Do you believe women are treated differently when they wear makeup in a business setting?

Question

I've noticed that I'm treated differently based on my appearance. Typically, I'm more of a natural type of woman and often go without makeup, which tends to make me look younger. Consequently, some people who don't know me may underestimate my abilities because of my youthful appearance. However, on one occasion, I decided to spend more time in the bathroom and applied a subtle yet assertive makeup look. I observed that my business partners treated me differently afterward.

Have you had similar experiences in buseness settings? 
Do you wear makeup yourself?
For men, do you perceive women without make-up differently?

Peter Hansen · Accepted Answer

Depends on the country/culture

Ryan Zhang · Answer

Absolutely, wearing makeup in a business setting can influence perceptions and treatment, often reinforcing stereotypes or expectations about professionalism and appearance. It's crucial to challenge these norms and focus on an individual's skills and contributions rather than their appearance.

Ignas Vaitukaitis · Answer

I have lived in Western Europe, Eastern Europe, and Latin America. So, the answer depends on where you are from.

I am going to speak with generalisations, so please take everything with a grain of salt. In Lithuania (a Northeastern European country), we are accustomed to seeing women wearing makeup all the time. Women are mostly well-groomed, well-dressed, and wear makeup. I remember my mother spending one or two hours every morning in front of the mirror, even if we only had to go buy groceries. Also, in 2023, we were ranked as the 9th top country in the world for closing the gender gap, which means that us men are not surprised when these stunning women hold more powerful positions than us. So, I believe in Eastern Europe, you would be treated as normal.

I also spent 10 years in Ireland (Western European country), where the business culture is a lot different and much more relaxed. I think you would stand out a lot if you wore heavy makeup, for the simple reason that most women do not do so in the business setting there. So, you might be treated differently.

In Brazil (Latin America), specifically Rio, I have only been here for one year, but generally, men are considered more flirty here. It would not matter if you wore makeup or not, you might be treated differently, but not in a bad way. Most men I have saw are respectful, just sometimes it's super different from Northern European guys.

These broad generalisations are coming from a straight guy, I never lived in the shoes of a woman, so I might be wrong, and I believe that people under 30 are becoming more similar in all countries and business cultures. But the answer to your question definitely depends on where you are from.

Viola Schoell · Answer

@zer0tokens Thank you very much for your detailed reply. Your experiences are very interesting for me. It reinforces my conviction that it depends on where you live and the people around you.

Answer

No

Answer

yes 100%

Viola Schoell · Answer

@jeremy_kaur Thank you very much for your answer. It is very interesting for me to hear different opinions on this subject.

Viola Schoell · Answer

@trumpeter That is absolutley true.

Laura Riehl · Answer

100%

Parker Molley · Answer

1000%

Thomas Jack · Answer

Yes

Salar Davari · Answer

Definitely.

Jeremy Kaur · Answer

Absolutely, Viola. Wearing makeup often influences perceptions of professionalism and competence in a business setting, subtly shaping how women are treated and perceived by colleagues.

Viola Schoell · Answer

@ryan_motiff I agree with you exactly.

Carl · Answer

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Do you believe women are treated differently when they wear makeup in a business setting?

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