First dates are weird enough. You’re supposed to show up polished, witty, emotionally available—but not too emotionally available—and somehow still pretend you don’t care how it goes. For a growing number of women, the easiest place to start unlearning all that? Skipping the makeup entirely.
Call it rebellion or just common sense. Gen Z and Millennial women are openly opting out of first-date glam, and many say they feel better for it. TikToker @madisonoud went viral talking about how freeing it felt to show up bare-faced. The comments got it: “Men don’t do their makeup,” one user said, echoing a collective “why were we ever doing this in the first place?”
Beyond saving time and skipping the Sephora-induced panic spiral, going makeup-free comes with a surprising side effect: clarity. “If someone you date loses interest simply because you weren’t wearing makeup, that’s useful information,” said licensed clinical psychologist Janine O’Brien in Bustle. In other words, if someone flakes because your face isn’t airbrushed, congratulations—they just disqualified themselves.
Makeup-Free Dates Are the Move in 2025
O’Brien also points out that showing up without a painted-on version of yourself can actually set a better tone. “It may communicate confidence, self-acceptance, and authenticity,” she said. Which, ironically, might be more attractive than the makeup ever was.
Some women are flipping the usual logic and saving the glam for later, like, once the guy proves he’s not a walking red flag. It’s not a strategy, exactly. More like a reset. A way to make sure the effort goes both ways. And honestly, it’s refreshing to remember you don’t owe anyone a “show” just because you agreed to meet for coffee.
And while the no-makeup wave picks up speed, a parallel shift is happening offline. Dating apps are out, and matchmaking services are suddenly booming. “Matchmaking in this country has never been more popular,” Adam Cohen-Aslatei, director of Tawkify, told the New York Post, adding that his company had its busiest month ever last year.
Maybe we’re finally done pretending to be perfect for strangers. The new strategy? Show up as you are, under-eye circles and all, mascara-free and mildly skeptical. If they can’t handle that, they were never going to handle anything else.
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