Differential effects of makeup on perceived age

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Perception Science
• Social Psychology

Background:

• Makeup is commonly believed to make individuals appear younger.
• This belief is often attributed to makeup's ability to alter facial visual cues associated with youth.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effect of makeup on perceived age across different age groups.
• To explore the underlying mechanisms, including visual cues and social associations, influencing makeup's impact on age perception.

Main Methods:

• Controlled experiments presenting participants with age-estimated photographs of faces with and without makeup.
• Manipulation of visual features like skin homogeneity, facial contrast, and feature size.
• Exploration of social associations between makeup and adulthood.

Main Results:

• Makeup significantly reduced perceived age in middle-aged women (40s and 50s).
• Makeup did not alter perceived age in 30-year-old women.
• Makeup increased perceived age in young women (20s).
• Evidence suggests makeup use is associated with adulthood, potentially biasing age perception.

Conclusions:

• Makeup's effect on perceived age is age-dependent, making middle-aged women appear younger but young women appear older.
• Makeup influences age perception through both bottom-up (visual cue modification) and top-down (social association activation) pathways.
• The association of makeup with adulthood may explain why it can increase perceived age in younger individuals.