Sorry OP, that's totally ******.

I can't believe how many people in the comments seem to think women should have some obligation to wear make up or "do their hair" (what does that even mean? wash it? brush it? straighten it? put it up? do a wedding-style fancy ass updo?) and have decided that OP looks unprofessional based on precisely **** all information. It makes me so mad that it's seen as reasonable to ask somebody to change their natural appearance in some way to be "acceptable" in the workplace. Cleanliness is not the same thing, and unless OP's misrepresenting the situation, that wasn't the problem. Screw them, OP, basically.

What kind of crazy people complain about that?!

In my old job, we were expected to have manicured nails, tidy hair and full makeup (I worked in a casino) and we had a sign in our changing room stating that this was company policy, it even contained the line, 'the natural look is not tolerated'

My job allows me to have a beard and dreads and I work at a restaurant. sounds like your owner is quite a ****.

Yea need more info on where you work. Macy's required me to wear makeup and do my hair nicely even though i was nowhere near fragrance or makeup. Same for any make up stores, obviously. I worked in a few offices where they required high heels and slacks with blouse, hair and cleaned up/made up face. so..theres that i cant imagine customers complaining about this unless you were selling makeup or looked hungover every night

Why are so many people being thumbed down for saying it's OP's fault or that it's a YDI? When you're at work, you represent the company/organisation you work for. That means at least ensuring your hair looks like you haven't just gotten out of bed. And as for wearing make-up, even if it isn't required, sometimes it helps with presentation and image. If people have blemishes (spots, acne, etc) some places will expect them to cover them up. And that's because people (not all) will judge others on their appearance. I don't agree with that (why are we so afraid of the natural look?) but if it's what's expected, then it's what needs to be done. Like, I don't like the idea of wearing make-up to work, so I work at a place where it doesn't matter if I do or don't. I don't mean that OP should find a new place to work at, by the way. Also, to clarify a bit on my previous comment - doing your hair doesn't mean go all out and make it all fancy (unless it's required or you want to), it just means to at least brush it and make it look like you haven't just gotten out of bed. And for places where customers might expect people to wear make-up, I was thinking more of employees who might be the "face" of the company, or the first person a customer/client may see. I don't mean that I'm expecting that they do.

I have a feeling OP just doesn't do basic upkeep of their appearance. Regardless of what work you do, be it customer service or yard work, you should always show up to work in a manner that is acceptable, presentable and clean, remember you are a representative of your company and appearances matter.

by clown makeup or do your makeup like a Salvador Dalí painting

If you can't force women to wear high heels then you shouldn't have any say over their appearance. You are hiring a worker to perform a job, you should not have autonomous control over that person. keep in mind that I'm taking about the legality in Canada, I'm not sure if things are different in the states.