Up The Career Ladder Lipstick In Hand? All Answers

Women wear makeup for a variety of reasons. Some do it to appear more alert, while others want to appear more attractive to others. It is doubtful that a woman would wear her usual makeup face (Halloween makeup excluded here) to look less human.

But a new study from a journal called Sex Roles found interesting findings on opinions about women who wear heavy makeup, including the fact that a majority of respondents find women with more makeup less human than other women.

While it’s nothing new that women are judged on how they present themselves, this study, published just ahead of International Women’s Day, further proves that women are being punished in the workplace for caring about their appearance.

Women with heavier make-up appear less human-like

This study, conducted by psychologists in Brussels and the US, asked 1,000 people to look at images of women with different levels of makeup for 10 seconds each. Participants were then asked to use adjectives to describe each woman.

Participants, whether bisexual, gay, lesbian, or straight, attributed less human-like characteristics to women who wore heavy makeup.

“This suggests that heavy makeup caused a subtle form of dehumanization, regardless of the participants’ sexual orientation,” Philippe Bernard, one of the study’s authors from the Free University of Brussels, told Insider.

How wearing makeup at work affects your career

Researchers found that a heavy makeup look came across as “unprofessional” in the workplace.

Who is doing best in the great makeup debate? It’s actually women who wear “light makeup” looks. Researchers found that women who wear “light makeup” get more promotions than fresh-faced women.

The participants, all in their 20s and made up of an even gender mix, described the women in the less-makeup photos as “moral,” “warm-hearted,” and “capable.” On the other hand, women with heavy eye make-up proved to be the least warm-hearted and the least competent.

“In relation to the fact that both men and women perceived women with heavy makeup in the same way, it is likely that heavy makeup led perceivers to focus more on women’s sexuality and sexual attraction and conversely, made perceivers less focused on women’s inner traits, such as their personalities,” Bernard said.

How wearing makeup affects women in leadership positions

Previous research shows that women who wear more make-up are also less likely to be viewed as leaders.

A 2018 study found that if women wear too much makeup, they are taken less seriously as competent leaders.

In the study, psychological researchers in Scotland asked more than 150 participants to look at multiple computer-generated versions of the 16 women’s faces with three different levels of makeup. The various options consisted of a look that was ready for “a night out,” a look that was considered moderately makeup, and one that had no makeup.

Regardless of gender or race, participants consistently rated women with the heaviest makeup as the less effective leaders.

Very strict standards are applied to women when it comes to their appearance at work. Another recent study explores this concept, as researchers at Oklahoma State University found that women often “dress defensively” to avoid being judged harshly by other women they regularly come into contact with.

The next experiment used 584 female subjects and analyzed their outfit choices for various social events. At the female-dominated events, they found that subjects chose more conservative outfits. And interestingly, the female participants who considered themselves more attractive dressed the most conservatively at these more feminine events.

The results show that women are competitive and often strategize when it comes to relationships, be it in their careers, social circles or love life. “More specifically, women are deeply rational and strategic; Women are aware of the threats posed by others and act to avoid those threats. Here, for example, we show that women are aware that certain appearances and/or clothing make them more likely to be targets of aggression from other women, and that in situations where this knowledge is conspicuous, and in women who are most vulnerable to aggression are threatened, women then choose to dress to avoid other women’s slingshots and arrows,” the lead researcher wrote.

Source: Joanna Malinowska/Freestocks

Why do women wear makeup? Human behavior is complex and there are likely a number of reasons, but it’s probably safe to say that by far the most important is enhancing attractiveness.

Many research studies have shown that women who wear makeup are judged more attractive by both male and female raters. This is probably because makeup exaggerates the femininity of the face (the natural color of the lips and eyes is darker in women than in men compared to the surrounding skin) or because makeup makes a face look younger (an even skin tone becomes associated with youth).

Perceptions of women who wear makeup

Makeup has other effects on how a woman is perceived beyond beauty. Women who wear makeup are said to have a greater interest in men, are more promiscuous, and have less restricted sociosexuality (which is just jargon for an interest in and consent to short-term noncommittal sexual relationships).

Now it is important to note that it should not matter whether these perceptions are correct. There’s nothing wrong with sleeping around or thinking that one night stands are fine and dandy. But it’s equally important to note that scientists have found that men are prone to what we call the “sexual overperception bias”: the tendency to interpret neutral behavior as indicative of sexual interest. If men perceive that a woman is interested in sex and they are right, then everything is fine. When men assume a woman is interested when she isn’t, problems arise.

Research on women and makeup

Carlota Batres from Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania had around 70 young women work in her laboratory. All of the women wore makeup regularly and spent an average of $11 each month on cosmetics that took about 12 minutes to apply and remove each day. The women were photographed twice: once with their normal daily makeup and once without makeup. Next, a group of male and female volunteers rated these women on their attractiveness and how comfortable they felt enjoying casual sex.

Women were rated as more attractive and comfortable with casual sex when they wore makeup than when they didn’t. This applied regardless of whether the reviews were submitted by men or women.

But are these perceptions accurate? Batres asked the women photographed to fill out a questionnaire about their own attitudes towards casual sex. Women with less “restricted sexuality” did not spend more money or time on makeup. The women’s photos were rated on how much makeup the women appeared to be wearing: Unrestricted women appeared to have no more makeup on. And the women’s ratings of their own sociosexuality did not agree with the male and female judges’ ratings: there was no correlation between self-ratings and ratings by other women; Men’s estimates were even worse, with women with more disabilities judged to be less disabled.

Further analysis found that men’s perceptions were based solely on the positive effects of makeup on attractiveness: more attractive women were perceived as more comfortable with casual sex, although women’s self-reports suggest this is not true.

What the researchers say:

“Our results … show that makeup use is not an accurate predictor of sociosexuality.”

So makeup makes a woman more attractive, but there is no evidence that cosmetics say anything important about a woman’s sexual motives or desires.

However, it should be noted that this study only looked at women who wear makeup regularly; It’s possible that there are differences in psychology and behavior between women who wear makeup regularly and women who never wear makeup. It also remains to be seen whether different makeup styles say anything about the wearer, true or not.

For as long as I can remember, men have stated that they prefer the “natural look” to women. But that could all be utter bullshit, says a new study by internet dating site Zoosk, which claims men’s actions online actually say the opposite.

