I have been wearing makeup for a long time, it started out as something I had to do for dance performances, then gradually starting in the eighth grade I started to wear makeup on a daily basis. Foundation, pressed powder, eyeliner, blush, eyebrow pencil or mascara are all little tools lots of women use to enhance their facial features and for different reasons. It’s used to enhance how you feel and help you in a way control how you are perceived and presented to other people.
http://www.chicmags.com/6-must-makeup-products-girls/
A study done in 2011, found that “[makeup] increases people’s perceptions of a woman’s likability, her competence and (provided she does not overdo it) her trustworthiness, according to a new study, which also confirmed what is obvious: that cosmetics boost a woman’s attractiveness”, according to the New York Times. The study conducted studied 25 females between the ages of 20-50 years old and of caucasian, hispanic, and african american descent, and they were photographed with 4 looks consisting of: barefaced (no makeup), natural, professional, and glamorous. Then, 149 people were surveyed and they looked at each photo for the allotted time of 250 milliseconds giving them enough time to make a fast judgement per photo. Then, a separate 119 adults were given time to stare at the photos for as long as they liked. Of those who participated in the study from the original group there were 61 males and in the second there were 30 males.
The results of the study were judged based on the “varying intensities of luminance contrast” or in other words how the lips and the eyes stand out int contrast to the rest of the facial features, and found that women with more makeup in those particular features (like the glamour look) were more “competent” than those who were barefaced. Although, those with heavier makeup looks were deemed more “competent, attractive, and likeable”, they also cause “trustworthiness” to decrease.
Samples of the various women of different ethnic descents that were used as subject in the study
According to Professor Etcoff, the author of Survival of the Prettiest, “there may be a lowering of trust, so if you are in a situation where you need to be a trusted source, perhaps you should choose a different look”, saying that the amount of makeup a women wears should reflect the situation they are in. You don’t go into the office with the same amount of makeup you would say in a nightclub, because you want to be dressed appropriately for the given situation.
Although, it is important to remember if that amount of makeup is what makes you as a person feel more confident and secure in yourself then wear it. Makeup should help illuminate the best features of yourself, both inside and out. If a bold red lip helps your confidence as much as it does making your lips look great, wear it. As well as if you are more confident without any makeup at all then that’s great. Etcoff also stated that “there has been a cultural shift in ideas about self adornment, including makeup”, meaning women are no longer using it as only a tool to attract men, but also as a tool to help themselves and see their use of makeup as their choice now, no longer something that is dictated by society.
Other factors that could be considered that were not taken into account then judging the women who were studied were those who applied makeup that did not complement their skin tone in both color and texture. Bobbi Brown of the Bobbi Brown makeup company suggests that “People will have a bad reaction if it’s not the right color, not the right texture, or if the makeup is not enhancing your natural beauty”. Also, the fact that as a society as a whole people who are considered “better looking” get treated differently regardless of the moral conflict of that being wrong and flawed logic.
Makeup is a tool to make you feel better about yourself, this study only measured how others perceive you. It doesn’t measure the effect makeup had on the subjects, in fact they were not even allowed to look in the mirror because of that.
Work Cited
http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0025656
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/13/fashion/makeup-makes-women-appear-more-competent-study.html
I also thought that this was an interesting study because I am also an avid makeup wearer. I didn’t find it surprising that people who viewed the photos thought that the photos with makeup on were more attractive. But it is nice to know that the professor of the study said that women are now also wearing makeup because they want to and not because society tells them to.
Dear Katherine,
I thought this was really interesting! As a girl who wears make up everyday, I enjoy learning more about the subject. I am not surprised that people who wore a lot of make up were deemed more attractive. However, I was surprised that people who wore less were seen as more trustworthy. You would think people would trust those wearing more makeup because they were seen as more attractive (and people trust those who are attractive). Heres a funny post about how to know when you’re wearing too much make up!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/30/wearing-too-much-makeup_n_4686592.html