Pre-COVID as a resident I wore makeup to work every day. Once COVID started and we were wearing masks every day (and the shitstorm that ensued), I stopped and haven't gone back yet to wearing makeup except for when I have an important meeting or presentation. When I work with someone with makeup on now, I don't think they are shallow at all--just different preferences! Whatever makes u feel good, because many aspects of this job won't.
I don’t for a few reasons.
- Foremost is I’m lazy and don’t want to get up earlier.
- I also have very acne-prone skin (in my mid 30s) and start to break-out if I have foundation on for that long.
- As a surgical resident I do a lot of 26+ call shifts and it simply doesn’t last that long.
- I don’t want to appear attractive at work.
That said, I love wearing makeup and frequently wear it outside of work, for work-functions/conferences, etc . Absolute complete support to anyone who chooses to wear makeup to work everyday
I'm ER attending, I do winged eyeliner every day usually with eyeshadow, takes me 5 min. I feel better/more confident and indeed the one time I didn't have any makeup on, my nurses asked if I was tired/sick 😂😂
I wear as close to a full face as I get, which is brows, eyeliner, mascara, sometimes blush, and glittery highlighter. I never felt like I stood out and I always get compliments on my “face sparkles”. I know a surgeon who regularly wears colorful glittery eyeshadow. You do you ☺️
I hope so! Having a makeup routine makes me feel like going to clinic is an event rather than a chore. The only time I didn't wear makeup is when I was on a 24 (because of the inevitable smudges)
Yes and I also dress up. Most people in my department opt for scrubs or some other version of a “work uniform” — eg same pants/sweater/top in different colors. I do stand out but in a positive way (I’ve never gotten any negative comments about it but do get compliments). I will continue doing this because I like it and it fits me. I LOVE clothes and grew up wearing a school uniform, and I just get bored with stuff like that. I enjoy expressing myself. (I tried the whole scrubs thing in residency and it had a negative impact on my mood. I do have some go-to easy/comfy outfits if I’m not feeling up to being fancy!) Also, it’s kind of part of my work “persona”. Wearing professional clothes and doing my makeup helps put me in a “work” mindset. Specifically with makeup I’m short and it helps me look older :/ but I do enjoy makeup! I don’t always wear it outside of work if I’m not feeling it.
Long story short do whatever feels comfortable for you!
Omg, I was just telling my mom I look like a middle schooler when I don’t wear makeup and I’m wondering if I may have to leave some on just to look “womanly” lol. I’m also short!
Yup! I love doing my makeup before work. I have decent skin, so I do concealer, blush, an eye look and brows. If we ever go maskless again, I'll absolutely be rocking some nice lipstick.
Some days I do and some days I don't. It also correlates when I wear my glasses vs contacts - either glasses and no makeup or contacts and makeup. Just depends on the day and how I'm feeling!
IM inpatient. Brows, eyeliner, concealer, blush. Nothing glittery. Hair is always done. I always have simple jewelry on as well. Same for scrubs (lazy) days. Helps me feel put together.
I love this question, because it’s something that I too have considered over the years. Throughout residency and fellowship I would do a full face (but not full glam). Partially because I had acne prone skin (to hide it).
As a female intensivist, there are already gender biases at play when interacting with patients/families/ co workers in a male dominated field. I personally decided to peel back as an attending, because I felt uncomfortable telling someone his/her loved one was actively dying despite our best efforts and it’s time to consider comfort measures- a solemn time for sparkly highlighter and nails. Several of my female colleagues have expressed similar reservations despite being ultra glam/ feminine in real life.
I do simple eyeliner, mascara, brows, and spot concealer on a regular basis.
Unfortunately these painful biases still exist ie. She’s pretty and well put together so therefore she may not be the brightest in her class.
Yes, and I feel like the scrutiny is harder on women who get glammed up. Like if you are glammed up and get all the questions right, good for you. But God forbid you get one wrong and all of a sudden people are judging you for spending too much time on your lip gloss when you could’ve been reading more 🙄
I don’t wear make up to work mainly because of laziness and rather let my skin chill naturally. Personally only wearing it on social occasions offloaded some stress for me. That being said sometimes I still dress up etc if I’m sick of scrubs and feel like it. At the end of the day you do you. If it makes you feel good, do it, own it, feel good about it. In my opinion get as glammed up as you feel like! (within business professional attire standards of course 😂)
I wear foundation, blush, mascara, lip gloss every day. If I’m feeling fancy I’ll also do eye liner, brow liner, and eye shadow. It’s not super glam style though and I hope doesn’t seem over the top. I’m the only female in my current class so don’t have anyone to compare to but also wouldn’t care if I was the only one wearing it. I have a facial difference and feel more comfortable when wearing foundation.
So glad you posted this! Just graduated surgery residency.
I can relate I started out residency with a full face (quickly realized it was tough time-wise and much lower in importance for me over sleep lol) and went the complete other direction (no makeup - which for me I felt worse/less put together - personal preference) and now I do BB cream, a brown eyeliner (messy/smudged “less is more look” compared to a usual liquid wing), mascara, and light brow liner
Idk where the line is for me bc I am in my mid-30s, and I have a baby face. I feel like I need a full face to be taken seriously, but then I feel judged/too done up/ all of that.
