Study: Women who wear makeup appear more competent, likeable

Makeup can do more than cover up a blemish or two, according to a new study released this week .

The study says that when women wear makeup they are perceived as more attractive, competent, trustworthy and likeable.

Researchers at Cincinnati’s Procter & Gamble, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston University and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute showed study participants photos of women of different ages and ethnicities either wearing no makeup or wearing one of three different cosmetic looks — natural, professional or glamorous.

In the first study, subjects viewed photos of the women for less than one second. In a second study, different subjects looked at the same photos for an unlimited amount of time.

The participants then rated the women in terms of comptence, likeability, attractiveness and trustworthiness.

Researchers found when faces were shown for a short amount of time, ratings for competence, likeability, attractiveness and trustworthiness went up as the women wore more makeup. However, the same thing did not apply when participants could look at the pictures as long as they would like.

“When they got to the more dramatic makeup looks, people saw them as equally likable and much more attractive and competent, but less trustworthy," said Nancy Etcoff, lead author and associate researcher at Massachusetts General Hospital, in an ABC News story . "Dramatic makeup was no longer an advantage compared to when people saw the photos very quickly.”

Despite the findings, experts say it's important for women to be comfortable wearing as much makeup as they want—or even none at all.

"This study shows that cosmetics enhance how others perceive your beauty, but there are other ways to feel beautiful," said Ann Kearney-Cooke, director of the Cincinnati Psychotherapy Institute, in the ABC News story. "Your warmth, confidence and energy attract others to you. There's nothing more attractive than a confident woman with a voice of her own, with her own style that comfortable in her own skin."