make-up at camp

[Thumbelina1988]

I don't wear a lot of make-up but I usually go for the natural look. I usually use concealer, blusher and lipgloss. But there are days I wear more.

Now do you wear make-up at camp or don't you? Is there enough time to apply it before the kids get up or not?
And when it comes to taking it off do you do the cleanse/tone/moisturize rountine or just take it off? What about those wipe things which could be expensive for the entire length of camp?What do you use?

I'd really like to know so I don't take too much and not use them.

[prettysocks]

I don't wear makeup ever. I'm 19 and I haven't worn makeup since I was 13. Back then I wore sparkles. The last time was to grade 8 graduation.

I find most counselors don't wear makeup. Counselors wake up at about 6:50, throw some clothes and sunscreen on, go pee and brush their teeth, and race to the camper cabins for 7am. It's camp, and IMHO, no one cares if you've got makeup on! You sweat all day and get touched by kids, the swimming pool, and sometimes an activity called paint-your-counselors!

[Trees]

I don't wear makeup ever, but I do know counselors who wear it at camp, and you would definitely want it for your days/nights off if it's something you normally do. For me it would be too much trouble, but people who wear it at my camp have to get up a little early to put it on, or wait until they have another chance. I don't tolerate counselors thinking they can skip out on wakeup, part of breakfast, or cleanup to put on makeup (not that you're saying you would do that, I'm sure you wouldn't, but people have tried). I think if I were you, I would expect to use the concealer about as often as you do at home, but the rest of it only for time off. It's hard to say what the culture of your camp will be, though.

I've heard people say that makeup is much more affordable in the US, so if you didn't bring enough maybe you could buy more over here.

[triplethreat]

One of the things I love about camp is that it levels the social playing field by getting back to basics, and I personally think that wearing makeup goes against that.

The most makeup I ever wore at overnight camp was a little concealer on those days when the undereye circles were really bad, but even that was very seldom. I did try a little harder on visitor's day and staff banquet, but other than that it was just sunscreen.

[Mouse...]

I wear Make-up outside of camp but not during it. I do take it for the weekend though. The only time I will wear make-up at camp is concealer when I break out really bad and feel insecure about it, but even this is rare. It's true, no one cares if your wearing make-up and by the end of the day it would probably feel uncomfortable.

[ocean]

The only time that I will usually put on lipgloss and maybe some eyeshadow would be on the weekends when campers arent there.

[laurathistle]

Do any of you run into problems with campers (especialy teen girls) and make up? like not wanting to do stuff incase it ruins the make up they have spent 2 hours putting on? Do they find after 3 days or so that it just isn't worth the hastle?

[Flukie]

The only time my older girls put on their make-up was on CIT Night Out - they enjoyed that immensely. (We went to the mall??? Girl Planning!) Otherwise, they really just let it go. I'm not sure if it has been a real issue in other units - I don't wear it at all.

[Trees]

When I was working with the CITs, some of them put on makeup every day, but we never had the "don't want to do activities" problem... at that age they don't seem to come to camp unless they're really into it. In some groups the other girls would have ridiculed anyone who tried wearing makeup (which isn't positive and is behavior I discourage). As long as it doesn't take time away from activities, I don't care... though I'll probably ask, out of curiosity, why they want to wear it.

[prettysocks]

I think campers and staff at my camp only tend to wear makeup to the dance on the last night. It's a "banquet and dance", and most people dress up and do their hair at least a bit nicer than normal! I can see the girls putting a bit of lipstick on or something. I really have no clue. I don't pay attention to makeup. I wouldn't be able to tell you if you were wearing any, unless it's grossly obvious!

[KiwiCRB]

I wear make up outside of camp but during camp you just really stop caring. Maybe these things are different at co-ed camps but it's just a place where those things honestly don't matter and the counselor who wears make up isn't going to do a better job or be more well liked than one that doesn't. That being said I do put it on for special days like staff pictures and when our Lions Club come to lunch.

[campnerd99]

I can't lie that I laughed a little bit when I read this. At home I wear make-up pretty much everyday. Camp is another story. It *maybe* gets pulled out for the last night, as a camp it always did. It was a fun way to end off camp with the cabin, getting all 'girlied up'. Day to day at camp sunsceen and lip chap are the only things that might be considered make-up.
Mostly it's the time thing! There isn't any. Getting up early to put make up on just isn't worth it for me, I'd take the sleep. Especially when it's only going to get messy.

