Every woman knows that having the right makeup can help boost their confidence. What they may not realize, however, is that proper cosmetic application may also affect their careers. The Huffington Post reports on a new study that compared the amount of makeup a woman wears to the way she is perceived in the workforce.
Researchers from Proctor and Gamble took women and photographed them with and without makeup. They then showed the pictures to 149 people and asked them to rate the individuals they saw in the photos in terms of attractiveness, competence, likability and trustworthiness.
Scientists found that lipstick and evenly applied foundation can increase a woman's scores in all four categories, but too much eyeshadow can make someone seem untrustworthy.
"Length of inspection time did not change the effect for competence or attractiveness. However, with longer inspection time, the effect of cosmetics on likability and trust varied by specific makeup looks," said study authors.
These findings suggest that women looking to be respected in the office may want to evaluate their makeup choices. For ethnic women, there are many skin care products for black skin that can easily help them create the perfect workplace look.