Women are constantly on the hunt for the best make-up the beauty realm has to offer. And while we often do it for ourselves, we can’t help but wonder what men think about women wearing make-up.
Dr. Cammi Balleck, PhD, author of Happy, the New Sexy says that when it comes to make-up, men like women who look polished and presentable. “Men like natural”, she says. “Good taste will attract men, and exaggeration will turn them away”.
To put this theory to the test, we approached guys in Malaysia and asked them to take part in a little study we conducted to see how much make-up on a women do they find attractive.
We dolled our intern Emi in three of the most common make-up looks:
Look 1: None to very little make-up that consists of concealer, some brown eyeliner and tinted lip balm. In other words, a very natural look.
Look 2: Nude, everyday make-up that consists of light brown shades of eyeshadow, some eyeliner, and a lip color by blending some red lip liner with lip balm.
Look 3: A full face of make-up that consists of dark eyeshadows, a dark red lip and blush.
Based on a survey we conducted, the average Malaysian woman spends between RM200-RM500 worth of make-up in a year. That’s a whopping average of RM10,000 in a lifetime! And what’s quite disappointing is that most guys prefer our skins minus the face paint.
When it came to Look 1, Aiman, 26, felt that a girl who could who’s bold enough to step out with very little to no make-up on is either comfortable in her own skin. “It show’s that she’s comfortable, which is cool and attractive. If she must absolutely needs make-up before going out, I’ll start making assumptions about her character and self-esteem”.
Aiman felt that Look 3 looked appropriate for parties and similar occasions, but felt came off too strong, adding that it’s “nice to look at, but wouldn’t particularly bother approaching”. He did however, find the Look 2 most attractive, seeing it as “the female equivalent of suiting up” as it accentuates the features as opposed to highlighting or removing blemishes.
Paul, 31, felt the same about the Look 2 as it helped highlight parts of the face like the lips and eyes.
Chris, 27, didn’t care for Look 3 at all: “I personally dislike the aggressively thick red lipstick. The best make-up is make-up that I don’t notice”.
Sadra, 30, found Look 2 the most attractive: “The make-up is subtle, and just enough to enhance the skin tone. Look 3 makes it seem like there’s too much going on.
Out of all the men we spoke to, a majority of them rated Look 2 the most attractive with Look 3 the least attractive. Look 1 was also well-received by most men, including Paul. “Women look their best when their natural. It’s also easier to take them seriously”.
Now that we know what that men find the natural make-up look the most attractive, here are some secrets to flawless, sexy and natural-looking make-up.
1. Find which colors look best on you. Head to your favorite make-up store to find out which colors best complement your skin, eyes and hair.
2. Decide which features are your best assets. Whether it’s your eyelashes, your smile, your gorgeous cheekbones, learn to play-up your best features with the right products.
3. Learn to play-down your problem areas. If you have a lot of acne and zits, avoid piling on foundation. Instead, invest in a good concealer formula that conceals like a magic wand without irritating your skin. The last thing you want is for your zit to stick out like a chunk of biscuit.
4. Avoid going overboard with the natural look. Keep the techniques simple and the process quick. If all else fails, one shade of eyeshadow, and eyeliner and a bronzer will be your lifesaver!
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