The rules for etiquette are never set in stone. Just like asking your mother about which style of make-up would be best, her answer for make-up etiquette may no longer be applicable to your generation. Maybe it`s not so bad to put some lip gloss on at the train station nowadays.  

The ancient Greeks actually had a custom of writing down a code of expected behavior for any controllable circumstance, which they called protόkollon . This helped to make crystal clear exactly what could and could not be done, and was overall an ideal way of running things... until they began mixing with other cultures with different opinions. Hence, written rules could never really apply to something as universal, yet personal, as make-up.   Things change.

The general rule for when and where to apply or remove makeup is, "Never in public." This would reasonably rule out touching-up around a restaurant table, in church, on a crowded street, in a movie theater, in the class room, and at almost any kind of social gathering. These guidelines sound simple, right? How, then, do we determine what is "public"? With pressed schedules and roomier public scenes that allow more privacy out of home, social lines begin to blur.

If I never see them again . . . does it still count?

The anonymity of a crowded street affords some kind of privacy in itself. If a woman pauses at an empty deli window to wipe some flaking mascara from her lower lid, will she really care if a stranger passing by disapproves?   Many people from any background would agree that it would be offensive for her to squint at her reflection in a spoon and do the same thing at the dinner table in front of her date. The difference is, she cares about her date`s opinion. Considering that, the general rule about make-up application can be modified to say, "Never in front of anyone important, in public."

If I apply make-up in a public place, and nobody sees it . . . is it still rude?

When people are squeezed for time, they often need to make do with improvising for privacy. If you can duck beneath the booth at the cafe and escape being seen while you pencil your lips, it`s up to your own discretion whether or not it`s worth the risk of being caught. Foremostly, the person who has to deal with the consequences of impolite make-up application is the person applying it. However, if you fear you might make the group you`re with look bad, it`s better to have top-notch manners; any personal grooming should go to the restroom.  

To modify the rule further, then, it goes something like, "Never in front of anyone important, in public - and never when it conflicts with your own set of morals." If you think it`s wrong to put make-up on in public (period), then don`t do it. Just keep in mind that the one thing more offensive than putting make-up on at a bad time is telling another grown-up, whom you don`t know, that it`s impolite.

But what about in the car, while I`m driving?

Yes, absolutely, it`s 100% rude to put on make-up while driving a car. It doesn`t matter if the whole town sees a girl putting mascara on in her rear-view mirror; the problem is that a driver`s attention is being divided between touching-up and controlling a few thousand pounds worth of moving vehicle, all while sharing the road with other people. Be polite. Wait until you pull over.

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