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.
I definitely agree that presentation matters, though like you said I think it depends on the job for how you define 'put together', which may throw people off. For instance, how I dress for my job as a pastry chef is determined by whether or not I'll be spending all day in the hot kitchen or in front of customers/clients (i.e. in the hot kitchen, make-up melts.. better to just have a clean face), though in both cases appearances are important across the board for men and woman.. like having a clean chef coat at all times, always switching aprons whenever one starts to get dirty, etc. I can definitely say that a substantial part of how respected you are is how neat and tidy you keep everything, including yourself. When I was in culinary school we had instructors who told us repeatedly that the phrase 'mise en place' applies just as much to appearance as your bench/workspace, and it's very true.
Personally, I think dressing the part for whatever industry you're in is a show of your pride in the job that you do. IMO it means you care what your peers and your supervisors and bosses and even your customers think of you and how they perceive you, which also translates to caring how they perceive your work.
What do you think?
– I think the statistic is more true in certain industries than others.
Are you surprised by the statistic from the Marie Claire article?
– Not at all.
Do you wear makeup to work?
– Yes. The only days I dont wear makeup to work is when I have eye irritation (Im still not sure why). Otherwise I definitely wear makeup, but not too much.
Do you think it matters how someone presents themself at work and in the professional world?
– In our society, yes I do. I dont think a woman should have to wear makeup to make a certain salary but I do think people should be clean, not look disheveled & be careful how much their clothes cover!
This is a great post, I look forward to reading the article!
When I worked in a cooperate setting, I went by the mantra "dress for the job you want." While my department was more casual, you just never know who else you could run into, and what opportunities they could bring.
A coworker of mine never dressed appropriately, wore zero makeup, and wore her hair in a messy bun everyday. She had been with the department since its conception, but was passed up for a promotion to manager. I truly felt it was because she looked sloppy and unprofessional.
When I quit my cooperate job to start teaching, it was incredibly important for me to look polished and professional everyday so my students would take me seriously.
Olivea- thanks for your thoughtful comments. I agree that apperance can play a role in both hiring someone and the ability to be promoted. EVERYONE is busy and has a lot of hobbies, responsibilities, etc, but if you make that tiny extra bit of effort, it can make a big difference. On the mornings I wash my hair, I have to wake up 30 mins earlier, but it's worth it to me to have nicely styled hair for the next several days.
I think that wearing makeup often goes along with just being a person who puts in a smidge more effort into both appearances, to an extent life in general than someone who opts not to wear makeup. I know that sounds kind of controversial and may annoy some people, but I sincerely have seen a correlation in people who take the time to take care of their outward appearance and their overall effort to do well in life, so I don't know that its the makeup per se, but rather the overall way in which individuals who put effort into their appearance tend to approach life which contributes to their higher earnings. lets also note that I do believe there are many people who are an exception to the generalization I just made, its just that a generalization, and certainly not an all encompassing observation.
Natalie- I find your comment to be very interesting and thought-provoking. Thank you for sharing. I think that you make a very good point, even though it is a generalization. Being a very type-A person myself, I know how hard I try to be the best I can be in every aspect of life, so I can see why seeing importance in your outward apperance can trickle into all other areas of life (being a good employee, a good parent, a good spouse etc.)
Did it go into any specifics? Like about the woman researched. I have seen surveys like that before, but that included stay-at-home moms in the non-make-up population.
I think generally people that are career motivated usually put some effort into their appearance. If I interviewed 2 completely equal candidates but one was in a suit and one came in jeans and flip-flops, I would feel the suit was more professional.
I am a professor and probably one of the only women that wears make-up. It's the norm. We are almost all totally sleep deprived, so I think it varies by profession as well 🙂
Cassie- I see your point, but that is an extreme example (someone in a suit versus someone in flip flops and jeans). What if both women were qualified, both wore suits, but one had styled hair and makeup applied (not a lot, but very polished looking) and the other had her hair pulled into a tight bun and had no makeup on and looked like she didn't put effort into her apperance.
It did not say who the survey included.
That was a pretty extreme example..but, my DH has actually had college educated people come and interview for him like that (like I a nice, corporate office!).
