Recent research by Proctor & Gamble, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School and others suggests that makeup has a big impact on how people perceive women, and even makes females look more competent. You probably could have guessed this based on your own experiences – after all, you probably feel more attractive with a few strategically-applied products than you do with a totally bare face.

In the study, subjects were quickly shown images of women with a range of makeup looks, from none at all to completely made up. The participants rated each photograph in terms of the woman’s competence, likability, attractiveness and trustworthiness. The ratings went up as the amount of makeup increased, except when participants were asked to look at the photographs for a longer period of time. When they honed in on the more heavily made-up looks, the ratings for trustworthiness decreased.

This just goes to show that your normal makeup routine is doing you good, but more makeup isn’t great for the workplace. Use a makeup kit like Pixi – Natural Mineral Kit for an everyday look, and something like POP Beauty – Hello Gorgeous when you’re feeling more daring.