REASONS WHY NUMEROUS WOMEN STILL PREFER TO WEAR
MAKEUP EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE A LOT OF RISKS AND DISADVANTAGES THAT COMES WITH
IT
A Research Paper Presented to
The Faculty of the English Research Resource Center
School of Multimedia Arts
Asia Pacific College
Magallanes, Makati City
In Partial Fulfilment
of the Requirements for the Course
ERESWRT / Research Writing
Julie Ace A. Dumaoal
September 2014
Chapter I - Introduction
A. Background of the
Study
There are so many downsides
on wearing makeup, like for one, makeup is expensive and there's no doubt about
that, but many women still support them. The price of cosmetics is affiliated
based on the image of the brand. If a brand is well known and is well established,
it is definitely pricey. This gives the well known products a right to be
expensive. Well known cosmetic companies also hire well known endorsers to
market the products to ensure that the mass will support them.
Anneli Rufus wrote an
article with the title "The Cosmetics Racket: Why the Beauty Industry Can
Get Away with Charging a Fortune for Makeup". She said the article people
who buys makeup actually believe "more expensive" means
"better". Premium brands demand premium prices. Sometimes they will
have expensive packaging, which adds to the price. Fancy bottles, seductive
names, and the fees of creatives who design them add up to the price of the
product. Spokesmodels is also a huge impact on why a cosmetic product is very
expensive, this leaves an impression to the consumers that if you buy the buy
the product you will end up looking like the model who is endorsing it.
According to Anneli
Rufus, "The prices of cosmetics are based not on the value of
their ingredients but rather on other factors like packaging, marketing, and
the simple fact. They also believe that certain products or brands, such as
those boasting European provenances convey higher class. The words, the ads,
the whirl of milks and muds and minerals and miracles, half-promise
metamorphosis and happiness"
(http://www.alternet.org/story/148140/the_cosmetics_racket%3A_why_the_beauty_industry_can_get_away_with_charging_a_fortune_for_makeup).
Makeup companies take this
as an opportunity to gain money from the people who patronize their products.
Marketing is really an effective tool to spread the word about a company's
product, and with a famous endorser to back up their product, women surely
splurge a huge amount of money just to get their hands on the product because
they think that if they purchase the product they will end up looking like the
endorser.
Flora Stay stated on his
article "Potential Health Effects of Cosmetic Ingredients", cosmetic
brands are a multibillion-dollar industry and women are willing to spend any
price for beauty. According to the article, wearing makeup can have a very bad
side effects on the skin. Many harmful substances are found on many cosmetic
products, and the most common substances are Phthalates, Triclosan, Parabens
and Salicylic Acid. These harmful substances can trigger asthma like symptoms,
itching, skin rash or hives, headaches, and swelling of hands, feet or face.
Stay said, "It's
very difficult finding totally salicylate free products. Many brands depend on
"natural" on their labels with a few herbs thrown in for marketing
purposes. Plus, salicylates come in different chemical forms and names, and
unless you are a chemist, you will not recognize them"
(http://www.totalhealthmagazine.com/features/womens-health-articles/potential-health-effects-of-cosmetic-ingredients.html).
It is really hard to find
makeup products that are safe to use because it is not easy to check one by one
the substances that a makeup product contains. Even though the components of a
makeup product is listed behind the packaging, there is no point of reading it
because it is impossible that a consumer knows all the effects of that every
single ingredient. So it is very important to know the frequently used toxic
ingredients. People don't even take the time to read the ingredients behind the
label because as long it makes them look better, women will still buy the
product even though they know its very harmful for their skin. One probably
reason why makeup is expensive is because many companies spend a lot on
testing. Many companies use animals as test subjects.
Jim Bridgeport wrote an
article entitled, "Do Cosmetic Companies Still Test on Live
Animals?", according to him animal testing is one downside that comes with
makeup. Testing products on animals is very wrong and very inhumane. Mostly all
the cosmetic companies before used to do animal testing especially when they
have a new product to release.
Bridgeport said, "Another
reason many companies are moving away from the Draize Test is that considerable
information has already been yielded and recorded from past testing. Many
companies are taking closer looks at the result of tests done years ago to
glean information on how safe similar ingredients in their new products are
without having to carry out new tests on new generations of lab animals"
(http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/cosmetics-animal-testing/).
