A traditional makeover usually involves a change in hair, nails, makeup and/or clothes. But it’s about more than just elevating your look. A true glow up is when you shine from the inside out, and exude oodles of confidence. Even just a hint of makeup can lift your self-esteem.
One YouGov study of 1,000 American women found that three quarters wear makeup. And around half of them do so primarily for a confidence boost. While only 20% do it to look younger.
“Historically it [wearing makeup] probably has its roots in the patriarchy and what society thinks women should do, and how they should present themselves. But I think we’ve also seen a change in the last 30 years, it’s become less of an influence,” says Carissa Newsome, the Coordinator for the Center for Women and Gender Equity at Bowling Green State University. “I think more women now are wearing it just because they like it.”
Out of all the age groups, those in the 65 and older age range had the largest number of women who wear makeup daily.
“Younger women are less likely than older women to wear makeup on a regular basis,” notes the YouGov site. “Education also plays a role: Women without any college education are more likely than those who have gone to college to say they never wear makeup.”
A separate Harvard study found that female students who wore lipstick have higher self-esteem and grades. The researchers sorted 186 female undergraduate students into groups.
Each student was tasked with a different 'mood-influencing task.' These included listening to positive music, coloring a drawing of a human face or applying makeup.
“They took a simulated multiple choice exam about general psychology,” reports the Daily Mail. “There was an increase in cognitive performance from the music group, but the test scores of the makeup group were 'significantly higher.'”
"In line with our predictions, we found a significant effect of make-up on a multiple-choice test performance, with scores being significantly higher compared to those obtained after listening to positive music and coloring a face," said the researchers.