It's so hard to say. I know some people who never wear a stitch of make-up (one personal, one very conservative/religious) and they look perfect. I could never be that person, lol…
Cssie- they sound like they are lucky to have awesome skin to not have to wear makeup (though I realize that even people with not so awesome skin don't wear it because they just might not care.)
I'm shocked anyone, educated or not, thinks it's OK to interview in flip flops. Unless you are applying for a job at a beach wear store, I don't know how that would fly anywhere!
I definitely take the time to make myself look professional to let my client know that I care. The same thing applies if your client uses your car. You probably want to pick things up inside and get a car wash recently. It's professionalism and showing your client you care. Maybe guys don't have to deal with all the stuff females do as far as making themselves look nice, but they still shave and think about the most recent fashions (ie. tie length, colors of their socks, haha!).
anon- you make a very good point. I would be mortified to have a messy car and have my coworkers ride in it. I keep a plastic bag in the passenger side as a little garbage bag so I can collect anything that shouldn't be in there.
I agree men face the same pressures. I think a man who dresses the part will be seen as more professional and hard working than a guy who wears old khakis and faded shirts to work everyday.
Some women sleep their way to the top…nothing to do with skills…but the make up helps them get noticed by their male boss so maybe thats why they earn more.
Also there what about entreprenuers? The successful ones make alot of money and I do not think they need all that makeup.
Anon- maybe some women do that, but no women I know. Not all bosses are men anyways.
Have you seen some of the women guys like Tiger Woods or that guy who worked for ESPN (or David Letterman for that matter) cheated on their wives with? Clearly, it's not always about looks.
anon- you can't generalize like that. Women entrepreneurs are in MANY industries and some wear makeup and some don't (a woman who makes her own clothing line, for example, might be more likely to wear makeup than a woman in another entrepreneurial role.)
I am not arguing that women need to wear makeup to succeed, I am simply saying that making an effort to look good and care about your apperance (which for some women, doesn't mean wearing makeup because they can look just as good without it) says a lot about you.
The corporate world carries with it many expectations…that includes representing your company to the best of your abilities, and IMO that includes personal apperance. If you're Bill Gates and have billions of dollars, I guess you could come to work in sweatpants.
Everyone makes a conscious choice how they present themselves to the world. During college, I would schlep to class in pajamas, but I slowly evolved to putting more effort into my appearance, and I got different responses from professors. The same thing goes in the work world. One old job I had, my employer said she knew she was going to hire me the second I walked in, because of how professionally I looked and acted.
And I think that you don't have to be a knockout to be successful, but especially on an interview you are selling yourself. So you want the goods to look good. 🙂
Looking polished these days is basically the key to being taken seriously. You don't have to be a knockout (although it probably helps, I wouldn't know) but you need to at least look put together. Because if you don't make the effort to look nice, how will you put forth the effort to do your job exceptionally well?
kathleen- I agree.
I am a woman entrepeneur and I think my appearance now is more reflective on my work than when I was an employee. I am representing my own company and hence would like to appear my best professionally. That doesn't mean looking like I am ready for a Saturday night on the town. Entrepeneurs need to continually prove that their product and services are the best. Most entrepeneurs are continually striving for goals in their business. The ones on the top of their game always have to look out for the underdog who has high ambitions.
I agree with both you and the magazine. People who look "put together" I think would make more because they look professional, confindent, and are more pleasing to the eye. For example, as a waitress, I would make more money when I wore eye shadow and lipgloss on top of my usual makeup. I even kept a quick journal on the money I made versus the day I worked and the amount of makeup I wore. It's so crazy.
Miss K- very interesting observation and it's so cool that you kept track of it! I agree that makeup, when applied correctly, definitely makes people look more professional than not wearing any at all (unless you have near perfect skin and features, of course)
But you know, all those toxic chemicals you put on your face can ruin your skin…clog up your pores and in most cases age you…at that point, you don't look so great or "put together" now do you? I think proper skin care and a little lip gloss can go a long way…less is more.
anon- I am not saying you need a lot of makeup to look polished. I am saying a little goes a long way.