This is actually true, why should they test the same products again when they
have already been tested before, and they should just use those results as
basis for future use. Alternatives to animal testing are conducted on cell
cultures, human and animal corneas from eye banks, corneal tissue cultures and
frozen cornea supplied by hospitals.
Some companies nowadays have started to reduce the use of lab animals as
subjects. It is also said that companies have used the test results done years
ago to improve the products they are making now, so in a way they are saving a
lot. Sadly there are only few countries that have started to ban the use
of animals as test subjects, and there is still conflict in promoting the ban
to the other parts of the world.
It's very clear that wearing makeup has a number of negative consequences, both
for the individual and society. However, women still continue to patronize
makeup even though it’s very damaging and harmful. There is a need for
this research because information about the factors that compel women to
patronize makeup would allow readers to gain a better understanding of the
situation. Moreover, it would encourage readers to reconsider their
relationship with the cosmetic industry.
The purpose of this study is
to determine why numerous women still prefer to wear makeup even though
their are a lot of risks and disadvantages that comes with it.
B. Statement of the Problem
This study aims to answer this question:
1. Why numerous women still prefer to wear makeup even though there are a
lot of risks and disadvantages that comes with it?
C. Significance of the Study
Students. Students will be able
to benefit from this information because they will know what are the advantages
and disadvantages of makeup. It can also benefit them by having the knowledge
of what particular products are safe to use.
Corporate Women. Knowledge of this study would help corporate women
to know how makeup can help them improve their performance at the work place.
It can also help them know the efficiency of wearing makeup in the work
place.
Parents. They will be able to learn a lot from this paper, like how
important it is to know what are age appropriate makeup products for their
children to use. This paper will also allow them to know the limitations of
makeup when it comes to teens.
Future Researchers. This study is essential for future researchers
for reference purpose and to make similar studies because only a few groups of
people only knows about the true influence of wearing makeup and why women
still continue wearing makeup even with the presence of its downside.
D. Scope and Delimitation
This study focuses on why women still continue to use cosmetic products even
with the awareness of how harmful it is for the skin.
Due to time constraints, this paper will no longer discuss the deeper negative
effects of makeup. This is to give emphasis to the reasons of why women still
prefer to makeup. Aside from time constraints, most of the resources would be
coming from online blogs.
E. Materials and Methods
The researcher will follow a method to find some information and connections to the reasons why women still prefer to wear makeup even though there are a lot of risks and disadvantages that comes with it.
The researcher will follow a method to find some information and connections to the reasons why women still prefer to wear makeup even though there are a lot of risks and disadvantages that comes with it.
The materials that the researcher will be using in gathering information are
from online sites, sources or other articles on the Internet to widen the knowledge
of the readers.
F. Definition of Terms
1. Makeup - substances (such as lipstick or powder) used to makeup someone's
face look more attractive (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/makeup)
2. Cosmetics - A substance (such as cream, lotion or powder) that you put on
your face or body to improve ones appearance
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cosmetic)
3. Risk - The possibility that something bad or unpleasant will happen
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/risk)
4. Negative - harmful or bad (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/negative)
5. Prefer - To like (someone or something) better than someone or something
else (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prefer)
6. High-end - upscale, superior quality or sophistication and usually high in price (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/high-end)
7. Drugstore - low cost makeup dupes
Chapter II Discussion
Why numerous women still prefer
to wear makeup even though there are a lot of risks and disadvantages that comes
with it.
I. Why women wear makeup
Makeup disguises
any imperfection that a person might have, but there are so many negative effects that comes with makeup like skin
diseases, allergic reactions, ageing and unwanted dependency in makeup.
But despite of the said negative effect that comes with makeup, many
women still prefer to use it. Advancements
in technology have led to the creation of better synthetic cosmetics that are
used as makeup. The benefits of make-up are great for all women. There
is a huge ratio of women who uses makeup not just occasionally but also on a day-to-day
basis. According to statistics, 4 out 5 women uses makeup. One million
women, based on census projections are wearing only one makeup product a day
According a study conducted
by The Beauty Company, “Nearly half of
U.S women surveyed believe wearing makeup gives them an advantage at work and
makes them feel more in control. About 82% of women surveyed believe wearing
makeup gives them an advantage at work and makes them feel more in control. 86%
of women believe that wearing makeup improves their self-image” (http://www.thebeautycompany.co/downloads/Beyer_BeautyNumbers.pdf).