That was a lot longer than I intended, but the moral is, I don't personally wear make up on a daily basis at camp but if you really want to it's probably doable. :)

[camper]

at my camp, no one EVER wears make-up during the day..even the girls who might wear it all the time at home. there is just something nice about not worrying about it i guess. no campers, no counselors, no one just does it haha. then at night if the campers have a social they might put some make-up on, and the counselors wear it when they go out at night. also, sometimes the younger girls like to just play with make-up. but other than that, there is almost no make-up wearing! lol!

[Melk]

I only wear it on the first day, last night of the session when we dress up for dinner, and for nights out and weekends off. I'v never had a problem with my campers wearing it.... I just have a problem when they share it.

[tigerfan]

I generally just use concealer, powder, and lipgloss when campers are there, and every once in a while not even that. I do tend to wear more makeup on weekends in between sessions and during pre-camp; also I usually touch it up a little before parents drop off/pick up their kids.

Some of our jr. high campers are definitely into having perfect makeup and hair...the first two days. After that, they usually figure out the time they spent in the morning wasn't worth it since it was all gone early in the day anyway.

[Flower]

I wear basic makeup occasionally at home, but at camp I never wear it on a day to day basis. I do bring it to camp though, because it can be nice on some nights/days off to put some on. I also would put it on for the banquet at the end of the summer.
The girls don't wear makeup day to day either. However, the older girls may wear some to socials with boys camps and to banquet as well. Banquet is a special night at my camp not just because it's the last night, but because everyone takes the opportunity to get cleaned up and looking their best, instead of just running around in the dirt like we've seen each other all summer long.

The most interesting makeup experience I've had at camp though had to be when my 11 year olds tried to put it on me. We had an evening with cabin, and after having a shower party they decided to give me a makeover. They dried and curled my hair instead of having it in the ponytail it was in all summer and tried to do my makeup. It was quite funny, but they were happy with the result.

[Mouse...]

I've had girls who wore make-up the entire week. It ended up pretty ridiculous when one of them tried to hold up the unit from going to breakfast because she couldn't find her lip gloss.

[Pooka]

Ouch, Mouse. That's a bit rough.

I've had a few campers and co-counselors wear make-up, but most people don't bother. I've always thought that one of the points of camp is to increase one's self-confidence and all that. With young girls I think that cosmetics are often used as an artificial confidence-booster, so I'd really rather they forgoe it. (Man, I have totally absorbed the modern, female-empowerment Girl Scouts philosophy. Heheh.) But if they really want to, hey, it's their choice.

I wear, at most, mascara and concealer during the year. I do find that I want to get 'pretty' on weekends and nights off during the camp season, though-- probably the backlash from spending all week in shorts, old t-shirts, and muddy sneakers. :)

[Mouse...]

(I didn't mean that to sound mean, I was just trying to say how obsessed some of the campers I've had were with make-up, Sorry!) I understand the whole girl scout thing, it's contagious! It's a little strange for me sometimes. I think 'My parents didn't let me wear make-up until I was 15' and then see 10 and 11 year old girls obsessed with it. It's a little sad.

[Pooka]

Haha, sorry for not being clear. I meant that that must have been a bit of a pain for you and your co-counselors. :) I would have been annoyed in your situation, too.

[happy_camper]

Like someone said earlier, by the time girls reach the "make-up age", they probably aren't coming to camp unless they love it and in that case would probably realize that make-up isn't necessary at camp.

As a counselor, I am usually with the younger girls so it's not a problem for me as far as my unit is concerned. If any of the older girls wore it, I didn't notice.

I almost never wear make-up at camp, unless you count sunscreen and lip balm. :) I'll maybe wear a little foundation if I'm REALLY looking bad. But I try not to so that I can teach the girls by example that you can be liked for who you are instead of what you look like.

Funny story:
I was in the infirmary with one of our little boys during day camp. I was having a bad day as far as acne is concerned, and he said to me, "How did you get all those bug bites on your face?"