The study analyzed 1,200 women’s profiles on Zoosk, and the results are pretty damning: women who wear makeup on their profile pictures get three times more traffic than those who don’t.

Is the “no makeup” look really what men are looking for?

Still, men swear they like women without makeup. And we’ve all heard it. “Lipstick is gross.” “Do you really have to wear all that stuff on your face?” “Wish you’d wipe that off.” “Blah blah blah.” (What’s that sound like to us because we ignore comments like that. )

Ernie Arias, 38, confirms: “Push-up bras, heels, spray tan, hair color, false eyelashes and makeup too? No guy wants a girl who turns into a pumpkin at midnight.”

En español | There are thousands of beauty tricks that will transform the way you look — especially if you’re a woman over the age of 50. But who has time for all this? Let me show you a shortcut to the best of the best. As a beauty editor, I’ve watched top pros apply these tips to magazine shoots of adult celebrities and everyday women for decades. They are timeless and they work. Here are 10 from my greatest hits list.

1. Test makeup in the right places

Smear lipstick on your thumb and foundation, concealer and eyeshadow in the web between thumb and forefinger. No more wiping the load tester and no more applying it to your face or back of your hand. This is not only unhygienic, but also unrealistic. Test on skin similar to area where product will be used. The soft, fleshy blue-red pad of your thumb more closely resembles real lip skin, giving a more accurate idea of ​​lipstick color and texture. The skin tissue near your thumb is thinner, looser, and wrinkled — showing how face makeup or eyeshadow looks when applied, blended, and worn.

2. Apply skin care to the top and outside

It really helps to counteract gravity and it supports sagging skin and deep expression lines. Apply creams, serums and oils in gentle movements from the center of the face outwards. In the short term, it gets the circulation going, lets products melt on the skin and feels soothing – in the long term, it minimizes the downward pull. Make-up artists, day spa beauticians, beauticians and facialists and the teenage print instruction manual that comes with luxury face creams wouldn’t have it any other way! Start at the base of your neck and work your way up to your chin. Then sweep outward along the jaw line, from the chin to the ears, under the nose to the cheekbones to the temples, in a capital C. Blend the eye cream from the inner eye near the nose, in a hammock following the under eye area . They subtly lift the face while massaging upwards and outwards.

3. Apply brow makeup before eye makeup, not after

Unless you’ve tattooed or microbladed your eyebrows, or have genetically strong, full brows, your own aren’t what they used to be. Fill in and lengthen your brow shape before moving on to liner, shadow and mascara to give your eye area a brand new, larger frame. This “window” affects how much eye makeup you need or want — and maybe it’s not as much as you thought. Dark hair? Go a shade or two lighter when it comes to brow makeup. Bright hair? Go a shade or two darker on the brow filler.

4. Start and stop brow makeup where it should be

Improving or inventing mature brows is a big problem, but we often pay too much attention to fullness and shape, not length. That’s why “corrected” eyebrows fall short. Align any pin vertically from the outer corner of your nose to align with your inner corner of your eye. This is where your brow should start. Fill in your eyebrows with small, hair-like, upward pencil strokes, then run the pencil from your nose to the outer corner of your eye. This is where your brow should end. Warning: Don’t follow the downward curve of drooping brow hairs. Instead, sweep the line outwards for a straighter look and pluck hairs that draw your eye down. Comb the brow hairs upwards and fill them in with pencil and/or powder from bottom to top.

Before you spend 20 minutes in the morning dousing yourself with makeup, consider this: A new study suggests that men and women prefer faces that wear less makeup.

In the study, published in the Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, both men and women were shown pictures of women wearing different amounts of makeup and asked which ones they found more attractive. Both genders overwhelmingly preferred women with 30 to 40 percent less makeup than they originally wore.

“So looking more natural makes you appear more attractive to others,” says Dr. Alex Jones, co-author of the study and researcher at Bangor University’s School of Psychology.

However, research also showed that not only do women think that men prefer lots of makeup, but men do too.

“It seems we’re all pretty bad at understanding what other people find attractive, and this can lead to self-esteem issues…” Jones told TODAY in an email. He is particularly interested in how we make ourselves attractive to the opposite sex and whether these behaviors work. This is similar, for example, to the belief that men find thin figures attractive while women like muscular bodies, which research has also shown to be inaccurate, he says.

For the study, 44 women were photographed without any makeup and then applied makeup for a night out. Researchers created a series of intermediate photos, and participants could scroll through the images of models with different amounts of makeup.

“We know that makeup increases attractiveness, but before that, we didn’t know — at least scientifically — that there’s a lot that looks best, and that people out there in the world agree on how much that is.” is,” he says.

In a similar 2011 study cited in The New York Times, viewers perceived women who wore more makeup — but not too much — as more competent, likeable, and trustworthy. The research also found that cosmetics increase women’s attractiveness.

In the last few months I have read several essays that combine makeup and professionalism. Written by stylish women working in American corporations, these articles insist that daily makeup application is a must for working women and that not doing so can tarnish your image of competence and reliability. They inevitably cite a recent study whose findings show that women who wear just the right amount of makeup appear more trustworthy and likeable to most observers. And they’re sending readers to Sephora to stock up on supplies.

I never experimented with makeup as a girl and didn’t even learn to pluck my eyebrows until I was 30. The older I get, the more I rely on cosmetics to define and conceal, sculpt and enhance my facial features. And while I’d rather spend my precious minutes reading, sleeping, or kissing my husband, I don’t take offense to my ever-growing makeup routine.

However, I reject the implication that a woman without makeup does not belong in the workplace or that applying makeup is essential to professional success. And here’s why:

advertisement

Laws versus police

I encourage my readers and customers to choose clothing that fits their figure and exudes their confidence and self-esteem. I believe that dressing is a social contract and that understanding the norms of choosing the right clothes for different life situations will facilitate human relationships. But I’m also aware that there are laws about clothing. Current laws that apply to both men and women. In order to be able to walk in public and avoid being fined or arrested, people must be clothed. And since we have to get dressed anyway, I think we can do it expressively and with a good feeling. Because dressing is social, we can also make style choices that make us appear elegant, impressive, and confident. In my view, therefore, gaining an understanding of how to dress is both beneficial and necessary.