This only shows that despite
the negative effects of makeup there are still a huge number of makeup users
worldwide. There are so many negative effects that comes with wearing makeup,
but there is also some advantages of using it. This means that even in makeup
there is a balance between the positive and negative when it comes to the
effects of it.
A. Physical Benefits
Wearing makeup makes women
look more attractive and makes them more confident. We live in a material world
where looks matter. Many people think that the reason why women wear makeup is
to be able to seek attention or recognition, but this is not true. It very
important to most women, especially when it comes to the corporate world where
women are competing against the male, women wear makeup because it helps them
build a good impression and somehow uplifts their self-esteem. During
interviews, it is very important to look pleasing because this is one way to
show the management that a woman can be capable of being trustworthy. It may
also be a way to stand out in the crowd, thus being a step ahead from the
competition.
Some studies have shown that being attractive helps a lot in terms of looking
for an employment. An article written by Susan Krauss Whitbourne entitled
"Want to Boost Your Job Prospects? Try a Beauty Makeover" said that
when people see a beautiful face, they assume that the person behind the face
is more socially adept, confident and successful. Employers are more likely to
hire a person with an attractive face. It is also said in the article that a
survey had been sponsored by Proctor & Gamble and conducted by Harvard
Medical school suggests that wearing makeup can help promote the image as a
person who is competent, likeable, attractive and trustworthy. The study was about participants that were given just
250 milliseconds to look at several photos of women in various degrees of
makeup- no makeup, natural, professional and glamorous- with the ratings
increasing with the amount of beauty product used. When those same
participants were given time to study the images for a lengthier amount of
time, the ratings changed. Instead, for the dramatic makeup looks, people saw
them as equally likeable and much more attractive and competent, but less
trustworthy.
Susan Krauss Whitbourne
said, "Your face only tells part of the picture about who you are and
how competent you will be at your job. Make sure that you develop your inner
abilities as well as your outer appearance. In a perfect world, there would be
no beauty premium. However, given today's economy and the fact that this is
less than a perfect world, you might as well use it to boost your own job
premium" (http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/fulfillment-any-age/201110/want-boost-your-job-prospects-try-beauty-makeover).
Looks matter, especially proper
grooming, it will give a more polished and more professional look. The
measurement of the work being done is not based on how a person looks but on
how the job was delivered. It doesn't matter if a person is attractive enough,
its what that person can bring to the table that matters the most. What can a
pretty face do in the company if she can't do any job correctly, that's the
reason why companies conduct interviews of applicants before they get
hired.
One physical benefit of wearing makeup is that it seems to be appealing to the
opposite sex. According to an article written by Seth Meyers entitled, "Is
Makeup Good or Bad for your Sexual & Dating Self- Esteem" , dating for women is often made more difficult and more
uncomfortable because of the pressure many of them feel to meet a certain
standard of attractiveness and thinness. There is this double standard that
exist for women in terms of dating.
Seth Meyers said, "I always tell my clients that one of the best ways to
get over certain fears or hang-ups is to face the fears head on, in the most
direct way possible. Instead of giving those fears and insecurities about
attractiveness so much power, I suggest that women consider giving themselves
more of a break and challenging some of those societal expectations on a first
date" (http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/insight-is-2020/201301/is-makeup-good-or-bad-your-sexual-dating-self-esteem).
Women
Should face their fear that they are lacking on something just because they
feel that they are not good enough. When two people are in a relationship,
having the looks doesn't really matter, because as long as both of them gets
along well, its enough to make a relationship work. Being attractive physically
is just a bonus in terms of being in a relationship, and it shouldn't be the
other way around.
B. Emotional Benefits
Women sometimes depend on
their mood when it comes to wearing makeup. When it comes to the time of the
month state, women can be very moody and irritated to many things or persons.
