Why
do women wear makeup? 44% of Nigerian women do not like to leave their homes
without makeup on. Research shows there are two primary reasons ...
Our
society has a long history with makeup. In fact, evidence of cosmetics dates
back to 10,000 B.C. in ancient Egypt. Both men and women used ointments to
clean the skin and cover up body odors. Kohl, a ground black mineral, was used
to line the eyes to decrease sun glare and reduce the risk of eye infection
(believed to be true at the time). Soon after, colored clays and dyes began to
rouge lips and stain nails. And we never stopped. According to the NDP Group,
global spending on cosmetics was estimated at $41.4 billion in 2015. That’s a
whole lot of lipstick.
ALWAYS
REMEMBER VERA TOUCH FOR YOUR MAKE UP 08168339434
But
recent trends have highlighted a move away from makeup. With the growing
popularity of the #nomakeup movement — celebs like Alicia Keys and Alessia Cara
even showed up barefaced to the MTV Video Music Awards last month — a girl can
start to feel like creating the perfect cat eye is somehow doing something
wrong.
“Women
often have a really conflicted relationship with makeup,” Autumn
Whitefield-Madrano, author of “Face Value: The Hidden Ways Beauty Shapes
Women’s Lives,” tells LIVESTRONG.COM_._ “Women who want to wear makeup, but
aren’t sure about it; women who wear it, but feel guilty about it. But there
are lots of really positive reasons to wear makeup.”
That
is, if it’s your thing in the first place, Whitefield-Madrano stresses. “While
I am a champion of makeup, if a person doesn’t feel comfortable in it, they
shouldn’t wear it.”
Even
Keys agrees. In response to criticisms for her no-makeup VMA look, she posted a
barefaced selfie with the caption, “Y’all, me choosing to be makeup free
doesn’t mean I’m anti-makeup. Do you!”
So
if “doing you” involves getting all dolled up with a dozens of different
products every day, cheers to you. Here are seven mental-health benefits of
wearing makeup.
1.
It can boost your confidence.
You
know the phrase “fake it till you make it”? Cosmetics can help you sell that.
“Putting on makeup is like putting on a pair of high heels. It gives you
confidence and makes you feel more in control,” says Sonia Kashuk, makeup
artist and founder of Sonia Kashuk Beauty.
“I
am hugely supportive of Alicia Keys and the movement away from the heavy
makeup, but I also believe that even the slightest bit of makeup can help
create … a more perfected version of yourself. It is a little polish for your
attitude and look,” says Kashuk.
A
study published in the International Journal of Cosmetic Sciences agrees. When
women were asked to imagine themselves wearing makeup or going barefaced in
different social situations, women “reported being more self-confident and
sociable when wearing as opposed to not wearing their customary cosmetics.”
2. It
can help you connect with other women.
While
some may think that makeup could cause of schism between women,
Whitefield-Madrano often found the opposite in her research for “Face Value.”
ALWAYS
REMEMBER VERA TOUCH FOR YOUR MAKE UP 08168339434
“For
the most part, I didn’t find that makeup divided women. Sure, there are those
women who are invested in cattiness, but by and large I found that women use
beauty as a connector more than a divider.” While discussing the best mascara
or how to hide dark circles might be brushed off by some as superficial,
Whitefield-Madrano suggests a different viewpoint.
“One
woman I interviewed said that when she was wearing makeup or talking with
another woman about makeup she felt a kind of humility was involved,” explains
Whitefield-Madrano. “It was a way of saying ‘I don’t think I’m so gorgeous that
I don’t need something to look my best.’ And that can bring women together.”
In
other words, admitting “I use concealer too” can create a kind of cosmetic
camaraderie among women — and maybe help you finally find your Holy Grail foundation
along the way.
3.
It can prepare you for “battle.”
Just
like we have certain clothes for working out and certain ones for going out,
the idea of “putting on our face” with makeup can help prepare our mental
mindset for whatever “battle” we are heading into.