There are no laws about wearing makeup. Makeup is completely optional everywhere. Although some men wear makeup, most makeup consumers and wearers are women. And telling these women that they should feel obligated to put on makeup every day to gain the respect and admiration of their peers is to monitor their behavior based solely on social norms. To say that makeup is essential to performance in the workplace is to promote the belief that depicting traditional femininity is the only path to professional success for women. Insisting on a set of grooming behaviors that don’t remove dirt or odor, don’t make something that’s inherently messy look neater, and really only serve to “enhance” or “enhance” certain facial features is meant to keep women from doing it remembering that their physical selves will never be acceptable in their natural state.

advertisement

I understand that there are many voluntary behaviors that people engage in to achieve their personal goals, many things that we do because they are useful but not necessary. And yet this case is so focused on forcing women to be and look a certain way that I feel it’s more about reinforcing existing social norms than it is about women’s professional success secure as a group.

The Fine Line

But what about this study, you ask? Well, first off, it was funded by Procter & Gamble, a company that manufactures and sells makeup and was no doubt thrilled to see results combining makeup and trustworthiness. But perhaps more importantly, the results emphasized that “glamorous” is too much, while “naked” is not enough. Applying just the right amount of eye shadow and blush will make you appear more competent, reliable and loveable. But overdo it and “there may be a loss of confidence”.

So not only are you asked to spend money on cosmetics and devote your time and energy to applying them, you also need to be very careful not to under or over apply or you risk ruining everything. Without makeup, you’re unprofessional, inexperienced, a hippie or a kid or a socially forgetful loser. With too much makeup you’re unprofessional in a whole different way, still socially forgetful but more on the end of the sexualized diva spectrum.

There are, of course, parallels to dressing here: women are expected not to dress too dated or too sloppy. Fall too far to one side and risk ridicule and reprimand from the lady police machinery built into modern society. That’s not something you’ll ever hear me defend. But again, wearing clothes is a legal requirement, and since you’re going to have to get dressed anyway, aligning your legally-mandated attire with social expectations can be to your advantage. Makeup is optional. And if you’re not naturally keen and judged negatively for not putting on just the right amount, why even bother?

Focus on performance

I give presentations on professional dress and grooming for college seniors and women’s leadership programs, so you’ll never hear me say that how you present yourself in professional situations is irrelevant. But here’s a tidbit that goes into every single talk I give: Manners, demeanor, dress, grooming, and general appearance form the first layers of information about ourselves that we offer to the observing world. They may not be the most important, but they are the first, which makes them worth the effort and attention.

advertisement

What I want to convey to my listeners is that blending personal style and comfort preferences with environmental expectations can help you create looks that feel great and allow you to forget all about how you look so you can on your message, your work, your passion. I also remind them that poorly applied makeup is generally considered worse than no makeup at all, and that it’s perfectly fine to not wear it. I want them to feel confident and confident, and I want them to think about their goals more than their shoes.

By telling women that a perfectly applied makeup is a prerequisite for professional success, we are telling them that their looks are more important than their knowledge or achievements. We tell them that their natural faces will distract people, that no matter the circumstance, being pretty is necessary, that showing femininity in the right way is not only helpful but essential. Insisting on makeup becoming an integral part of a working woman’s daily life subtly tells her that it doesn’t matter how smart or creative or innovative or capable she is if she doesn’t look right. And that is obviously wrong.

Having admitted to being a makeup novice myself, I realize I may sound defensive. And maybe I am. As I read this barrage of makeup career articles, the basic message I got was, “If you don’t wear makeup, you don’t look like an adult to other adults.” And this one Emotion makes me want to break things. Some adult women wear makeup and some don’t. Learning to apply makeup is a rite of passage for many, but it’s not a skill required for admission to the Grown-Ass Woman Club. Nothing more than having children or going to college or losing your virginity or working outside the home or any other arbitrary characteristics of so-called “real” womanhood. Being a woman can happen in an infinite number of ways, and pursuing a successful career path can have an infinite impact. Savvy, professional adult women can take on the world at any age, at any stage, and in any way they see fit.

Objectification theory (Fredrickson & Roberts, 1997) suggests that women in Western cultures are reduced to their bodies and physical appearance, as evidenced by the ubiquitous use of sexualization in the media. Sexualization is a set of traits that emphasize sexuality by focusing on body parts (e.g., women wearing revealing clothing) and facial parts (e.g., flashy lipstick and “smoky eyes”): smolak, murnen & Myers, 2014). Content analysis of advertisements revealed that female bodies and faces are often sexualized in visual media (Stankiewicz & Roselli, 2008). As a result, American women spend billions of dollars each year on cosmetics to meet these sexualized beauty standards (Kumar, 2005) and to enhance their perceived beauty and attractiveness (Graham & Jouhar, 1981). Cosmetics can also modulate impressions related to women’s personality, although research has come up with mixed results: women who wear makeup sometimes become more positive (e.g., warmer) and often more negative (e.g., less moral ) (for an overview see Richetin, Huguet & Croizet, 2007).

Aside from impression formation, very little is known about how makeup affects the way people visually process women’s faces. Indeed, most sexualization and objectification studies have focused on how people visually process the mind and ascribe to sexualized bodies that appear in mainstream media (for reviews see Bernard, Gervais, & Klein, 2018; Ward, 2016). The present paper examines whether facial sexualization, or the emphasis on sexuality through facial stimuli, changes the way people see the faces of ordinary women. We propose that, similar to body sexualization, facial sexualization may trigger cognitive objectification. This means that faces with make-up can be processed in a less configured way than faces without make-up.

Why are made-up women’s faces cognitively objectified? Cognitive objectification studies have been informative about how people visually process images of sexualized bodies that appear in the visual media, but have remained silent on whether more subtle manifestations of sexualization, such as the use of heavy makeup, affect the manner could be how people see women. Sexualization can be communicated through physical cues (Hatton & Trautner, 2011), but also through facial cues (e.g. pursing the lips: Messineo, 2008). Sexualization research has mainly focused on the sexualization of the body (e.g. Bernard et al., 2019) and it therefore remains unclear whether facial sexualization could affect the way humans visually process women’s faces. The present study hypothesized that facial sexualization might decrease configural facial processing. Consistent with this hypothesis, Tanaka (2016) found that faces wearing lipstick were associated with larger N170s than faces without makeup (but eye shadow did not modulate the N170), suggesting that cosmetics evoke subtle changes in facial processing. However, this study relied only on faces for which configurational face information remained intact (i.e., not altered by, e.g., inversion or scrambling). Whether made-up faces are processed less configuratively than faces without make-up therefore remains an open question. We hypothesized that faces with makeup would be processed less configured than faces without makeup. We relied on a whole/parts paradigm in which parts of the face were either presented in isolation or in a whole-face context. For faces without makeup, we expected that recognition performance would be improved if face parts were presented in an overall face context rather than in isolation, demonstrating configurational processing. For made-up faces, we predicted that face parts would be recognized equally well when presented in isolation compared to an overall face context, demonstrating the configurational processing of the lower face. We also examined whether the effect of facial sexualization on facial processing was moderated by makeup position (eyes vs. mouth). Finally, we also examined and reported on the response times associated with recognition performance. In fact, response times are important to consider for two reasons. The reaction times indicate whether the participants followed the instructions correctly, i. H. completed the recognition task as quickly as possible. In addition, the response times also allow us to test whether there is a speed-accuracy bias at play, i. H. whether the interaction between target face sexualization and the recognition task might be driven by spending more time looking at face parts versus whole faces with makeup vs. no makeup.