Women even get irritated to their selves once they see their reflection in the
mirror. There comes a time that women just feel like they are so ugly and fat
and all other negative things one person can have. This is where makeup comes
in; there are many proven tests that makeup can certainly help women feel good
about themselves. Makeup makes women feel good, that’s part of the “I wear it
for myself” argument that people always fail to tack on.
Some women feel they need to
wear makeup because they have to. Some depends on how they feel the moment they
wake up in the morning and as soon as they see their face in that bathroom
mirror, that sudden urge to wear makeup instantly kicks in. According to an
article written by Cara, "Natural Cosmetics- Why I'm Wearing Makeup
Again", she feels happier when she wears makeup.
According to Cara, "I felt like makeup wasn’t something I was interested
in spending time on for quite a while, and thus didn’t wear it other than
some mascara and colored lip gloss occasionally. I knew
that I never wanted to have wearing makeup be a requirement for me to be
seen in public or photographed- I wanted to make sure I was comfortable
with how I looked naturally and didn’t want to have makeup be an unhealthy
priority for me, displacing what really is important, even just for a few
minutes" (http://www.healthhomehappy.com/2010/06/natural-cosmetics-why-im-wearing-makeup-again.html).
It doesn't matter how bad or good a
person's appearance is, the most important is that as long as that person is
comfortable, that's what matters the most. If a woman is wearing makeup and
suddenly realize that she is not comfortable with it, her wearing makeup is no
longer considered being happy and contented, because at the end of the day
comfort must be the first thing to consider.
Wearing makeup can also be a form of self-expression. An article written by
Alyssa Matthews entitled "4 Reasons Why
Women Wear Makeup (For Those Who Just Don’t Get It)" said that some
women expresses a hint of their personality by how they choose to convey it by
their makeup.
Alyssa Matthews said, "When
I see a woman with dramatic plum shadow, high-blushed cheekbones, and nude
glossy lips, I can immediately sense a way in which she expresses herself. Some
girls go for the natural look and others go for the dramatic, sexy look. Either
way, I can gage a tiny part of their personality" (http://thoughtcatalog.com/alyssa-mathews/2014/03/4-reasons-why-women-wear-makeup-for-those-who-just-dont-get-it/).
This can be an effective
tool to express how a person feels. Some women uses makeup as masks to hide
their insecurities while some women also uses makeup to show off their best
features and through makeup they feel more happy and thus gaining more
self-respect. Some people may think that women don't need makeup and it is just
a waste of time because applying makeup can be very time consuming but many
women would argue to that, for them, the application of makeup is quite simply
a necessary, exceptionally pleasurable part of their day.
Women perceive that they
look more attractive once they have started using makeup. Some women think that
they can’t manage to leave the house when they are not wearing any makeup. They
feel like they are naked and robbed when they are not wearing any colors in
their skin. Women still continue to wear makeup even though they know
it’s very harmful for them because they have probably proven it to be very
useful in a way. Somehow it made women think that they can be more
trustworthy and confident once they have put on some makeup in their face.
According
to an article entitled "Study:
Makeup makes women look competent, trustworthy" by
Rina Raphael, positive perception declines as makeup gets heavier. There has
been a study funded by Procter and Gamble in which they have carried out some
scientist from various organizations. The study was about participants that
were given just 250 milliseconds to look at several photos of women in various
degrees of makeup- no makeup, natural, professional and glamorous- with the
ratings increasing with the amount of beauty product used. When those
same participants were given time to study the images for a lengthier amount of
time, the ratings changed. Instead, for the dramatic makeup looks, people saw
them as equally likeable and much more attractive and competent, but less
trustworthy.
Raphael said, "Makeup can help empower and express a sense of
self-worth, but it's not the guiding factor in a woman's image. It comes down
to a fine line between confidence and fear or insecurity" (http://www.today.com/style/study-makeup-makes-women-look-competent-trustworthy-1C8544392).
Another article entitled "Mineral Makeup Can Help Boost Confidence" by
Jason Ladock, stated that mineral makeups are made of all natural ingredients
that can increase the beauty and freshness of the skin. Many people like using
mineral makeup because it is made up of ingredients that are not harmful to the
skin, and it can suit any skin type.