Putting
on makeup can help us step into the different roles in our lives. “Makeup makes
me feel awake and ready for the day,” says former model and makeup enthusiast
Brooke Baker. “Makeup can feel protective, like armor,” explains Meli Pennington,
makeup artist and director of makeup artistry at Kokko Beauty.
“In
work situations — especially meeting new people — wearing red lipstick feels
like having a great pair of shoes on. And who would leave home (especially in
New York City) without shoes?” Makeup then helps us transform into the
different parts we play. As Whitefield-Madrano writes in “Face Value,” “The act
of applying camouflage becomes not only a way of making yourself look the part,
but also a way of actually becoming the part.”
4.
It’s fun.
ALWAYS
REMEMBER VERA TOUCH FOR YOUR MAKE UP 08168339434
Makeup
isn’t all business, though. It also can be downright fun to create a brand-new
look with a few simple pencils and palettes. In her COVERGIRL Mirror Monologue,
singer Andra Day explains, “The look that I decide to do each day really
depends on my mood. Putting on makeup is like putting on a costume. You get to
become this whole other person. For me it’s just fun.”
Whitefield-Madrano
reports that women who view makeup as a way to play are more likely to have
higher self-esteem (even without makeup on) and be more assertive. “Makeup
doesn’t express the self for this kind of wearer,” writes Whitefield-Madrano.
“Instead, she wears it to channel a particular state of being, whether that’s
glamorous, gentle, artistic, rebellious and so on.”
5.
It can make you appear more competent — even if you don’t feel like it.
While
we’ve already reported that it can make you feel more self-assured, wearing
makeup can also help others perceive you as more competent — just by looking at
you.
A
study published in the journal PLOS ONE presented participants with four
versions of the same face: one barefaced and three with increasing degrees of
makeup application, which they termed “natural,” “professional” and
“glamorous.” Participants were then asked to rate the different faces for
attractiveness, likeability, trustworthiness and competence. The researchers
found that participant’s feedback did vary for each makeup look and that all
three makeup looks rated positively — proving that attractiveness is correlated
with competency.
6.
It’s designated “you” time.
We
know you’re busy. But whether your morning makeup routine takes you four
minutes or 40, that time is time you are spending on yourself — even if there are
kids or furry animals vying for your attention every 30 seconds.
“Time
and time again, I heard from women that another benefit of makeup was the
ritualistic aspect of it,” says Whitefield-Madrano. “This is a way of getting
ready physically, but also mentally.” The scent of the cosmetics, the feel of
brushes or creams, the music (or quiet) you listen to — each of these can help
build a kind of Pavlovian calm to your daily makeup routine.
“For
me it’s a form of pseudo-meditation,” reflects Whitefield-Madrano. “It’s
usually quiet and calm, and even though it’s only 6.5 minutes of my day, that’s
my time. I’m looking in the mirror, so there’s this kind of check-in with
myself.”
ALWAYS
REMEMBER VERA TOUCH FOR YOUR MAKE UP 08168339434
The
findings were further supported by the 1972 publication of “What Is Beautiful
Is Good” in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. Psychologists
have often coined this the “halo effect” of beauty — the belief that people
perceived as beautiful are thought to possess other positive traits, such as
being honest, successful and competent.
7.
It can help you sleep better.
File
this under “Things We Didn’t Know.” Wearing makeup may help you sleep better at
night. According to a study published in the journal Psychology, women who wore
makeup two or more days per week showed higher sleep quality than those who
wore makeup only one day a week or less.
The
study hypothesized that either chemical compounds in makeup, the mechanical
stimuli of applying makeup or psychological stimuli of the application process
may be the cause. Whatever the reason, that bold lip color might just score you
some higher-quality rest.
What
Do YOU Think?
Have
you been empowered by the #nomakeup movement? Why or why not? What’s your
morning makeup routine like? Did you relate to any of these points? How has
makeup impacted your life? Tell us a story about it!
ALWAYS REMEMBER VERA TOUCH FOR YOUR MAKE UP 08168339434
FACEBOOK PAGE: vera's touch makeover INSTAGRAM: vera's_ touch _makeup
0 Comments