Method We reported manipulations and exclusions in the pre-registration of the experiment (http://aspredicted.org/blind.php?x=cbyc6k). Based on the study by Bernard, Gervais, Allen, Campomizzi et al. (2015), using a whole/parts paradigm including images of sexualized bodies (i.e., d=0.46), G*Power indicated that a sample size of 52 participants was necessary to detect such an effect size, with p < 0.05 and a power of 0.90. 60 college students took part in the experiment. Before the analysis, we performed an outlier analysis of the mean absolute deviation (MAD) (Leys, Ley, Klein, Bernard & Licata, 2013) with a conservative criterion (±3 MAD) for both the recognition values ​​and the reaction times. This analysis revealed that there were no outliers when looking at recognition values. However, the reaction times of two participants were extremely slow (+3 MAD). These participants were therefore excluded from the sample because the instructions emphasized the importance of responding as quickly as possible. The final sample included 58 participants (54 females; M-age = 19.90, SD = 2.53; 72% of the sample were either Belgian or French) who were college students who participated in the present experiment in exchange for course credits participated. Participants completed a task to recognize whole faces and parts of faces (Seitz, 2002; Tanaka & Farah, 1993) and then completed a questionnaire containing sociodemographic and manipulation testing questions ('This woman wears a lot of makeup' and 'This woman is being sexualized presented” on a 7-point scale from 1 = completely disagree to 7 = completely agree). The recognition task included images of six women who wore no makeup and the same six women who wore makeup. We selected images of three real women's faces and three images of other women's faces from the internet. Faces were associated with neutral facial expressions and wore no makeup. All women looked at the camera. We used a virtual makeover technology (ModiFace) to create six faces with makeup (Figure 1 for examples). The whole/part recognition task (Tanaka & Farah, 1993) included two types of trials. In full-face trials, participants first saw an image of a full face (image size = 6.30 × 8.66 inches) for four seconds, followed by a blank screen for one second, and then during a decision phase were asked to choose the original image from two images whole faces. One was the original and the other was a modified version of that original image. The eyes or mouth were slightly enlarged or reduced via image editing software (for a specific part of the face, we double-clicked the "Enlarge" or "Reduce" tool after selecting that part of the face). We chose to mod facial parts rather than using different instances of facial parts as distractors, as the latter strategy would have made mods too noticeable and easy to spot, resulting in a ceiling effect. In face part trials, the stimuli were identical except that the original vs. modified face parts were presented in isolation (i.e., not in the context of the whole face) in the decision phase (image size = 6.30 × 1.50 inches). The recognition task included 96 attempts and took approximately 10 minutes. Recognition scores were calculated as the percentage of correctly identified images for a given stimulus category. We agree to share de-identified data files from this research with other qualified professionals upon request to corroborate the conclusions of the research. Results Manipulation Test Participants rated made-up female faces as more sexualized (M=3.39, SE=0.24) than the same faces without make-up (M=1.41, SE=0.08), F(1,57)= 81.32, p<0.001, 95% CI = [1.54, 2.41], η p2 = 0.59. In addition, faces with makeup were found to have more makeup (M=4.95, SE=0.19) than the same faces without makeup (M=1.27, SE=0.07), F(1, 57) = 373.08, p < 0.001, 95 rated % CI = [3.30, 4.06], η p 2 = 0.87. Sexualization and makeup ratings were highly correlated, r(56)=0.58, p<0.001. Recognition Performance We submitted recognition scores for a 2 (face sexualization: no makeup, makeup) × 2 (recognition task: whole; isolated parts) × 2 (face parts: eyes; mouth) repeated measures ANOVA. The main effect of facial sexualization was not significant, F(1,57) = 0.95, p = 0.334, 95% CI = [-0.010, 0.030], η p 2 = 0.02. ANOVA revealed a main effect of the recognition task, F(1,57) = 5.12, p = 0.028, 95% CI = [0.003, 0.043], η p 2 = 0.08, recognizing facial parts better in the context of whole faces (M=0.67, SE=0.013) than isolated (M=0.65, SE=0.013). Contrary to our hypothesis, the interaction between facial sexualization and the recognition task was not significant, F(1,57) = 1.72, p = 0.195, η p 2 = 0.03. However, there was a significant interaction between facial sexualization, recognition task, and facial parts (i.e., eyes vs. mouths), F(1,57) = 6.52, p = 0.013, η p 2 = 0.10. We therefore examined whether the interaction between the recognition task and facial sexualization was moderated by facial parts. As expected, for bare faces (see Figure 2) we found a main effect of the recognition task, F(1,57) = 4.87, p = 0.031, 95% CI = [0.004, 0.073], η p 2 = 0.08, where facial parts are better recognized in the context of whole faces (M = 0.68, SE = 0.016) than in isolated representation (M = 0.64, SE = 0.016) and this pattern was not moderated by facial parts, F(1, 57) = 3.27, p = 0.076, η p2 = 0.05. Importantly, and in support of our hypothesis, the main effect of the made-up face recognition task was not significant, F(1,57) = 0.29, p = 0.594, 95% CI = [−0.020, 0.034], η p 2 = 0.005 , where Face parts in the context of whole faces (M = 0.657, SE = 0.014) were recognized equally well as isolated (M = 0.650, SE = 0.013). This pattern was qualified by a significant interaction between recognition task and face parts, F(1,57) = 5.41, p = 0.024, η p 2 = 0.09: eyes with makeup were recognized equally well regardless of whether Eyes presented in context were whole faces (M=0.66, SE=0.021) vs. isolated (M=0.69, SE=0.019), F(1,57)=2.82, p=0.099,95 % CI = [-0.079, 0.007], ηp2 = 0.047. Although this difference did not reach significance, it should be noted that made-up eyes were better recognized in isolation than in the context of whole faces at a descriptive level. In contrast, we found the opposite pattern for mouths with lipstick, with mouths being better recognized in the context of whole faces (M=0.66, SE=0.021) than in isolation (M=0.61, SE=0.019), F( 1, 57 ) = 4.30, p = 0.043, 95% CI = [0.002, 0.099], η p 2 = 0.07 (for additional secondary results see Supplementary Materials). Finally, since we used three images we took ourselves and three images we took from the internet, we also examined whether the results were moderated by the type of stimuli. Adding this factor into the model does not change the pattern of results we reported above. Taken together, our results suggest that faces without makeup were recognized configurationally, with facial parts being recognized better when presented in the context of whole faces than when presented in isolation. In contrast, for faces with makeup, facial parts were recognized equally well whether presented in the context of whole faces or in isolation, indicating less configuration processing, and this pattern was specifically driven by eye makeup. Response times A separated 2 (face sexualization: no makeup, makeup) × 2 (recognition task: whole faces; isolated face parts) × 2 (face parts: eyes; mouth) Repeated measures ANOVA revealed a main effect of the recognition task, F( 1, 57) = 86.53, p < 0.001, 95% CI = [616, 955], η p 2 = 0.60: Face parts presented in the context of whole faces were associated with slower responses (M = 3470 ms, SE = 149 ) than with isolated representation (M = 2685 ms, SE = 96). The main effect of facial sexualization, F(1, 57) = 0.80, p = 0.38, 95% CI = [-145, 55], η p 2 = 0.01, the interaction between facial sexualization and the recognition task, F( 1, 57) = 0.63, p = 0.43, η p 2 = 0.01, and the interaction between facial sexualization, recognition task, and facial parts, F(1, 57) = 0.11, p = 0.74, η p 2 = 0.002, were not significant (see Supplementary Materials for additional secondary results). Overall, participants spent more time looking at images of whole faces than parts of faces during the recognition phase. Importantly, the lack of interaction between facial sexualization and the recognition task suggests that the lower configurational processing of faces with makeup is not driven by more time spent looking at these stimuli.

