How Makeup Changes Perception

How Makeup Changes Perception Can makeup transform others' assumptions about who we are? Cosmetic transformations have communicated human cues and characteristics for millennia. We decided to test the subconscious effects of makeup on the modern eye. What do we assume about others on the basis of their eyeshadow? We asked 12 participants (3 models in our studio and 9 volunteers from Reddit) to try out 3 different looks: no makeup, makeup for a “professional" setting, and a “glammed-up" look for going out. We then polled over 1,000 people on their assumptions about the participants as they wore these different styles. Turns out, makeup's effect on the way we are perceived by others is more than skin deep. From The Studio Professional Look glammed Чp No Makeup Fun Responsible Outgoing Tustworthy Kind Funny Wealthy Confident Healthy Intelligent Creative How attractive is this person? How attractive is this person? How attractive is this person? 6% less 5% less Most Attractive Guess this person's age Guess this person's age Guess this person's age Average number 31 Average number 34 Average number 36 Does this person seem...? Does this person seem...? Does this person seem...? Results from a 1-5 scale Results from a 1-5 scale Results from a 1-5 scale Fun 268 Responsible 3.97 Intelligent 36 Funny 2.77 Healthy 3.77 Kind 367 Outgoing 3.14 Confident 3.28 Wealthy 3.11 Creative 3.08 Trustworthy 364 Fun 2.90 Responsible 3.72 Intelligent 3.42 Funny 2.95 Healthy 3.62 Kind 3.54 Outgoing 3.15 Confident 3.29 Wealthy 3.16 Creative 3.06 Trustworthy 3.47 Fun 2.92 Responsible 352 Intelligent 332 Funny 2.93 Healthy 364 Kind B31 Outgolng 336 Confident 333 Wealthy 3.25 Creative 3.10 Trustworthy 334 No Makeup Professional Look glammed Up Confident Fun Responsible Trustwerthy Kind Wealthy Heallhy Intelligent Funny Creatiye Creative Oulgoing How attractive is this person? How attractive is this person? How attractive is this person? 2% less Most Attractive 2% less Guess this person's age Guess this person's age Guess this person's age Average number 34 Average number 38 Average number 42 Does this person seem...? Does this person seem...? Does this person seem...? Results from a 1-5 scale Results from a 1-5 scale Results from a 1-5 scale Fun 328 Responsible BG4 Intelligent 343 Funny 341 Healthy 367 Kind 3.78 Outgolng 370 Confident 3.68 Wealthy 3.18 Creative 3.11 Trustworthy B.56 Fun 3.10 Responsible 362 Intelligent 3.28 Funny 3.11 Healthy 358 Kind 361 Outgoing 3.34 Confident 3.39 Wealthy 3.17 Creative 3.19 Trustworthy 344 Fun 326 Responsible 3.35 Intelligent 3.18 Funny 3.23 Healthy 3.49 Kind 353 Outgoing 350 Confident 342 Wealthy 3.19 Creative 3.19 Trustworthy 3.34 No Makeup Professional Look glammed Чp Kind Fun Creative Healthy Oulgoing Confident Wealthy Funny Responsible Tustwerthy Outgoing Intelligent How attractive is this person? How attractive is this person? How attractive is this person? 6% less Most Attractive 1% less Guess this person's age Guess this person's age Guess this person's age Average number 29 Average number 32 Average number 34 Does this person seem...? Does this person seem...? Does this person seem...? Results from a 1-5 scale Results from a 1-5 scale Results from a 1-5 scale Fun 353 Fun 3.43 Fun 3.54 3.51 3.58 Intelligent 357 Funny 355 Healthy 3.92 Kind 3.92 Outgolng 374 Confident 3.78 Wealthy 2.95 Creative 354 Intelligent 3.5S Funny 3.41 Healthy 3.73 Kind 3.64 Outgoing 3.62 Confident 3.66 Wealthy 3.14 Creative 3.45 Trustworthy 3.53 Intelligent 3.62 Funny 3.41 Healthy 3.81 Kind 3.77 Outgolng 3.74 Confident 3.79 Wealthy 3.19 Creative 3.45 Trustworthy 3.57 Trustworthy 3.71 From Reddit Here are just 3 examples from our Reddit submissions. They demonstrate the power of makeup to influence the impressions we make. Professional Look glammed Чp No Makeup Funny Fun Healthy Wealthy Creative Kind Confident Responsible Intelligent Oulgoing Trustworthy How attractive is this person? How attractive is this person? How attractive is this person? 