Do Women Who Wear Makeup to Work Make More Money?

I just got the latest issue of Marie Claire with Christina Aguilera on the cover, and I wanted to share with you a little tidbit (though I know it will be a tad controversial) on page 84:

Women who wear makeup earn up to 30 percent more than those who "cant be bothered," according to a study in the American Economic Review.

This is a direct quote from the magazine. I found this interesting, especially in light of my blog post last week about Men and Makeup, and some conversations on The Nest where we've talked about wearing makeup and nice clothes and the correlation to professionalism. I think you can probably figure out what my opinion is on this.

Again, I have to make the distinction here between "makeup that enhances" and "makeup that masks/is overdone." No one looks good with caked-on overdone makeup, especially in the workplace.

I would consider a woman who came to work with her skin even, some mascara and lip gloss to have put effort into her appearance. I want to be clear that I don't qualify "making an effort" or "being polished" as a full face of makeup, and nothing less.

I think every woman could benefit from a little bit of makeup. There are very few women I know that can go completely bare-faced and still look polished. Skin tone unevenness, blemishes, under eye circles, very pale lashes, etc...can all cause someone to look tired, washed out, etc. If you have perfect skin and look awake and awesome with no makeup, more power to you and God bless your genetics!

Using a bit of makeup to even things out and make eyes look open and bright isn't a bad thing to me. Especially if it can be done in 5-10 minutes and make such a dramatic (and positive) difference in your apperance.

Do I think women who wear makeup should make more money? Absolutely not. People should make money based on their skills, knowledge, talent, ability to excel at their job...but do I think women who dress nicely and style their hair and use makeup to enhance their looks are perceived in a different way? Absolutely.

You may disagree, and that's ok. I guess I'm just of the belief that the way you present yourself in the professional world matters and says a lot about you.

Have you ever heard the expression "dress for the job you want, not the job you have?" I think it's important to show your company and your superirors that you care about your image and how you represent the company.

I don't think anyone appreciates someone coming to work looking like a slob. Am I saying you can't possibly look polished without some makeup on? No. But I've seen people who looked like they rolled out of bed and came to work, and it just makes me think they don't care about looking professional.

If a woman came to work with no makeup on, but her hair was neat and she was wearing appropriate, professional clothing, of course I wouldn't think anything of the fact that she didn't have a stick of makeup on...in fact, I would admire her for being able to pull it off.

What do you think? Are you surprised by the statistic from the Marie Claire article? Do you wear makeup to work? Do you think it matters how someone presents themself at work and in the professional world? Let me know in the comments below.

xoxo,

Veronika.

Do Men Really Hate Makeup?

I recently saw an article on Jezebel.com titled "Men Hate Makeup" And Other Annoying Myths.

The article cited this story in the UK Daily Mail. I find this topic so interesting, because personally, I couldn't imagine always being bare-faced. Not only does makeup enhance my apperance and features, it also makes me feel good.

But when it really comes down to it, I will admit that if I had flawless skin with absolutely no visible pores, blemishes, redness, patchiness, etc...then I wouldn't need to wear (face) makeup at least. I guess many women agree with me, because the Daily Mail article cited skin problems as the main reason women wear makeup saying "many women also admitted they weren't happy with their skin condition." Here's an excerpt:

So it would appear that women are wearing makeup to hide bad skin, not simply to impress the opposite sex. If women felt more confident that their skin was in good condition they wouldn't need to wear so much make-up to cover up.

I can totally understand and relate to this. If women had near-flawless skin, foundation wouldn't be necessary at all. Unfortunately, for many of us, even those who take very good care of their skin, "near perfect" skin will never be possible- but if you've achieved it without genetic blessings, please enlighten us all in the comments below how you did it!

Kate Bosworth with a very natural makeup look

Model Brooklyn Decker with natural-looking makeup

VS Model Marisa Miller with a little bit of a heavier/evening look

Actress Leighton Meester with smokey eyes and an otherwise nude face

Katie Price (AKA "Jordan") with her trademark dark tan and heavy makeup

Now- to get to the part about men. I totally agree with the author on Jezebel when she says (excerpt:)

I'll just say it once: men don't "hate" makeup. Men don't know what makeup looks like. Maybe they don't like Tammy Faye Baker maquillage, but guess what: neither do we. It's like my saying, "I hate hair products on men" because of DJ Pauly D's dubious coiffure. The notion of cosmetics becomes problematic when people feel unworthy without them, when a woman feels a need to hide or disguise or change. But by the same token, it's a very unfair standard to demand that women be "naturally" beautiful - as beautiful as a youthful princess gifted in the cradle - without their aid.

I think men don't understand makeup unless it's very very wrong. Makeup faux-pas that made the top 10 most hated by men list include:

1. Lipstick on teeth
2. Too much blusher
3. Thick foundation
4. Panda eyes
5. Clumpy mascara
6. Bright lipstick
7. Foundation tide mark around the jaw-line
8. Bright blue eyeshadow
9. Penciled-in eyebrows
10. Amy Winehouse-style eyeliner flicks

I agree with all of the above. Any makeup that is applied in an over-kill way is unappealing to most people.

I'm going to go off on a tangent here, but has anyone noticed how immaculatly made-up all of the Kardashian women are on "Keeping up with the Kardashians" ? Most of the women sport smokey eyes, even during the day. I think they all look gorgeous, and I'm sure it's for TV, but sometimes the makeup seems a little overwhelming for the day. But gosh, Kim's makeup especially is always so flawless. I also notice they all wear very heavy blush. While that can look severe on most people, I think it suits them.

Ok, back to the subject at hand- men and makeup. I've talked to my husband about this before. He sees me put on makeup and knows I wear it...yet he always says he can't really tell. Like I said, men are clueless unless it's done wrong- I think men actually like makeup on women but only if it is applied in a way that enhances, not masks your apperance.

Usually women spend an hour or more prepping for a date and your husband or boyfriend or date will tell you how amazing/sexy/beautiful you look. It's because you are at your best- polished, styled, features enhanced. It makes sense.

Like the author said, men don't hate makeup, they just hate obvious, heavily applied makeup. I have talked to women before whos husbands or boyfriends refused to "allow" them to wear makeup. I find that a bit disturbing, but that is neither here nor there.

So tell me- how do YOU think men think about makeup? Has your boyfriend/spouse/partner ever said anything about how much makeup you or any other female wears?

Also- please tell me which celebrities you think wear too much makeup on a regular basis...and which celebrities get it just right? (for me it's Jennifer Aniston, Kate Beckinsale, Rachel Bilson, Jennifer Garner...)

Share your thoughts, feelings and opinions on ANY aspect of this topic below!

xoxo,

Veronika.