By Samantha Critchell

“A lot of what we’re hearing from consumers is that it’s frustrating to find products that work for them,” said Karen Grant, senior beauty analyst at NPD, a consumer research firm.

According to the NPD, based on an online study of 5,657 women, 84 percent between the ages of 18 and 64 have worn makeup in the past year.

Black women are the least likely to use makeup and skin care products, Grant reported.

This may be because they are probably the hardest to match these products to their skin color and treatment needs.

However, they are the biggest users of fragrances.

Overall, Hispanic women are the most likely to use makeup. Across all age groups, the number is over 86 percent. “I think it relates to a cultural view of femininity and disguise,” Grant said.

Among younger white women ages 18 to 34, 85 percent wear makeup, but that proportion drops to 77 percent of women age 55 and older. Conversely, older Asian women — 85 percent — say they wear makeup, versus 82 percent of the younger group.

Younger black women were the least likely to wear makeup at 61 percent, while 71 percent of black women over the age of 55 reported wearing it.

There was a similar pattern in skincare, Grant said.

Less than 20 percent of black women reported using anti-aging products on their face.

“It’s not that they always age well; they just age differently,” Grant said. “You’re more likely to see birthmarks or spots than lines and wrinkles.”

Direct sellers Mary Kay and Avon resonate well with black women because this type of sale offers an opportunity to see the full color and product range of the brands, rather than a limited group pre-selected by a retailer.

Respondents were asked, “Who makes products for someone like me?” One name that appeared in the top 10 makeup lists across almost every ethnic group was Bare Escentuals.

Otherwise, Black women chose Fashion Fair and MAC as their top 2, Asian women Shiseido and MAC, and White and Hispanic women both named CoverGirl and Maybelline.

It’s become an increasingly conscious choice at Bare Escentuals to offer products that work for women of all skin types, said Staci Wilson, senior vice president of brand awareness, who noted that over the past year, three darker shades of foundation have been launched with black women in mind were introduced.

The particular challenge of BareMinerals’ company’s products is that they all start with a white titanium dioxide powder, so it took some time to figure out how to get darker pigments to stick, she said. The company also pays attention to light and darkness when it comes to decorative cosmetics.

For example, there are 10 shades of plum lipstick to complement the lightest skin with the darkest skin, Wilson said. And she said the packaging for a new lip gloss collection features women of different races.

Big mass cosmetics companies like CoverGirl and Revlon have also made efforts to include models with different skin tones in their advertisements.

As celebrity spokespeople, Revlon has Halle Berry, Eva Mendes, Kate Bosworth, and Susan Sarandon, and CoverGirl has Keri Russell and Queen Latifah.

Latifah recently launched her own collection under the CoverGirl umbrella, aimed at black women.

It was tested in 18 markets, mainly in the country’s largest cities, but it was so successful that it was recently rolled out nationwide – including in suburban and more rural areas.

However, according to NPD’s Grant, there’s not much standing in the way of customer loyalty when you look at beauty habits. In prestige skincare, for example, over-the-counter product sales decline almost as fast as new product launches increase sales volume in the category.

“Women try a lot, especially anything new. …People will try just about anything if they think it will make them look better. Hello Botox! (It is) in fact one of the most toxic naturally occurring substances in the world. The quest for the fountain of youth has never ended,” Grant said.

A breakdown of beauty product preferences by ethnicity, according to the NPD online poll:

•Asians: Most likely to use sunscreen and after-sun products. They also use facial moisturizers, cleansers, and lip care products most often.

In decorative cosmetics, Asians are most likely to use bronzers and shimmer sticks on a daily basis.

•Hispanic: Leader in daily use of mascara, blush, eyeliner and lipstick.

•Black: The most common carriers of lip gloss and fragrance.

•White: The most common foundation users, with 43 percent of Caucasian makeup wearers using foundation every day.

But Grant said that for women of all skin types, there’s a general shift in the type of foundation they choose and the way they use it.

