Many women won’t go anywhere without first putting on their “face.” Surely I’m not referring to their mouth, nose or eyes, I’m referring to a woman’s face after it has been enhanced by cosmetics.
Makeup is a source of confidence for many women. It’s used either to hide imperfections or to accentuate certain features but a recent study found that women who wore more makeup were deemed less trustworthy.
In the study, which was led by Nancy Etcoff, participants were presented with photos of models with four different looks ranging from no makeup to a glamorous application of it. Though the makeup looks initially produced positive effects on attractiveness, competence, likeability and trustworthiness, when participants were given more time to look at the photos they judged the women to be less likeable and less trustworthy.
What is it about women who wear makeup that gives people negative impressions about them? Do people think they have something to hide, they’re certainly not hiding weapons behind makeup, that I can assure you.
For many women, facing the world with bare faces places them outside of their comfort zones and why should they have to suffer through that?
Not all women opt for makeup as a style choice, however, some use it to cover facial skin diseases or acne scars. In a study conducted by the Dermatology Online Journal, women with facial skin diseases found that the use of decorative skin cosmetics significantly improved their quality of life.
Facial skin disease or not, shouldn’t we all be allowed to improve our quality of life especially if it can be done by something as simple as makeup?
Most people would probably not feel very comfortable, let alone confident, going out in public naked. Well, many women feel naked without their makeup on.
A survey conducted by Superdrug, Britain's second-largest beauty and health retailer, revealed that more than 77 percent of women said wearing makeup gave them a confidence boost and 47 percent admitted that their makeup acted as body armor.
Makeup merely enhances a woman’s looks, it doesn’t completely transform them. Before you think of judging a woman for wearing “too much” realize that you don’t know her reasons and even if you did, it wouldn’t matter. It is her choice, her right and her privilege.
Sources:
Superdrug. Superdrug.com. Web. October 19, 2011.
http://www.z-pr.com/pdf/11-01-14_superdrug.pdf
Plos One. Plosone.org. Web. October 19, 2011.
http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0025656
Dermatology Online Journal. Dermatology.cdlib.org. Web. October 19, 2011.
http://dermatology.cdlib.org/148/commentary/qualityoflife/sadick.html
Edited by Jody Smith