A recent TikTok explaining the history of Maybelline cosmetics and how they came to be had us absolutely spiraling, delving into tons of research as to why women wear makeup. It’s actually fascinating because there is a whole science behind it, you know, like just about everything else. Let’s get into it.
Before we get started, we’ll give you a brief history lesson because we can’t just keep you hanging about this whole Maybelline thing. Basically, Maybel Williams was in love with a man who was in love with someone else, tale as old as time, right? So Maybel started putting petroleum jelly on her eyebrows and eyelashes to draw attention to her features. Her brother Thomas, a chemist, saw her do this and added carbon dust and burnt cork to the petroleum jelly to make her features darker and stand out more. Long story short, mascara was invented, Maybel got the guy, and in 1915 at the ripe age of just 15, Thomas created the brand that we now know as Maybelline.
Now, why do women wear makeup?
Research tells us that about 44% of women don’t feel comfortable leaving their homes without putting makeup on first and there are two main reasons for this:
- To camouflage. Women who are anxious and/or insecure use makeup so they are less noticeable, or any imperfections they have are less noticeable.
- To seduce. Women who want to be noticeably more attractive use makeup as a way to be more confident, sociable, and/or assertive.
The 44% of women that prefer to leave the house with makeup on say they notice a difference regarding how they are treated in the world when they’re wearing makeup versus when they aren’t wearing makeup, and well, they aren’t exactly wrong.
Research can also tell us that there are (2) characteristics that contribute to if a woman’s face is perceived as “pretty” or not. One is the amount of color contrast around the eyes and lips; lipstick and eyeshadow are the main products that can enhance these areas. The other characteristic is how symmetrical her face is, and while you don’t need us to tell you, makeup is black magic that can create the illusion of a “perfect” or symmetrical face.
Research can also tell us that the single most important product a woman can wear is concealer and/or foundation. “This is especially important at work because research shows that women who wear makeup have higher earnings and promotion potential. Skin tone discolorations, tired eye bags, and blemishes can make you look tired or sickly.” Just about any skin imperfection can be made slightly less noticeable with a touch of foundation and as it turns out, that’s what people are after.
Full disclaimer, we aren’t saying we agree or disagree with this information, we’re just presenting you with the facts.