A Study Shows Women Who Wear Heavy Makeup At Work Aren't Seen As Leaders, And It's So Wrong

A Study Shows Women Who Wear Heavy Makeup At Work Aren't Seen As Leaders, And It's So Wrong

When it comes to wearing makeup, how much or little a person wears — and whether they wear it at all — should be up to that person alone. 

Unfortunately, a recent study shows that how much you choose to wear can make a major impact on your career, and it's pretty frustrating.

Makeup is a personal choice.

Some people are perfectly happy to wear nothing all day long, while others prefer to have a full look done before they step out of the house.

What's important here is that we're confident and comfortable in how we present ourselves.

Unfortunately, how much or how little makeup you choose to wear can impact your career and how people perceive you.

A study completed by Abertay University in Dundee, Scotland, had participants view images of the same women wearing varying amounts of makeup.

The first images of the women were "fresh-faced," that is, they were wearing little to no makeup.

The second images were of the same women but digitally altered to make it appear as though she was wearing makeup for a "social night out."

The results of the study were pretty upsetting to hear, to be honest.

It found that most people judged the women who had a lot of makeup on and assumed that they had poorer leadership skills compared to the "fresh-faced" women.

There seems to be a socially acceptable fine line when it comes to how much makeup is appropriate or not.

Is there such thing as too much? I would say "yes," but what that line is definitely moves based on the workplace.

Unfortunately, in regards to this study, it seems that the digitally altered makeup wasn't what I would call "too much," yet it was still seen as excessive by its participants.

But don't worry, ladies — this study isn't the be-all and end-all.

This hasn't been the one and only study done to see how wearing makeup affects women in the workplace.

A 2016 Harvard University study found that women who wore makeup were "more competent at their jobs and more likely to be promoted."

The study also helped to define that "line" of how much makeup is considered to be too much.

Apparently, a "professional" makeup look made you more likable in the workplace.

If you went for a more "natural" makeup look, you were considered to be more trusting. 

On the downside, if you wore a "glamorous" makeup look, you came across as less trustworthy.

Meanwhile, a 2013 survey found that females would be less likely to land a job if she didn't wear makeup to the interview.

I know. It's all so confusing, right?

This is just one of the many frustrating aspects of navigating being a woman in the workplace.

Wearing too much makeup? Not enough makeup? It feels like you can't win, and there's actually no right or wrong answer

Can we just agree that we should all be able to wear whatever we'd like and not be punished or held back in our careers for it?

I'm up for this!

SHARE if you agree women shouldn't be judged or punished based on their makeup!