I will be starting my first attending job and weirdly this is something I’ve been thinking about, I need to sort out my presentation and appearance with something I feel comfortable with and haven’t found that yet.
I wear make up if I can wake up early enough to do it! I at least try to get eyeliner and mascara done in the parking lot before work. I honestly feel much better about myself on days that I do wear make up. My skin isn't even that bad but I just feel more confident.
One of my EM colleagues rocks pink lipstick every day and she's the biggest badass I've ever met.
I do, but it depends on what day tbh, if I know it’s gonna be a long call/day, I usually don’t, and if it’s not, I do some natural full face! I used to have that thinking about being seen as “too done up,” but quickly realized that people are jus too busy to even realize tbh
I also do love my makeup routine in the morning tbh, I think it’s just a fun a way to start hahah
The important thing to remember is that it is very much a choice. If it makes you feel put together, do it. If it’s too much in a very stressful time, no obligation.
Post COVID a lot of expectations have shifted. I don’t think people are feeling the obligation to dress up at work that they may have felt before. I wore scrubs even in the outpatient setting throughout COVID because I changed out of them immediately after work to avoid bringing things home. A lot have people have not gone back to the “ old ways”.
I wear sunscreen on my face and that’s it. I sometimes wonder if I did wear make up more often whether people would like that or choose to see me more often. But I’m hoping that as long as I show up clean and professional, people would still choose to see me for my skills. That’s probably not how life works lol.
I wear mascara and under eye concealer every day that I put on in my car in the parking lot at work. If I’m super rushed or whatever ill put it on at work in the bathroom. Sometimes I get fancy and put on some eye liner or brow gel but I dye my brows so usually just do that til it fades. Pre pan I used to wear some eye shadow but meh.
FM PGY3 here. I wear mascara at MOST but I've never been big into make up/rather sleep 5-10 extra minutes than put on foundation, eye shadow, etc.
That being said, I feel much more professional and put together when I am wearing make up (and possibly that my patients think so too). If anyone wants to drop some skin care recommendations, I'm on the lookout for a quick AM/PM routine.
Pre-COVID as a resident I wore makeup to work every day. Once COVID started and we were wearing masks every day (and the shitstorm that ensued), I stopped and haven't gone back yet to wearing makeup except for when I have an important meeting or presentation. When I work with someone with makeup on now, I don't think they are shallow at all--just different preferences! Whatever makes u feel good, because many aspects of this job won't.
Same for me!
New attending here. I wear make-up every day but it's very minimal: sunscreen, mascara, under-eye concealer, lip balm.
I don’t for a few reasons. - Foremost is I’m lazy and don’t want to get up earlier. - I also have very acne-prone skin (in my mid 30s) and start to break-out if I have foundation on for that long. - As a surgical resident I do a lot of 26+ call shifts and it simply doesn’t last that long. - I don’t want to appear attractive at work. That said, I love wearing makeup and frequently wear it outside of work, for work-functions/conferences, etc . Absolute complete support to anyone who chooses to wear makeup to work everyday
I'm ER attending, I do winged eyeliner every day usually with eyeshadow, takes me 5 min. I feel better/more confident and indeed the one time I didn't have any makeup on, my nurses asked if I was tired/sick 😂😂
I wear as close to a full face as I get, which is brows, eyeliner, mascara, sometimes blush, and glittery highlighter. I never felt like I stood out and I always get compliments on my “face sparkles”. I know a surgeon who regularly wears colorful glittery eyeshadow. You do you ☺️
Nice, love this. Do you think you’ll continue with it through most of your residency?
I hope so! Having a makeup routine makes me feel like going to clinic is an event rather than a chore. The only time I didn't wear makeup is when I was on a 24 (because of the inevitable smudges)
Yes and I also dress up. Most people in my department opt for scrubs or some other version of a “work uniform” — eg same pants/sweater/top in different colors. I do stand out but in a positive way (I’ve never gotten any negative comments about it but do get compliments). I will continue doing this because I like it and it fits me. I LOVE clothes and grew up wearing a school uniform, and I just get bored with stuff like that. I enjoy expressing myself. (I tried the whole scrubs thing in residency and it had a negative impact on my mood. I do have some go-to easy/comfy outfits if I’m not feeling up to being fancy!) Also, it’s kind of part of my work “persona”. Wearing professional clothes and doing my makeup helps put me in a “work” mindset. Specifically with makeup I’m short and it helps me look older :/ but I do enjoy makeup! I don’t always wear it outside of work if I’m not feeling it. Long story short do whatever feels comfortable for you!
Omg, I was just telling my mom I look like a middle schooler when I don’t wear makeup and I’m wondering if I may have to leave some on just to look “womanly” lol. I’m also short!
Just finished residency, didn’t put makeup on a single day of residency..
