Why do we wear makeup? Studies have shown that women look in the mirror on average of 8-13 times a day. (Huffington Post) Most women will gladly admit that they get dressed up and put together more for their female peers than for men. You can often find memes and quotes on pinterest that say things like “Women don’t dress for men, they dress for other women. If we were dressing for men then we’d run around naked!” And isn’t it a little true? I mean for the most part men don’t care how our scarf is tied or if our shoes match our handbag. But we do.
I decided to do a little more research and according to this post in the New York Times women who wear light and natural makeup are perceived as more trustworthy, likeable, competent and attractive. While many studies have shown women to be more likeable and attractive, this was the first show that a woman may be seen as more able than another due to her makeup. I don’t want to spend this whole post going through different studies about makeup, so I am choosing to instead post the end results of the studies and a link to a website where you can read all of the details, like I have above!
It’s also been shown that for women in the workplace, those who wear makeup make about %30 more than women who don’t. There are several studies and sites that explain this, this one is my favorite because it is the least objective. I know it’s unfair to think that society pressures women to cover up with makeup! How dare they not accept our natural beauty!? But then again we have been doing this for thousands of years!
In 3000 BC Egyptains used minerals, berries and insects to create makeup for their eyes, lips and skin. Henna was used to stain nails a rich warm red. Cleopatra started one of the very first marketed skin lines using minerals from the Dead Sea. in 1100 BC during the Chou Dynasty gold and silver were the royal colors, and only people of royal blood were allowed to wear them. If a commoner was found with gold nail paintings they were punished by death. I could go on and on for ages about the history of hair and makeup and color, but the bottom line is in many cultures from hundreds of year ago, having your hair done up, or red lips, meant that you were rich, powerful, or in a place of prestige. I know that now a days a 14 year old pot head can wear lipstick just as easily as Ivanka Trump, but we were programmed for hundreds of years to see makeup as a sign of being prestigious.
Now for one last study. Sara Scott, at Hanover College did a study on the effect of makeup on a woman’s confidence. The study concluded the same as several others that women who wear makeup are overall more confident than those who don’t. I am not saying that women who don’t wear makeup have no chance of being confident! What I am trying to show you is that the reason makeup makes a woman look more trustworthy, attractive, reliable, and influential is because makeup gives most women confidence.
So there it is! That is the most important beauty secret! Be confident! Whether you have a massive zit, you just ran out of eyeliner, or you hate wearing makeup at all, be confident! Confidence is beautiful! And we all know inner beauty is more important than outer beauty (I mean who cares if you have flawless skin if nobody can stand you!?) but confidence is a type of inner beauty that other people can actually see and feel. It radiates from beneath the skin and shines through. So be confident! You might make %30 more!