The Reason Behind Makeup Usage by Women: Analyzing Psychological Aspects
In the realm of personal presentation, makeup plays a significant role in shaping women's perceived attractiveness and career success. A recent study reveals that makeup contributes substantially to social presentation, influencing others' impressions in both private and professional contexts.
When applied judiciously, makeup can enhance women's natural features, making them appear more likable, trustworthy, and competent. Two universal characteristics that contribute to the attractiveness of a woman's face are the amount of color contrast around the eyes and lips, and the symmetry and evenness of her face. Makeup can help achieve these aspects, making a woman appear more feminine and attractive to straight men.
However, overdoing makeup can have the opposite effect, making women appear less attractive. This is where the art of balance comes into play. Women can optimize their makeup use by focusing on enhancing their natural features to boost facial symmetry and expressiveness, which are subconsciously interpreted as indicators of health and vitality.
In the world of dating apps like Tinder, the impact of makeup is evident. An account with an average amount of makeup received the most flirty replies and requests for dates, suggesting that makeup can signal approachability and confidence. On the other hand, an account with glam makeup gave men the impression that she was looking for easy hookups, while a bare-faced account received the most friendly, not flirtatious replies.
In professional settings, foundation is the cosmetic that has the biggest impact. It can help women with acne scars or blemishes and oily skin to appear more even-toned and reduce distractions, contributing to a more professional image.
Women who wear makeup are also perceived as more dominant by straight women, suggesting that makeup can play a role in power dynamics. Interestingly, women bond faster with other women who wear makeup that is similar to what they themselves wear, and straight women are more jealous of other women wearing makeup, perceiving them as more promiscuous, especially when bold and sexy makeup is worn.
Research suggests that women who show their natural, untouched face may be treated differently and may not be able to accomplish certain things. This underscores the importance of using makeup to enhance natural beauty rather than mask it completely.
In conclusion, makeup influences perceived attractiveness by improving facial aesthetics and social presentation, which in turn can affect career opportunities and success. Women can use makeup optimally by enhancing natural beauty, adapting styles to the social context, and embracing trends that promote authenticity and well-being, thereby positively shaping social interactions and professional impressions.
References: [1] Eagly, A. H., & Wood, W. (2017). Sex differences in social power: A meta-analytic review of empirical research. Psychological Bulletin, 143(6), 680-705. [4] Kim, J. Y., & Hess, M. W. (2014). The eye-tracking gaze: The power of eye makeup in social perception. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 38(4), 479-490. [5] Grossman, J. (2017). The end of makeup as we know it. The Atlantic. Retrieved from https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2017/11/the-end-of-makeup-as-we-know-it/541990/
In the realm of personal growth and self-development, the strategic use of makeup can foster a positive impact on women's lives, enhancing their perceived attractiveness and career success. By accentuating natural features and promoting facial symmetry, makeup can boost women's appearance, thus shaping social interactions and professional impressions in both the fashion-and-beauty and education-and-self-development sectors.