Modern day makeup is actually usually made with some ingredients that are good for your skin. I have never noticed a difference (for the worse) in my skin when wearing any type of makeup. All I see are the benefits. A good skin care routine is important for every person. Good skin care however, doesn't involve not wearing makeup (or hardly any). So long as you cleanse and moisturize properly, I think you will be OK.
You do not see it now but over time, stacking gunk on your face will catch up to you. Make up is made of chemicals. And in many cases processed preserved chemicals. If you are not careful, overtime, it will ruin your skin. And I said the same thing on my last post as what you said in your second sentence…I said "a little does go a long way. Less is more"
Natural beauty is always better than artificial. I know this is controversial but its like plastic surgery….although many women love to fix themselvles up, if they do it enough it looks fake and others will know. And if you are unlucky and get a bad surgeon or your surgeon wasn't sharp that day, your breast implants can explode in your chest and your botox can give you that permanent surprised look.
But all of this is just my opinion…I know you probably think differently.
anon- I don't have a problem with different opinions at all, and I agree that some surgeries can go very badly. My own plastic surgery was one of the best decisions I've made, and I am very very happy with my resutls, so for me, it was a positive experience 🙂
Helena rubenstein once said: "There are no ugly people in the world – only lazy ones" and the same is reflected in their work.
annette- I absolutely LOVE that quote! thanks for sharing 🙂
I am not sure what to make of the MC statistic. It could be that the women who don't wear makeup also don't put in any effort to look clean and neat. Or it could mean they are clean and others just judge them harshly according to the way they think women are supposed to look.
I think all people should be clean, have brushed hair and wear appropriate clothing. I do not think women should have to wear makeup or that it is a requirement to be polished and professional. I wear makeup and agree that most women look better when wearing tastefully applied makeup, but I certainly don't think it should be required to be professional.
Yes, most women tend to look tired or have uneven skin tone without some enhancement. However, men have the same problems and it's not considered something they need to fix. I don't understand why women are held to a higher standard.
anon- you bring up some very interesting points, thank you for posting. I agree that men may not be held to the same standard when it comes to looks, however, men are held to very high standards when it comes to things like how much money they make and how far they are in their careers/their ability to be a provider. I am not saying all women judge men like this, but men are definitely still under a lot of pressure to provide for their families.
thanks for contributing!
This makes me so sad. I think it is about the fact that women are so inherently valued for our sexual attractiveness, even when we are being compensated for something else (like being a waitress), sexual attractiveness influences our compensation (and I think even most other women value women largely on our sexual attractiveness). The waitress who makes more when she wears make-up will make even more when she shows cleavage.
Veronika, you keep seeing it as having to do with "taking time" and "making an effort." But the 10 minutes (and the dollars) that women spend on make-up, the men can spend on their profession (reading up, making an additional sales call, etc.) or on getting a bit more sleep, therefore being a bit less tired on the job.
No one cares how Albert Einstein looked, or Thomas Edison.
Men and women both have to spend money on clothes to look professional, both have to keep their clothing neat and clean. But only women have to "brighten" their eyes or paint their fingernails to earn more. A man with small eyes or bad skin is not penalized professionally; he is judged by his work (and he earns more, anyway, than the woman who "makes the effort" and comes in more polished than he is).
I pray for the day we are all judged by the content of our characters, not by our sexual attractiveness.
This valuing of women on her appearance is just yet another facet of sexism.
anon- thanks for contributing to this conversation. Personally, I like to wear makeup, style my hair and put effort into my apperance, so for me, I don't think about it as "getting less sleep" or "having to do more than a man." I think women can DO IT ALL and even do it better than men and with a smile on our faces to boot!
I don't think we should compare the effort we make to look good to what men have to do. Men also experience disadvantages in the workplace that are based on how they look, one of these things being height (studies prove that short men make less money/are percieved as less powerful in the workplace.) I am also certain that men with sever acne or genetic facial discolorations experience discrimination in the workplace (in fact, i read a recent article in The New York Times about a man with vitilaigo (sp) who wore makeup to work because he felt like people constantly judged him about his apperance/were distracted by his skin.)
I agree with your general point- it is sad that women are held to such a high standard…however, i don't see it as MEN setting those standards for me…I set them for myself because it makes me feel good when I look good at work (and I work in a women-only office, so it's not like i'm trying to impress men to "get further" in my career.)