / 338 posts
I hate putting on a lot of makeup. I think it’s a waste of money and time, plus it feels gross.
I pretty much keep it natural with concealer, mineral powder, eyeliner and mascara. Oh, and berry Blistex.
Sometimes I’ll play with shadow, if I really feel like it.
I’ve never heard any good comments about a girl wearing a lot of makeup.
guest
I have to wear mascara or I look like some kinda alien with no eye lashes (my eyelashes are blonde and so are my eyebrows so they just kinda blend in with my face). I added eyeliner during my “dark phase” and now I just can’t seem to kick the habit.
I hate it when girls try and draw little swirls or curve the extended line of their eyeliner into some kinda design. That only works on models, really gothic girls, and the occasional geisha.
hydrangea / 70 posts
any amount of make-up is too much. you should’nt need make-up to feel pretty or validated just be yourself
i NEVER wear make-up…and guys love that about chicks…trust me!
guest
My friend’s friends, they put on shit load of make-up and they think they look great. I find it disgusting though and no, they can’t pull it off. And the best part about it is when they take the make-up off, their faces are disgusting with holes in their faces due to lack of oxygen of the faces (faces needs breathing too!)
For me, I just keep it natural, that’s how my boyfriend likes it too.
guest
I wear minimal makeup (liquid eyeliner and foundation). There was a girl in my grade who wore stacks of makeup. We used to make fun of her and call her Michael Jackson. She kinda looked like him too… >_>; LMAO
guest
on my daily basis:
mineral foundation
some bronzer for contouring
blush
eye liner
mascara
lip gloss
not really a lot in my opinion.
i laugh at the girls who obviously has too much makeup on bec. its really not flattering. unless they’re experts at wearing ‘em then good for them. but if ur an amateur AND wears a lot of makeup then… its their choice to get ridiculed at if they want to.
guest
From the sound of it, I use at least as much makeup as your friend.
guest
I’m fairly pale with freckles and I have a few acne scars from when I used to have constant breakouts. My hair is brown with Cherry Red Koolaid tint and I have hazel eyes.
My makeup is pretty basic. A little dark brown eyeliner smudged in the lash line, a purple shadow on
the lid to bring out the green in my eyes, and some blackish brown mascara on the top and bottom lashes. I usually just put chapstick on my lips, and apply power to minimize the appearance of my scars.
Occasionally I’ll get a weird color eyeshadow or liner and put that on, but that’s not an everyday thing. I think any more makeup, such as bronzer and blush is a little much, but its all in the application. Personally, I’d like to get to the point with my skin where I don’t have to put on so much power. It feels gross!
guest
Anything more than moisturizer, sunblock, powder foundation, and lip balm is pushing it for me.
My idea of “glam” is using foundation with mascara and a tiny bit of eye-liner…
I’m a dark-skinned tom-boy Asian college girl, so when I wear make up, I look like a little girl playing with mommy’s makeup.
Even when I get makeup done professionally I end up looking stupid, not pretty.
I dunno…maybe it takes a certain air, shiny hair, and new clothes to pull off makeup…
I air dry my hair and only wear t-shirts and stained jeans so….maybe that’s just me.
guest
i think it depends on who you are, what skin color you have, what type of clothes you wear & your age. not to mention some people can simply pull certain things while others cannot, (which can really make one jealous). but i believe there is a certain amount that is too much for every individual. also, if it looks fake or caked then it’s too much. although, i do think some people can do a good job at the at what some would call hideous- but that’s for models & people like that- because it’s done by the pro’s. so please, leave it to those type of ppl to do the heavy stuff. i myself, do wear a good amount of make-up, but honestly i CAN go out of the house without make-up, i mean, i don’t necessarily like it, but as long as i have defined my eyebrows (darken them, because they are so light you can barely see them) & some sort of something light or even clear on my lips then i don’t feel so ‘undone’. but i normally have on a few different kinds of eyeliner, a natural color eyshadow, a thin coat of mascara or 2 (it will look fake if i do more, but it’s enough to tell that i am wearing it). depending on where i am going, i might add some extra stuff, but that’s how i do it. but girls, you don’t need much at all! as for the guys….hahah that’s another topic, so nevermind. =P <3 ; ]
guest
whoa, she’s a beauty. haha.
My friend wears a ton of makeup but she looks really pretty. As long as the wearer knows what she is doing, she can use it to her advantage and work it. =)
peony / 1 posts
nobody has really mentioned that it’s not about quantity as much as quality. Generally people are wearing too much, say, foundation or powder because their foundation isn’t giving them the coverage they want. If you feel like your foundation is too heavy, try switching to a more opaque foundation so that you need less of it. Likewise, if you feel like even a little foundation makes you look too made up, switch to something with lighter coverage.
Same goes for eyeshadow or any type of makeup; people wear a lot because they can’t see the results of wearing a little. These people don’t need MORE makeup, they just need BETTER makeup.
As long as you pick out good colors, anyone can wear the whole 9 yards: foundation, powder, face warmer (bronze or blush depending on skin tone), eyeshadow with different colors for brow, lid, and crease, liner, mascara and lip. Again, it’s just about choosing the colors that are right for you and getting good quality stuff and applying it properly. I use Bare Minerals Matte for foundation, warmth, and powder and it doesn’t feel like I”m wearing anything; my face feels lighter than just some tinted moisturizers I’ve tried.
Now does that mean you should HAVE to wear that much? Of course not! It just comes down to the fact that every woman should feel beautiful and–as long as she’s choosing the right makeup–can wear as much or as little makeup as she wants.