More and more women are moving away from liquids — although they remain the most popular form — toward powdered and mineral-based forms.

Foundation is also used to accentuate facial features for a more natural look rather than to cover up imperfections.

Almost three quarters of men say they find women more attractive when they wear less makeup; However, they think the natural look is more likely to take hours of effort and lots of special makeup tricks, a study says.

The new study from QVC, an online website for cosmetics brands, found that nearly a third of men said their partner doesn’t wear makeup.

However, in a survey, just 3 percent of women said they are always fully nude, while one in seven admits they are not always honest about their beauty regimen, sometimes telling people they wear less makeup, than they actually are, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

It seems that cosmetics play a huge role in empowering women, as even those who want to achieve a natural look are reluctant to ditch their makeup altogether. In fact, well over two-thirds of women feel most comfortable in their skin after applying make-up.

Alison Young, QVC Beauty Expert, said: “Well this season, especially in the upcoming summer months, it’s all about the heat, it’s all about waterproof makeup, but our survey also showed that it’s all about the natural look , but the natural look can rival 30 minutes of daytime makeup application to actually achieve and maintain.”

Additionally, the QVC Beauty study found that 68 percent of women believe perfectly flawless skin and styled hair are the most important ingredients in making them feel beautiful.

A third of women also say they feel most confident in warmer weather, despite wearing less makeup with other big confidence boosters, including a compliment from a friend.

Dutch people are straight people – no beating about the bush here – but could it be that their no-bullshit attitude extends to personal appearance decisions as well?

One thing that will surely strike you after spending some time in the Netherlands is that people (well, Dutch women, to be exact) wear a lot less makeup than you’re used to.

That doesn’t mean they don’t take care of themselves – just that there isn’t the same makeup culture as in many other countries. 💁‍♀️

So, dress up for a night? Or frantically apply mascara on the way to work? you do you! But don’t feel like you have to wear it – others probably won’t.

What is it?

Well it really is a choice. 👏 However, for internationals coming from cultures where most women wear makeup every day, it can come as a bit of a shock to see Dutchmen walk into the club without the faintest hint of a highlighter.

In 2020, makeup accounted for only 13.3% of the cosmetics market share in the Netherlands, while it accounts for 16% globally.

So instead of spending money on make-up, the Dutch spend it on skincare (which had the largest market share of beauty products in the Netherlands in 2020). ✨

Why are they doing it?

One answer is directness – because what is more obvious than a person’s skin?

Another hypothesis is the Dutch weather. ☔ Imagine wearing a full face of makeup just to venture onto your bike and have it all washed off by the rain – no thanks!

Honestly, no one knows exactly why except the person making the decision on whether to wear it or not.

Why is it quirky?

Many of us are just used to at least covering up the dark circles from the night before before heading to work.

In the Netherlands, however, you can stare at your boss’s bare face during the morning meeting – and nobody bats an eyelid.

should you join

If you want to! Whether you wear makeup daily, occasionally, or never is a personal choice. The great thing about living in the Netherlands is that people probably won’t comment on your decision and just respect it!

What do you think of this Dutch idiosyncrasy? Did you experience it? Tell us in the comments below!

Featured image: T.DenTeam/Depositphotos

When it comes to beauty, different nationalities spend more on different things or use things more often than other nationalities. But who exactly spends the most on skincare or surgeries, and which nationality uses the most? We probably all have an inkling of which nationalities and countries we expect to be the winners – but maybe we’ll be a little surprised.

skincare

Research has shown that Asian Americans are the top spenders in the world on skin care. On average, Asian Americans spend 70% more on skin care than the general US population. They also spent more on fragrances, cosmetics and hair products!

Quality skin care can often come at a high price, and many people are willing to pay that price to get the best care for their skin. Many nationalities spend big bucks, but Asian Americans tend to spend more, perhaps due to the rise in popularity of some products that were originally only sold in the Asian market but are now available worldwide – South Korean skin care products like Snail Extract Face Cream, which are widely lauded as amazing products today.

These products are now so much more accessible to Asian American people in the US, which is why they totally outperform other nationalities when it comes to the amount of spending on such products.

Health

When it comes to health, there are several things to consider. Some countries, like the UK, offer a public health service, but there is also the option to go private. However, in some other countries, private health care is the only option as people pay for health insurance to cover all medical bills. Against this background, which nationalities spend more on their health?

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the US tops the list. Global healthcare spending has increased dramatically since the 1980s and the US population spends at least 8.9% of their total GDP on healthcare. However, despite this high spending, the US population is far from the healthiest of nations.

surgery

Knowing that the US spends the most on its health, it’s also not surprising that the population of the United States performs the highest number of cosmetic surgeries – be it for medical or aesthetic reasons. However, if you were to go by percentage of the population rather than sheer numbers, South Korea would come out on top as a far larger percentage of South Korea’s population chooses to have surgery compared to the US, which has far more actual people opt for it.

Form

Makeup is big business around the world. With big brand names stretching all over the world and other niche brands only available in certain countries, women are sure to spend big on cosmetics. But which nationality spends the most – and which country consumes the most?

Both men and women in the United States spend the most on cosmetics, closely followed by men and women in Japan. France, Germany and the UK follow closely behind.

When it comes to usage, the US also tops the list, with Japan being the Asian country that consumes the most, and the UK and Russia being the European countries with the highest cosmetic consumption. Despite spending a lot of money on makeup, the Chinese and Brazilians still don’t use quite as much as these other countries.

But why are women all over the world spending so much on all these things: skin care, health, makeup and even surgeries. Sometimes it’s for her own confidence, sometimes for her partner, sometimes to attract a new partner – maybe by using flirt dating sites for example. Each woman will have her own particular reason for paying what she does for each of these cases – and who are we to judge?

Purchase and consumption of these services and products vary from nationality to nationality, and as shown above, sometimes the nationality with the largest number of purchasers or users is not necessarily the nationality with the highest percentage of users or purchasers.

Photo: Ben Knight

Turn on the TV and there are the gorgeous Gossip Girls. Flip through a magazine and all the models are airbrushed. This pressure on young girls is nothing new, but it has evolved. When you were a teenager, did you upload your picture to Facebook to share with all your peers?