According to Jason Ladock's article, "Other
cosmetics products may say that they are natural but some of them still contain
chemical. You have to look for products that are trusted and has been in the
industry for years to ensure the quality of makeup" (http://www.healthguidance.org/entry/12899/1/Mineral-Makeup-Can-Help-Boost-Confidence.html).
This is actually true, some makeup claims that they are all natural but the
truth is there not. Best way to know if your mineral makeup is legit is to ask
experts or read reviews about mineral makeups, whether online or by print. If
you have very sensitive skin, it is required to the makeup by putting small
amount of it on your hand, then wait for a few minutes to see if your skin will
produce rashes. Mineral makeup is very useful to a lot of women, because its
not only natural but it also helps prevent skin from getting rashes especially
for people with sensitive skin.
A huge ratio of women uses makeup to hide their insecurities and imperfections.
Women also use makeup as a power-up to boost their self-esteem. Many studies
have shown that makeup can improve self-esteem. According to an article written
by Alice Kahn with the title, "How Makeup Can Improve Self Esteem",
its up to a person whether or not that person is comfortable with
oneself.
Alice Kahn said in the article, "A
person with healthy self esteem is one who is comfortable in his or her own
skin, situation in life and with what are other’s attitudes towards him or her.
We all struggle with self-esteem at some point in our lives. Some struggle more
than others. Our negative self-perceptions are usually caused by what others
say about us. Self-image is the commonest area of low self-esteem. We are
constantly facing images and messages from the media that tell us we need to
better ourselves" (http://makeupandbeauty.com/how-makeup-can-improve-your-self-esteem/).
It really goes down to where a person is comfortable. One major reason why
women feel they to improve their self-esteem is because of media, they tell
people they need to become better.
D. Social Benefits
Many women enjoy using
makeup because it’s very interesting. Another reason why many people wear
makeup is because it is fun, many people get hook into makeup because they
enjoy painting faces with different types of products to make them appear more
nice and colorful. Many magazines use makeup as an art in conveying messages
thru the models. It is also a way to be expressive. Some women take makeup very
seriously. For some, it is a form of art. Makeup says things about a woman they
usually do not say on their own. Makeup is also one way of distinguishing a
woman’s personality according on her preference of look.
According to an article written by Amrita with the title "Let's Face It,
Makeup Is Now an Art Form", makeup has been present for a long time now
and people may not notice it but even our ancestors had been huge fans of it.
Before they have been using all natural products as makeup, but as time pass
and technology evolved, some makeup products had become good and bad at the
same time. Good in a sense that many products have been created so that means
there is a huge selections of products to choose from and bad at the same time
because many of these new products are consisting hazardous and
life threatening chemicals. But still many women would still prefer
wearing makeup even with the presence of its downsides.
Amrita said in her article,
"But time and the river move on, and one day you stare into the water and
say, "Well, maybe a little blusher."And that is how I found myself in
a suburban full-service salon, awaiting the bell for my first makeup lesson.
Makeup in the '90s is a complex art form. Although I had vowed, after my fourth
diploma, never to go back to school again, I was moved to reenter when I had to
make a TV appearance. The station lady told me to arrive in "full"
makeup. Somehow this sounded like more than a little lipstick and mascara"
(http://articles.latimes.com/1990-03-04/news/vw-2440_1_art-form).
One other reason why women
still prefer wearing makeup is that it is very cheap. Although there are a lot
of high-end brands, there is a huge ratio of women who would rather purchase
drugstore brands rather than high-end brands. When comparing the difference of
high-end and drugstore brands, many women will choose to buy high-end products
but it tends to be very expensive. So that’s the reason why many drugstore
brands have been popping out, it’s because they can produce an equivalent
product to match with the high-end brands. That’s one reason why drugstore
brand is very competitive in the makeup industry.
When shopping for cosmetics,
it’s easy to be swayed by flashy displays and alluring designer-brand
advertising. According to an article "Drugstore Swaps for Department Store
Makeup" written by Becky Worley, More and more cosmetics are being
introduced into drugstores, which are aimed at helping consumers save money and
claim to produce results comparable to designer lines.
