Unveiling the 'Makeup Tax'
Exploring the Workplace Pressures on Women to Wear Makeup
“You look sick, do you need to go home?” We have all heard this on the days where we go makeup-free in work.
In contemporary professional environments, the expectation for women to wear makeup persists as a subtle yet pervasive form of gender bias, echoing countless stories where women are deemed unprofessional if they choose to go bare-faced. This is referred to as ‘makeup tax’. One woman, Julia Sonenshein, wrote an article for Skillcrush which was later reproduced in Power To Fly. She had multiple personal anecdotes - one where her makeup had melted off, and multiple people asked if she was ill and needed to go home. At another job, a cut on her eyelid stopped her from wearing makeup and her boss told her to go home because she looked unprofessional.
While some women find confidence and empowerment in wearing makeup, others feel forced into adhering to societal beauty standards, particularly in business settings, where the pressure to look polished is often amplified. Wearing makeup can be seen as an unspoken rule that women are required to follow, which leaves ambiguity as to its application.
A seminal 2016 study by sociologists Jaclyn S. Wong and Andrew M. Penner brought to light a stark reality: attractive individuals out-earned their peers by approximately 20%. However, this relationship is tempered when considering grooming. Grooming includes various activities such as being neatly dressed or putting on makeup, and explains the entirety of the attractiveness premium for women, but only half for men. This finding underscores the disproportionate pressure on women to conform to specific beauty standards or levels of grooming in professional contexts, where their perceived attractiveness is intrinsically linked to their earning potential and career advancement. This means for some women, if they choose not to look a certain way at work it may impact them financially.
Further research, such as the 2019 study by Sheppard and Johnson, delves deeper into the biases ingrained within workplace perceptions. This research found that attractive business women are often judged as less truthful than their less attractive counterparts due to perceptions rooted in sexual insecurity. Astonishingly, attractiveness predicted lower perceived truthfulness specifically for female leaders delivering negative organisational news, highlighting the intersection of appearance and professional credibility and the detrimental impact it can have on women's careers.
Multiple studies reinforce the notion that makeup influences perceptions of women’s ability to lead in the workplace. This phenomenon is well-documented in research such as "The Makeup Tax: The Impact of Makeup on Perceptions of Professional Women" by Cash et al. (2018), "The Effects of Cosmetics Use on the Perception of Women’s Leadership Ability" by Gueguen et al. (2016), and "The Impact of Makeup Use on Workplace Perception" by Etcoff et al. (2011). Specifically in the Gueguen article, it was found that women wearing cosmetics were perceived as more competent and capable of leadership roles, compared to the same women without makeup. This suggests that cosmetics use may impact the initial impressions of women's leadership abilities. Overall, these studies highlight how the application of makeup can significantly alter perceptions of competence, trustworthiness, and likability. This further perpetuates the expectation for women to conform to beauty norms to be taken seriously in professional settings.
But why does this bias persist? For some, the pressure to wear makeup reflects internalised beliefs about professionalism and femininity, ingrained by societal norms that equate women's worth to their appearance. Additionally, workplace cultures and industries often perpetuate the idea that women must meet certain appearance standards to be considered competent and capable. This is highlighted by the Cash article referenced above, where women were considered to be more competent, likeable, and trustworthy upon first glance when wearing makeup, as compared to their bare faced counterparts. Interestingly, this perception was held by both men and women. The study suggested that women may face pressure to wear makeup to be perceived as competent and likeable, potentially placing an additional burden on them in the workplace.
As one woman shared with Allure Magazine on the topic, the pressure is often felt to be amplified for plus-size women, who can be subjected to additional scrutiny and stereotypes. She felt that being a larger size meant that she had even less ability to go bare-faced, as this woman feels that “fat women are read as lazy or sloppy unless they're hyper-feminine and hyper-polished.”
“So I’ll wear makeup!” woman cries, haven given up any pretence of having a choice. Unfortunately, it is not that easy. A study released in 2020 showed that wearing heavy makeup is dehumanising, and participants were seen as having less experience and less competence when heavily made up with both eye makeup and lipstick. This was found to be true even when gender and sexual orientation of the evaluators were ignored.
Yet, there are two sides to this narrative. On one hand, makeup can provide a sense of confidence and empowerment to individuals, allowing them to navigate unfair perceptions and biases in the workplace. It can serve as a tool for self-expression and identity. Armed with the data above, it can be used to get ahead in the workplace. On the other hand, this issue can raise concerns about the persistence of gender-based expectations and the perpetuation of discriminatory norms in the 21st century. The pressure to wear makeup should not overshadow one's qualifications, skills, and contributions to the workplace. Also, as we saw above, being '“too attractive” has a similar detrimental effect for women. It is impossible to straddle the line between wearing makeup and not being seen as too attractive in an effective manner, especially as attractiveness standards are almost entirely subjective.
In essence, the expectation for women to wear makeup in the workplace reflects broader societal inequalities and biases that continue to shape our perceptions and judgments. It underscores the need for ongoing conversations and efforts to challenge these norms and promote inclusivity and acceptance based on merit rather than appearance. As we strive for progress and equality in the workplace, let us not forget that true professionalism is not about makeup; it is about a person's ability and contributions. We should strive for a workplace where everyone is judged fairly, regardless of how they look.