Makeup artist Bobbi Brown says she’s seeing a trend for girls to wear more makeup as they get younger. “I used to reserve black eyeliner and a bit of smoky eyes for 18-year-olds, but there are a lot of 15- and 16-year-old girls who are wearing it now,” she says. “Ten years ago they would never have done that, but today almost every girl wants black eyeliner.” Brown isn’t against makeup on young teens if done right. “All girls are beautiful — what it takes is time,” she says. “Find what makes you special.” Then use makeup to enhance that natural beauty. Brown suggests looking for role models who are genuinely beautiful, like tennis champion Venus Williams, golf pro Morgan Pressel, and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. “Strong is beautiful,” she says. “Thin is not.”

As views of women have become more inclusive, so has the visibility of revealing clothing in pop culture and the media over the years. This increase in popularity prompted many women to try it too. In this article, we tell you all about the reasons why women wear revealing clothes.

What is revealing clothing?

Revealing clothing can vary from person to person. Because fashion is a subjective subject, the number of opinions and meanings will vary among the population.

Having said that, these are the garments that are widely recognized as revealing.

Short tops

All tops showing skin assumed to be covered are included. Some examples are off the shoulder, crop tops that expose the belly button, and spaghetti straps.

low cut tops

Tops that reveal the chest area like a V-neckline belong on the list.

Short shorts

Shorts that do not cover the knees will be considered random due to the depiction of the legs.

Figure-hugging clothing

Clothing that emphasizes the female figure is considered revealing. Areas like hips, breasts and buttocks are the areas that this type of clothing emphasizes the most.

Of course, this list can be much shorter or longer due to various societal factors. This list is only a generalization and does not claim to be exhaustive or exhaustive.

Now that we know what type of clothing is considered revealing, we can answer the question: why do women wear them?

To increase trust

It’s no secret that women in our society are hugely valued for their beauty and looks. Whether you wear what people consider revealing or conservative, women’s fashion is judged.

Because a large number of women wear revealing clothing as a source of self-determination, especially if you live in a more conservative community. Her subversive fashion sense is a testament to her confidence in herself and her body.

Show your individuality

Fashion is a way of showing who you are. It’s an art of self-expression and a way to demonstrate one’s individuality. This art also applies to revealing clothing.

A woman might have a brief explanation of her fashion sense, she just wants it. This is a very valid reason to wear this type of clothing.

Garments that showcase a woman’s individuality and self-reflection are an incredible way to empower yourself.

Higher economic status

Believe it or not, according to these studies, people of lower economic status choose more revealing clothing. It is speculated that this was because revealing cloth clothing was seen as desirable. Women at the lower end are economically attracted.

If a woman shows up to a company interview wearing only jeans and not a pencil skirt, she has a reduced chance of getting the job. Revealing clothing can increase women’s economic and social status. Clothing that is large and not form fitting is often associated with the working class.

As much as this point is a testament to how society treats women, it can also be a powerful tool for self-determination. The rise of women who find success with their subversive fashion is tremendous testament to their determination and drive.

More variety

It’s no secret that the majority of women’s clothing is perceived as revealing. Crop tops and shorts are a staple of women’s fashion, especially in the 2000s. When women are restricted to only fitting into what society considers to be non- revealing or appropriate attire, they have fewer wardrobe choices.

A rise in contemporary fashion in recent years is very noticeable. Aesthetics like alt, goth, y2k and many more have made their way onto social media. Garments that are considered revealing are more likely to be accepted in the mainstream.

You can watch this video if you want an in-depth guide on this fashion aesthetic.

Feminine Empowerment

With the rise of female empowerment, revealing clothing has become synonymous with this movement. Of course, wearing skimpy and subversive outfits is not just one way to demonstrate empowerment as a woman.

Uncovering the relationship between clothing and female empowerment goes a long way. For most of history, women have been looked down upon and considered inferior to the opposite sex. This belief leads to stricter and more arbitrary customs towards women.

Then there’s her clothes. Many fashions of yesteryear cover a lot of women’s skin to the point that showing ankles is scandalous. By choosing to wear whatever they want, women can be reminded of just how far they’ve come.

Imitate their idols

Many women, just like other people, want to imitate their idols. The majority of pop culture icons these days can have a more provocative fashion sense. Icons like Rihanna and Nicki Minaj are known for their revealing outfits and sense of style.

One of the reasons some women choose to wear revealing clothing is to imitate the people they look up to. Of course, it doesn’t have to be a celebrity or an icon. A family member or friend showing how great it is to be a woman can also be a fashion inspiration.

As they say, imitation is the best form of flattery. Taking fashion inspiration from someone you idolize is a great way to pay tribute to them.

The weather

The annual rise in temperature made it difficult to wear clothing that covered the skin. Imagine wearing sweatpants and long-sleeved shirts at 38°C. This is going to be awkward.

Choosing appropriate clothing for the summer season is good for your health as it reduces the risk of dehydration and heat stroke. Most shorts and tank tops are designed to cool a person down and reduce their body temperature.

Clothing that is usually worn in hot seasons can be considered revealing if it is just a commodity for comfort and health.

Revealing clothing for the right place

Everyone loves to blend in with the crowd. If you go to the bar or the beach, you are not expected to wear clothes that cover everything. Form-fitting clothing and clothes that show skins are a staple in these places. Wearing bulky sweaters and jackets will make you stand out.

If you dress in a way that society may find provocative, it is best to know where and when to choose that type of clothing.

To please others

It’s safe to say that people want to blend in with the crowd. As mentioned above, wearing revealing clothing for the right place is one of the reasons women wear revealing clothing.

However, remember that women wear revealing clothes to please themselves and not others. Our modern society has this misconception that women want to please others, especially men.

As mentioned above, women wear revealing clothing for themselves and not for others. Assuming and believing this is absurd and objectifying.

Because they can!

Last but not least, and the most important reason of all: because they can. A woman’s decision to wear revealing clothing should not be an issue as long as it doesn’t hurt other people. They have the right to wear whatever they want without the harsh judgment of society.

Throughout history, women have always suffered from unfair treatment. If wearing clothing that society deems revealing or inappropriate is how she wants to deal with it, leave her alone.

Everyone has the right to do whatever they want as long as they don’t hurt others and break the law.

Always be respectful. Don’t let prejudice dictate your opinion. A kind and open mind is the key to more knowledge and sympathy.

Now that we know why women wear revealing clothes, let’s now learn what are NOT the reasons women wear skimpy clothes.

Women want attention

It’s a common notion that women wear revealing clothing to attract attention. This belief is not just limited to the opposite sex, but extends to other women as well.