"Expensive designer makeup is all the rage, but what if you could find
cheaper drugstore brands that look similar enough to fool the eye? Beauty blogs
around the Web tout products from Revlon, Loreal, and smaller cosmetic
companies that have either intentionally or accidentally made products that
closely replicate the shades in high-end products like lipsticks from Mac,
bronzer from Benefit and blush from Nars"
(http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/lifestyle/2013/07/drugstore-swaps-for-department-store-makeup/).
This is probably why many women are hooked in wearing makeup, its fun and
somehow very affordable. Women all over the world are getting hooked to makeup
because of the feeling of fulfillment
Chapter III - Summary,
Conclusions and Recommendations
Summary
This paper
is intended to know why many women would still prefer to wear makeup even
though there are a lot of risks and disadvantages that comes with it.
The Research design used in this study is the observational
research method wherein the data from all the articles and documents that
gathered were used to answer the questions that posted. The research findings
are the following:
1. There is still a huge ratio of women uses makeup even with
the presence of its downsides.
2. The influences on why women still prefer to wear makeup
are either because of psychological, emotional, physical and social benefits
that comes with it.
3. Makeup has become a statement for women all over the
world.
Conclusions
Based on the findings of the study. The following conclusions
are drawn:
1.Women use
makeup to boost their confidence and self-esteem.
2. Women all over the world had become very dependent on makeup.
3. The physical benefits of makeup to women is that its appealing to the
opposite sex and its one tool that women uses to obtain employment.
4. Makeup
is being used as a way of art. There are so many cheap makeup products that’s
why many women patronizing it.
5. The
emotional benefit of wearing makeup is women feel happier when they are wearing
makeup.
Recommendations:
After drawing the
conclusions of the study, the researchers hereby make the following suggestions
/ recommendations:
1. Students must raise their awareness when it comes to choosing the
right makeup products.
2. Corporate women should not depend on makeup itself because in the end, how
the job is being delivered is what's more important.
3. Women should know the limitations of makeup, whether on how or why they wear
it, what matters the most is where they are most comfortable.
References
A. Electronic Media
Bridgeport, Jim "Do Cosmetic Companies Still Test on Live Animals?”
(http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/cosmetics-animal-testing/)
Cara "Natural Cosmetics- Why I'm Wearing
Makeup Again”
(http://www.healthhomehappy.com/2010/06/natural-cosmetics-why-im-wearing- makeup-again.html)
Kahn, Alice "Let's Face It, Makeup Is Now an Art Form”
(http://articles.latimes.com/1990-03-04/news/vw-2440_1_art-form)
Ladock, Jason "Mineral Makeup Can Help Boost Confidence”
(http://www.healthguidance.org/entry/12899/1/Mineral-Makeup-Can-Help-Boost-Confidence.html)
Matthews, Alyssa "4 Reasons Why Women Wear
Makeup
(For Those Who Just Don’t Get It)” (http://thoughtcatalog.com/alyssa-mathews/2014/03/4- reasons-why-women-wear-makeup-for-those-who-just-dont-get-it/)
Meyers, Seth "Is Makeup Good or Bad for
your Sexual & Dating Self- Esteem”
(http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/insight-is-2020/201301/is-makeup-good-or-bad- your-sexual-dating-self-esteem)
Raphael, Rina "Study: Makeup makes women
look competent, trustworthy”
(http://www.today.com/style/study-makeup-makes-women-look-competent- trustworthy-1C8544392)
Anneli
Rufus "The Cosmetics Racket: Why
the Beauty Industry Can Get Away with Charging a Fortune for Makeup”
(http://www.alternet.org/story/148140/the_cosmetics_racket %3A_why_the_beauty_industry_can_get_away_with_charging_a_fortune_for_makeup)
Stay, Flora "Potential Health Effects of Cosmetic Ingredients”
(http://www.totalhealthmagazine.com/features/womens-health-articles/potential-health-effects-of-cosmetic-ingredients.html)
Whitbourne, Susan Krauss “Want to Boost Your Job Prospects? Try a Beauty
Makeover”
(http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/fulfillment-any-age/201110/want-boost-your-job-prospects-try-beauty-makeover)
Becky
Worley "Drugstore Swaps for Department Store Makeup" (http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/lifestyle/2013/07/drugstore-swaps-for-department-store-makeup/)
