PulsE PoiNts
DOES MAKEUP
MAKE WOMEN
FEEL SMARTER?
here have been numerous studies that prove
wearing makeup makes a woman’s self-esteem
soar. It’s called the “lipstick effect,” and it’s a
psychological phenomenon in which wearing
makeup can give individuals a confidence boost by making
them feel more physically attractive, increasing feelings of
self-esteem, attitude and personality.
However, a less well-known effect
is that a boost in self-esteem
can also boost cognitive
abilities. As previous
research has already
shown that positive
emotions can
improve
academic
performance,
the new study
set out to see if
the positive boost
in self-esteem
from wearing
T
16
PULSE
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November 2017
makeup could have the same effect.
Researchers from Harvard Medical School and the
University of Chieti in Italy looked into the “lipstick effect”
among 186 female undergraduate students. The students
were pla