22% less Most Attractive 4% less Guess this person's age Guess this person's age Guess this persons age Average rumber 24 Average number 26 Average number 26 Does this person seem...? Does this person seem...? Does this person seem...? Results from a 1-5 scale Results from a 1-5 scale Results from a 1-5 scale Fun 3.19 Responsible 3.03 Intelligent 3.21 Funny 3.17 Healthy 3.29 Kind 3.22 Outgoing 3.30 Confident 3.22 Wealthy 2.92 Creative 3.17 Trustworthy 3.09 Fun 3.30 Responsible 3.35 Intelligent 3.45 Funny 2.95 Healthy 3.69 Kind 3.25 Outgoing 3.41 Confident 3.53 Wealthy 3.40 Creative 3.29 Trustworthy 3.19 Fun 3.66 Responsible 2.99 Intelligent 3.29 Funny 3.50 Healthy 3.63 Kind 3.34 Outgolng 3.85 Confident 3.69 Wealthy 3.24 Creative 3.48 Trustworthy 3.21 No Makeup Professional Look glammed Иp Kind Fun Healthy Intelligent Wealthy Funny Responsible Creative Oulgoing Confident Trustworthy How attractive is this person? How attractive is this person? How attractive is this person? 24% less 4% less Most Attractive Guess this person's age Guess this person's age Guess this person's age Average number 29 Average number 29 Average number 32 Does this person seem..? Does this person seem...? Does this person seem...? Results from a 1-5 scale Results from a 1-5 scale Results from a 1-5 scale Fun 3.23 Responsible 2.83 Intelligent 3.03 Funny 2.97 Healthy 3.32 Kind 2.92 Outgoing 3.58 Confident 3.42 Wealthy 2.76 Creative 3.22 Trustworthy 3.09 Fun 3.42 Responsible 3.08 Intelligent 3.30 Funny 3.37 Healthy 3.52 Kind 3.32 Outgoing 3.82 Confident 3.64 Wealthy 3.15 Creative 3.43 Fun 2.74 Responsible 3.30 Intelligent 3.26 Funny 2.71 Healthy 3.32 Kind 3.23 Outgoing 3.04 Confident 3.24 Wealthy 2.84 Creative 3.09 Trustworthy 3.22 Trustworthy 3.25 Professional Look glammed Up No Makeup Fun Funny Confident Halihy Wealthy Kind Trustworthy Oulgoing Intelligent Responsible Creative How attractive is this person? How attractive is this person? How attractive is this person? 34% less 5% less Most Attractive Guess this person's age Guess this person's age Guess this person's age Average number 24 Average number 26 Average number 30 Does this person seem...? Does this person seem...? Does this person seem...? Results from a 1-5 scale Results from a 1-5 scale Results from a 1-5 scale Fun 3.78 Responsible 234 Intelligent 269 Funny 3.83 Healthy 2.90 Kind 3.39 Outgoing 4.03 Confident 354 Wealthy 2.99 Creative 3.71 Trustworthy 3.11 Fun 323 Responsible 23O Intelligent 261 Funny 335 Healthy 2.99 Kind 3.16 Outgoing 353 Confident 327 Wealthy 271 Creative 327 Fun 3.57 Responsible 2.50 Intelligent 2.77 Funny 3.60 Healthy 3.27 Kind 3.09 Outgoing 3.89 Confident 3.46 Wealthy 3.27 Creative 3.56 Trustworthy 2.99 Trustworthy 292 Averaged Effects We averaged our 12 participants' scores (from 1-5 scale) to see the total effect of makeup on how we're perceived. Professional Look glammed Up Professional Look glammed Up No Makeup No Makeup 4.94 5.66 5.58 3.21 3,35 3.43 Altractive (1-10 scale) Fun 13% less Most Attractive 1% less 6% less 3% less Most Fun Professisonal Look glammed Up Professional Look glammed Up No Makeup No Makeup 3.37 3.38 3.32 3.37 3.39 3,37 Responsible Intelligent 0% less Most Responsible 1%less 0%less Most Intelligent 0% less Professional Look glammed Up Professional Look glammed up No Makeup No Makeup 3.29 3.32 3.39 3.48 3.61 3.64 Funny Healthy 3% less 2% less Most Funny 6% less 2% less Most Healthy Professional Look glammed Up Professional Look glammed Up No Makaup No Makeup 3.61 3.58 3.57 3.45 3.53 3.64 Kind Outgoing Most Kind 1% less 1% less 5% less 3%less Most Outgoing Professional Look glammed Up Professional Look glammed Up No Makeup No Makeup 3.40 3.51 3.56 2.97 3.14 3.20 Confident Wealthy 5% less 2% less Most Confident 7%less 2% less Most Wealthy Professional Look glammed Up Professional Look glammed Up No Makeup No Makeup 3,28 3.36 3.39 3.45 3.45 3.43 Creative Trustworthy 3% less 1% less Most Creative 0%less Most Trustworthy 1%less Professional Look glammed Up No Makeup Age 26.5 28.3 29.9 26 28 30 ebay FASHION