I like to wear natural-looking makeup to work, and my minimum is powder-based foundation, blush and mascara. They do such an incredible amount of good and take barely any time to put on.

My favorite powder for use by itself is LORAC's Porefection baked perfecting powder. It's miraculous.

I don't wear makeup very often, and I would have no qualms working in an academic library and continuing not to (I'm working on my MLIS right now).

I was really amazed, however, the first time I put on foundation (a pressed powder foundation from Clinique) how much different it made me feel. When I do wear makeup, my most basic look is corrector (just because I have terrible dark circles), foundation, mascara, and lip balm.

Level two adds eyeliner (my personal favorite makeup product, so no pressure if you don't like it) and either lipstick or eyeshadow. Level three is both lipstick and eyeshadow.

I have used Bare Minerals for a few years now. I love the fact that it has a natural sunscreen because its minerals and it always looks natural. I've never tried the Smokey Mountain minerals, they sound interesting. Might have to give them a try.

if you have nice skin ... i would do just mascara and lip gloss if your fancy ... wear some blush

Definitely mascara. If you don't want to wear foundation or you don't really need it, maybe a tinted moisturizer? I have never used a tinted moisturizer, but I have a friend who loves it.

I think this really depends on what your skin type/features are. For example, I have a very light olive complexion and dark eyes and eyebrows and long eyelashes. To accentuate this I use only a little black eyeliner just on the bottom lid. I also use a light lip gloss. No mascara unless I am going out at night. I am a minimalist too and I think it is very easy to overdo it. Figure out what makeup looks good for your complexion and stick with a very easy and manageable routine. Good luck!

I don't wear make up to a normal day of work. I work in a small office in a not so appearance conscious field (very much related to academic librarianship. I have an MLIS) and usually deal with people online or over the phone.

I will wear it for important meetings or evening events. I also wear glasses and make a point of choosing glasses that emphasize my skin tone and eyes well so I feel less like I need to wear make up because of my glasses.

The other reason I avoid make up is because I tend to touch my face. If I wore mascara, I'd be a raccoon by 11 am.

I think a lot of it depends on the environment you're in. Even in the academic library world, if your colleagues are all about clothes and make up, you may start wearing more make up.

I rarely wear makeup, even though I probably should (not a spring chicken!).

When I am "going out" or want to look professional, I wear:

- Tinted moisturizer
- Mascara
- Lipstain

It takes me a total of 3 minutes to put it all on. I prefer tinted moisturizer because it's lighter than foundation but still evens out my skin a bit, and it's easy to apply (just rub it on my face like any other moisturizer). I use Tarte brand, which I love.

I wear mascara, but it doesn't do much for me since my eyelashes are practically non-existent. I use waterproof, otherwise it smudges within a few minutes.

I like lipstain because it stays on! No need to reapply like lipstick, and I'm low maintenance.

I agree with what someone else said; it depends on your skin type/features. I have really stupidly sensitive skin so I'm not huge on going all out. Bare Minerals makes my face itch and burn. The necessities for me: eyeliner, mascara, lip color. I have small, squinty eyes with thin, short eyelashes. So I use the eyeliner to define my teeny eyes and make them appear larger. Mascara makes the eyelashes noticeable. All this eye attention goes toward making me look for feminine. And my lips are like the same color as my skin so I use the color to make them pop. I skip the foundation, blush, and shadow cause I have a mostly even skin tone and never break out so my skin usually looks great already.

My suggestion - go to a makeup counter at a nice department store, tell them what you told us, and ask for a trial run. They will try to sell you the products they put on you... ask them to write it down along with their info and the hours they work (so they can get commission when you come back), but say you want to wear it all day to make sure it does not irritate your skin and wears well before you buy it.

I never wore makeup and had much the same opinion as you. Then I tried Jane Iredale's mineral makeups. They are pricey, but a little goes a long way. Like others have said, I use a dusting of blush or bronzer on my cheeks and over my eyes. Sometimes I use powder foundation (just a dusting) to even my tone out. Maybe concealer if my eyes look tired and baggy.

For professional looks, less is more. You may have to visit several makeup counters before you find someone who understands that... so be ready to fend off sales pitches for products you might not like.

If lip-gloss is more of your speed, try lightly tinted lip glosses to start out with.

When I started, I got a little at a time. It helped me "transform" without having everyone around comment, "Oh, you never wear makeup - now you do - what's going on?"

One size does not fit all. This will take some trial and error to find a product that sits lightly on your skin and does not make you feel icky and stifled. I found it in Jane Iredale, but you might like something else. Try as much different stuff as you can before you decide.

i can't believe there are so many people here who "barely wear makeup". i find it extremely hard to leave the house if i don't! i use a sheer liquid and a mineral powder to cover up some of my red blotchiness and old acne marks. my hair is naturally red, but my eyebrows and eyelashes are naturally blonde and invisible. if i don't use mascara and an eyebrow pencil..it looks like i have no facial features. lastly, some blush so that i don't look like a corpse.

i envy you guys

I do not wear make up and never will even if a job required it, I wouldnt work there. Its my face I will do what I want with it. Anyways when I did wear makeup it was the bare min. and I wore mascara and cover up, on occasion Id wear light eye shadow and eyeliner.