People tend to do things they want for themselves, and women do the same. It is not good to assume their motives.

Offer sexual interest

Unfortunately, many sexual assaults are reduced to one question: What are the women wearing?

This way of thinking is very harmful for everyone. It assumes that women who dress a certain way deserve to be objectified and have their rights stripped if this is further from the truth.

Whether a woman wears provocative or conservative clothing, everyone deserves a certain level of respect. To suggest that someone should not do this just by the standard of their dress is detrimental to the development of our society.

Respect is key to treating others with sympathy and kindness. If you know that these people have the same rights as you, it is much easier not to pass on prejudice against others.

Don’t equate a person’s worth with their clothing.

Finally

There are many reasons why women wear revealing clothing. Whatever kind of clothing someone wears, it is better not to make any form of judgment and prejudice.

We hope you learned a lot from this article. If you have any other fashion and clothing related questions, leave a comment below.

In the last few months I have read several essays that combine makeup and professionalism. Written by stylish women working in American corporations, these articles insist that daily makeup application is a must for working women and that not doing so can tarnish your image of competence and reliability. They inevitably cite a recent study whose findings show that women who wear just the right amount of makeup appear more trustworthy and likeable to most observers. And they’re sending readers to Sephora to stock up on supplies.

I never experimented with makeup as a girl and didn’t even learn to pluck my eyebrows until I was 30. The older I get, the more I rely on cosmetics to define and conceal, sculpt and enhance my facial features. And while I’d rather spend my precious minutes reading, sleeping, or kissing my husband, I don’t take offense to my ever-growing makeup routine.

However, I reject the implication that a woman without makeup does not belong in the workplace or that applying makeup is essential to professional success. And here’s why:

advertisement

Laws versus police

I encourage my readers and customers to choose clothing that fits their figure and exudes their confidence and self-esteem. I believe that dressing is a social contract and that understanding the norms of choosing the right clothes for different life situations will facilitate human relationships. But I’m also aware that there are laws about clothing. Current laws that apply to both men and women. In order to be able to walk in public and avoid being fined or arrested, people must be clothed. And since we have to get dressed anyway, I think we can do it expressively and with a good feeling. Because dressing is social, we can also make style choices that make us appear elegant, impressive, and confident. In my view, therefore, gaining an understanding of how to dress is both beneficial and necessary.

There are no laws about wearing makeup. Makeup is completely optional everywhere. Although some men wear makeup, most makeup consumers and wearers are women. And telling these women that they should feel obligated to put on makeup every day to gain the respect and admiration of their peers is to monitor their behavior based solely on social norms. To say that makeup is essential to performance in the workplace is to promote the belief that depicting traditional femininity is the only path to professional success for women. Insisting on a set of grooming behaviors that don’t remove dirt or odor, don’t make something that’s inherently messy look neater, and really only serve to “enhance” or “enhance” certain facial features is meant to keep women from doing it remembering that their physical selves will never be acceptable in their natural state.

advertisement

I understand that there are many voluntary behaviors that people engage in to achieve their personal goals, many things that we do because they are useful but not necessary. And yet this case is so focused on forcing women to be and look a certain way that I feel it’s more about reinforcing existing social norms than it is about women’s professional success secure as a group.

The Fine Line

But what about this study, you ask? Well, first off, it was funded by Procter & Gamble, a company that manufactures and sells makeup and was no doubt thrilled to see results combining makeup and trustworthiness. But perhaps more importantly, the results emphasized that “glamorous” is too much, while “naked” is not enough. Applying just the right amount of eye shadow and blush will make you appear more competent, reliable and loveable. But overdo it and “there may be a loss of confidence”.

So not only are you asked to spend money on cosmetics and devote your time and energy to applying them, you also need to be very careful not to under or over apply or you risk ruining everything. Without makeup, you’re unprofessional, inexperienced, a hippie or a kid or a socially forgetful loser. With too much makeup you’re unprofessional in a whole different way, still socially forgetful but more on the end of the sexualized diva spectrum.

There are, of course, parallels to dressing here: women are expected not to dress too dated or too sloppy. Fall too far to one side and risk ridicule and reprimand from the lady police machinery built into modern society. That’s not something you’ll ever hear me defend. But again, wearing clothes is a legal requirement, and since you’re going to have to get dressed anyway, aligning your legally-mandated attire with social expectations can be to your advantage. Makeup is optional. And if you’re not naturally keen and judged negatively for not putting on just the right amount, why even bother?

Focus on performance

I give presentations on professional dress and grooming for college seniors and women’s leadership programs, so you’ll never hear me say that how you present yourself in professional situations is irrelevant. But here’s a tidbit that goes into every single talk I give: Manners, demeanor, dress, grooming, and general appearance form the first layers of information about ourselves that we offer to the observing world. They may not be the most important, but they are the first, which makes them worth the effort and attention.

advertisement

What I want to convey to my listeners is that blending personal style and comfort preferences with environmental expectations can help you create looks that feel great and allow you to forget all about how you look so you can on your message, your work, your passion. I also remind them that poorly applied makeup is generally considered worse than no makeup at all, and that it’s perfectly fine to not wear it. I want them to feel confident and confident, and I want them to think about their goals more than their shoes.

By telling women that a perfectly applied makeup is a prerequisite for professional success, we are telling them that their looks are more important than their knowledge or achievements. We tell them that their natural faces will distract people, that no matter the circumstance, being pretty is necessary, that showing femininity in the right way is not only helpful but essential. Insisting on makeup becoming an integral part of a working woman’s daily life subtly tells her that it doesn’t matter how smart or creative or innovative or capable she is if she doesn’t look right. And that is obviously wrong.

Having admitted to being a makeup novice myself, I realize I may sound defensive. And maybe I am. As I read this barrage of makeup career articles, the basic message I got was, “If you don’t wear makeup, you don’t look like an adult to other adults.” And this one Emotion makes me want to break things. Some adult women wear makeup and some don’t. Learning to apply makeup is a rite of passage for many, but it’s not a skill required for admission to the Grown-Ass Woman Club. Nothing more than having children or going to college or losing your virginity or working outside the home or any other arbitrary characteristics of so-called “real” womanhood. Being a woman can happen in an infinite number of ways, and pursuing a successful career path can have an infinite impact. Savvy, professional adult women can take on the world at any age, at any stage, and in any way they see fit.