I know this sounds crazy, but Harvard did a study on makeup. Yes, seriously. And what they found is that women who wear makeup are perceived as more attractive and competent than those who do not.
WAIT! Before you dismiss this, let me finish.
Study participants were asked to rate photographs of female faces with five different makeup looks applied professionally: 1) No Makeup, 2) Natural, 3) Professional, 4) Glamorous, 5) Sexy (see the above image for examples). Ratings were given for two scales: Professionalism/Competence and Trustworthiness. (makeup and trustworthiness? Yes really!)
The lowest ratings were given for the Glamorous and Sexy looks – yep, they were just too much. But the No Makeup look wasn’t rated highly either, as the perception was a lack of caring.
And the highest ratings? Natural and Professional. Those looks were given the highest marks as women who are professional, competent, and trustworthy.
We don’t want to “judge a book by its cover,” and yet it is a natural human tendency to evaluate things and people with our visual senses.
Of course, what really matters is our own self-perception. We can be completely confident and competent without makeup. But it warrants consideration and conscious choice – decide what’s right for you.
Here’s a fun tool for you to try: PhotoFeeler.com is a site that will evaluate your photos and provide input on how you are perceived. You can choose a Business, Social, or Dating environment and the tool uses a combination of human opinion and artificial intelligence to rate your photos on scales such as Competence, Likeability, and Influence. It’s a great (and non-threatening!) way to get input on how others see you, at least through your photos. Try it!
