Does a female Soldier look more or less professional when she wears makeup in uniform?

Question

Okay, I know what AR 670-9 says about this, makeup is permitted so long as it looks natural (and that guideline is kind of loose) and is not too trendy, but despite Army Regulations, is it in good taste? Personally I think it looks un-Soldier-ly and un professional, even in an office environment, for female Soldiers to wear makeup with their ACUs or BDUs. Other people swear that no matter what the company is, in traditional office settings women should always wear makeup, that includes the military. What do you think?
Don't get me wrong, I like to wear makeup when I am in civies or in my Class A's, but it doesn't feel right in the battle uniforms. Thats just me. I want to hear your opinions.

Answer 1

Makeup needs to be tasteful. Leave it at a foundation, powder, clear mascara, and a neutral lip gloss. My husband is AF and it looks so trashy when female airmen cake on the makeup. It makes the Air Force look like a high school prom not a career.

Answer 2

I always felt that most women soldiers looked better, and not unprofessional, with a low-key, natural amount of makeup when in an office environment, even if they were wearing BDU's. The purpose of BDUs was never to pretend that you were in the field all the time, but to give soldiers an economical, versatile, easy to care for uniform. A little makeup doesn't take away from that. Obviously, if you're wearing a Kevlar and carrying a weapon, it's a different matter. There makeup looks like you stole your boyfriend's TA-50 to play in.

Answer 3

The uniform should be standardized and not take into account where the soldier is, unless it is a different camouflage print. Wearing anything other than the regs state for uniforms, whether it be a hijab or head cap for jews should not be tolerated or enforced. If however the orders are for when the person is off duty in civilian clothes, then this might be a good gesture, but the uniform should not be compromised, it's the uniform of the US, not the host nation.

Answer 4

Depends on the soldier, fit of the uniform, and the makeup

Answer 5

As long as the make up is applied with taste and not like some streetwalker. I always made sure my make up was done, nails looked good and the hair as nice as it could be. I may have had to wear fatigues and wear combat boots, but I made certain I looked like a girl who represented the military professionally.

Answer 6

Make up can be a hinderance. Men have short hair standards because of problems with longer hair. I had women looking for romance with gobs of makeup and tons of jewelry. I put them together on shift and the BS stopped. The make up queens often ended up on details that would make them sweat and ruin their cosmetics. My best women soldiers didn't wear make up while on duty. One of them works with me today and is a grandmother with a six digit salary. Today the makeup suits her!

Answer 7

Even an old barn can look good with a new coat of paint.
Course, I don't think make up is necessary in BATTLE. You wear BDUs in the OFFICE? Wow, has the military changed. Either that or you have a tough bunch of nuts to work with. hehe

Answer 8

I think some coverup is fine if she's got bad skin, but other than that i'm with you. i see some women on base with bright pink lipstick or green eyeshadow in their BDUs and it just doesn't look right to me.

Answer 9

Ar 670-9

Answer 10

It's depend how she consider herself: firs as woman or first as soldier. I'll go for first option: make love not wars!