Evidence that makeup is a false signal of sociosexuality

Carlota Batres, Richard Russell, Jeffry A. Simpson, Lorne Campbell, Alison M. Hansen, Lee Cronk

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

36 Scopus citations

Abstract

While the positive effect of makeup on attractiveness is well established, there has been less exploration into other possible functions of makeup use. Here we investigated whether one function of makeup is to signal sociosexuality. Using a large, well-controlled set of photographs, we found that faces with makeup were perceived to have more unrestricted sociosexuality than the same faces without makeup. Similarly, women wearing more makeup were perceived to have more unrestricted sociosexuality. The target women who were photographed also completed questionnaires about their makeup habits and the Sociosexual Orientation Inventory. Targets’ self-reported sociosexuality was not associated with their makeup habits, with observer ratings of the amount of makeup they wore, or with observer ratings of their sociosexuality when attractiveness was controlled. Thus our study shows that people use makeup as a cue for perceiving sociosexuality but that it is an invalid cue.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)148-154
Number of pages7
JournalPersonality and Individual Differences
Volume122
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 1 2018

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2017 Elsevier Ltd

Keywords

  • Attractiveness
  • Faces
  • Makeup
  • Perception
  • Sociosexuality

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