This is why everyone's talking about doing make-up on the tube

Just in case you needed proof that you shouldn't mess with women

make up
(Image credit: PhotoAlto/REX/Shutterstock)

Just in case you needed proof that you shouldn't mess with women

On New Year's Eve, something truly magical happened on the London tube.

Yes, we didn't think we'd be saying that either as taking the tube on the best of days can be a stressful experience, let alone on the busiest night of the year, complete with a raucous crowd. But, when @rosamundi tweeted the below, it suitably took over our Twitter feeds.

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The man was overheard saying to the woman, 'don’t do that, it’s vulgar.' And, what started out as an act of public humiliation towards a woman who was merely touching up her make-up before heading out for her NYE festivities ended in an act of solidarity that should tell all men, hell hath no fury like women on the underground.

After his scathing comment, all the other women in the tube carriage began applying their make-up together.

Hello, sisterhood.

One woman responded, 'I don't normally do makeup in public in case I poke myself in the eye, but we all treated it like a declaration of war.'

And what started out as applause has now become more of a public debate.

Is it fine to do your makeup on a form of public transport? And, why does it bother some people so much that they will tut, give you a filthy look and get up and move away from you?

Public transport is often the point before you reach your date, office, social gathering etc so, doesn't it make sense that you'll use that sitting down time to gently reapply your lipstick? Personally, I draw the line at anything eye-based like eyeliner, mascara or liquid liner - but that's only because I physically can't do it on bumpy transport and I bow down to any woman who can.

I fully understand the negativity based around actions that physically impede the space around you. Think, nail polish, or masses of perfume/deodorant, manspreading or claiming seats for your bags in busy, public and confined spaces, because that literally affects you and the air that you're breathing, but targeting women touching up their make-up seems like another form of unnecessary public shaming - like how breastfeeding in public still remains a point of contention.

So, listen, people on the tube who find it unbecoming of women to touch up their make-up on public transport (a fine use of multi-taking), let us ask you this, would you or would you not rather have five extra precious minutes in bed if you could? Tell us your thoughts below...

Delphine Chui