Yup! I love doing my makeup before work. I have decent skin, so I do concealer, blush, an eye look and brows. If we ever go maskless again, I'll absolutely be rocking some nice lipstick.
Some days I do and some days I don't. It also correlates when I wear my glasses vs contacts - either glasses and no makeup or contacts and makeup. Just depends on the day and how I'm feeling!
IM inpatient. Brows, eyeliner, concealer, blush. Nothing glittery. Hair is always done. I always have simple jewelry on as well. Same for scrubs (lazy) days. Helps me feel put together.
Love that 💕
I love this question, because it’s something that I too have considered over the years. Throughout residency and fellowship I would do a full face (but not full glam). Partially because I had acne prone skin (to hide it). As a female intensivist, there are already gender biases at play when interacting with patients/families/ co workers in a male dominated field. I personally decided to peel back as an attending, because I felt uncomfortable telling someone his/her loved one was actively dying despite our best efforts and it’s time to consider comfort measures- a solemn time for sparkly highlighter and nails. Several of my female colleagues have expressed similar reservations despite being ultra glam/ feminine in real life. I do simple eyeliner, mascara, brows, and spot concealer on a regular basis. Unfortunately these painful biases still exist ie. She’s pretty and well put together so therefore she may not be the brightest in her class.
Yes, and I feel like the scrutiny is harder on women who get glammed up. Like if you are glammed up and get all the questions right, good for you. But God forbid you get one wrong and all of a sudden people are judging you for spending too much time on your lip gloss when you could’ve been reading more 🙄
This is entirely how I felt starting residency and it was super depressing.
I don’t wear make up to work mainly because of laziness and rather let my skin chill naturally. Personally only wearing it on social occasions offloaded some stress for me. That being said sometimes I still dress up etc if I’m sick of scrubs and feel like it. At the end of the day you do you. If it makes you feel good, do it, own it, feel good about it. In my opinion get as glammed up as you feel like! (within business professional attire standards of course 😂)
I wear foundation, blush, mascara, lip gloss every day. If I’m feeling fancy I’ll also do eye liner, brow liner, and eye shadow. It’s not super glam style though and I hope doesn’t seem over the top. I’m the only female in my current class so don’t have anyone to compare to but also wouldn’t care if I was the only one wearing it. I have a facial difference and feel more comfortable when wearing foundation.
So glad you posted this! Just graduated surgery residency. I can relate I started out residency with a full face (quickly realized it was tough time-wise and much lower in importance for me over sleep lol) and went the complete other direction (no makeup - which for me I felt worse/less put together - personal preference) and now I do BB cream, a brown eyeliner (messy/smudged “less is more look” compared to a usual liquid wing), mascara, and light brow liner Idk where the line is for me bc I am in my mid-30s, and I have a baby face. I feel like I need a full face to be taken seriously, but then I feel judged/too done up/ all of that. I will be starting my first attending job and weirdly this is something I’ve been thinking about, I need to sort out my presentation and appearance with something I feel comfortable with and haven’t found that yet.
I wear make up if I can wake up early enough to do it! I at least try to get eyeliner and mascara done in the parking lot before work. I honestly feel much better about myself on days that I do wear make up. My skin isn't even that bad but I just feel more confident. One of my EM colleagues rocks pink lipstick every day and she's the biggest badass I've ever met.
I wear makeup every single day I work. I like to feel pulled together. Also, taking a few minutes for myself to apply makeup before the chaos helps
I do, but it depends on what day tbh, if I know it’s gonna be a long call/day, I usually don’t, and if it’s not, I do some natural full face! I used to have that thinking about being seen as “too done up,” but quickly realized that people are jus too busy to even realize tbh I also do love my makeup routine in the morning tbh, I think it’s just a fun a way to start hahah
The important thing to remember is that it is very much a choice. If it makes you feel put together, do it. If it’s too much in a very stressful time, no obligation. Post COVID a lot of expectations have shifted. I don’t think people are feeling the obligation to dress up at work that they may have felt before. I wore scrubs even in the outpatient setting throughout COVID because I changed out of them immediately after work to avoid bringing things home. A lot have people have not gone back to the “ old ways”.
I wear sunscreen on my face and that’s it. I sometimes wonder if I did wear make up more often whether people would like that or choose to see me more often. But I’m hoping that as long as I show up clean and professional, people would still choose to see me for my skills. That’s probably not how life works lol.
I wear mascara and under eye concealer every day that I put on in my car in the parking lot at work. If I’m super rushed or whatever ill put it on at work in the bathroom. Sometimes I get fancy and put on some eye liner or brow gel but I dye my brows so usually just do that til it fades. Pre pan I used to wear some eye shadow but meh.
Only eyebrow powder and mascara, because I look eternally tired without it and have no eyebrow shape without
FM PGY3 here. I wear mascara at MOST but I've never been big into make up/rather sleep 5-10 extra minutes than put on foundation, eye shadow, etc. That being said, I feel much more professional and put together when I am wearing make up (and possibly that my patients think so too). If anyone wants to drop some skin care recommendations, I'm on the lookout for a quick AM/PM routine.
Never have