Do men even care about makeup? I don't know about you, but I've always had that feeling that men are sometimes too nice to us girls. I know I am not the only one who asks her boyfriend/husband/partner, "How do I look?" and expects an honest opinion and not so much of a "Princess, you are perfect regardless" type of response. God knows how many times I've gone out of my house looking like a clown, without knowing!

I took it upon myself to talk with real men and find the truth. I asked a couple of friends in their twenty-somethings, whom I find to be very different from each other, to tell me what they truly think about our precious, informal war paint. Here's what they said:

"I don't think makeup is essential; however, it is a plus. I like minimal makeup for women like maybe some foundation, some eyeliner, and perhaps mascara. If you have a ton of makeup on, it is kind of a turn-off. I don't think it's dishonest to wear makeup; somebody doesn't wear makeup to hide who she truly is, but rather, to accent her features.
Additionally, I think if a woman wears makeup to embellish herself, then people shouldn't shame her for it, or if she does her makeup to look good for her boyfriend; I think it's a sweet gesture. But I will say contouring is an art form." - Jonathan Rendon

"I have a neutral opinion on makeup. As a form of art, I appreciate it. I find pleasure in a sharp wing and well-blended foundation. Now, I personally do not enjoy when women use makeup to hide themselves. I don't like that. A woman should not wear makeup to mask her insecurities. I believe that the same way a guy can have a dope pair of sneakers but to others "they're too loud" or "too much", a woman can have her makeup really well done and others will think "too loud" or "too much". All women should know they are princesses and feel as such regardless of makeup." - BJ Maldonado

"I find makeup very appealing; but, I'm not a huge fan of it. I think makeup should be used to enhance the features on a girl's face, rather than to transform her entire appearance. I appreciate a girl's natural beauty. I like makeup that's subtle where you can see the girl who is wearing it. Although, the dedication and practice it takes for someone to be good at doing makeup is incredible to me. One person can spend months trying to perfect the winged eyeliner look, where some people have mastered it and can do it effortlessly. It shows that they care about their appearance." - Ricky Banks

"To be honest I don't mind it, but if it is a little bit too much, every day is a dislike. I'm more of a natural face type of guy.To put it in different words, I like natural beauty more than someone who wears makeup every day." - Luis Herrera

"Before, I used to think what all men seem to think: 'Take her swimming on the first date', but then I analyzed myself and realized that there is no human being, whether it is a man or woman, who doesn't want to feel pretty. A man will comb his hair, showers, gets his hair cut, puts on cologne, gel or grease, or whatever. It's true, a woman puts on some makeup and everybody is like 'She's not being honest, she's lying to us', but, man, who of us wakes up pretty? In the end, we're all ugly." - Jonathan Garcia

Makeup has become a second skin to some women, including myself. It is important to find a balance within our natural beauty and the one we decide to create. Your effortless winged liner is an art. Some will think it's too loud, or too much. But in the end, we're all ugly.