Do you really need make-up to keep your man?

The River investigates why KU women are so scared to let the men in their life see them without make-up.

Kaia Tufetland

With the media focusing on how to look ‘perfect’, it’s no wonder women struggle with their self-esteem and are insecure when meeting a new man.

A survey conducted by Debra Robson, CEO of semi-permanent make-up company LDN, showed that women are so insecure without their ‘mask’ on that 80 per cent wait at least a month before letting their new man see them bare-faced.

Feel sexier

Ms Robson said: “I’m not surprised so few women dare to go bare when they have met a new man.

“Make-up makes you feel sexier and more confident. I love the idea of us girls waking up early to secretly put on make-up to keep up appearances.

“We all want to look our best in the early throws of romance and women feel they look a lot better and more desirable with make-up.”

What lengths would you go to?

The River wanted to hear from the ladies of KU to find out what lengths girls go to in order to impress the opposite sex.

According to our survey, 77 per cent of KU women are confident enough to go without make-up within the first month of dating someone, but results also showed that almost 20 per cent wait up to six months.

Apart from the picture perfect ideal that the media presents to women today, we asked why people think women are so insecure without make-up.

Sneaking off to apply

Looking better with make-up on received votes from 42 per cent of respondents, with the fact that women are ‘not confident enough‘ coming a close second.

 One respondent answered: “Western society expects a female to conform to certain aesthetic qualities, only reached by covering your face in different powder, paste and other expensive materials.

“Women are, from that point on, insecure without said products.”

Common methods women use to avoid a new lover seeing their pure complexion in the first stages of a relationship include getting up before him and sneaking off to apply make-up.

A staggering 87 per cent agreed with the notion that society puts too much pressure on women to look flawless all of the time.

“One day I just thought ‘sod this'”

Several respondents believe make-up has become the new norm for women and half of those asked said that they felt ‘naked’ without it.

“I think it is pretty common,” said one student. “I used to always worry but then one day I just thought, ‘Sod this’, whipped off my make-up, and it didn’t make any difference.”

As circumstances differ, the conclusion seems split with one respondent saying: “Girls should embrace their natural beauty as well as enhance it with makeup.”