How Makeup Makes a Person Look Younger

Makeup keeps people looking young, but it doesn't always do so by hiding wrinkles; instead it tricks the viewer into believing the wearer is young. According to a new study, makeup works by increasing the contrast between facial features, like increasing redness of the lips.

The study team even shows that it is possible to make a woman (Caucasian) look younger just by increasing the contrast between facial features.

The latest research on image perception shows that humans pick up subtle signs like change in luminescence in facial features to judge a person's age.

Red is often the choice of lip-color, even though lips are naturally pink. There are reports of women using red color on the lips as far back as the Mesopotamian civilization. Previous research has also found that waitresses wearing red lipstick are more likely to get higher tips.

"Unlike with wrinkles, none of us are consciously aware that we're using this cue, even though it stares us in the face every day," said Psychology Prof. Richard Russell, from Gettysburg College, according to a news release.

For the study, the research team measured images of 289 people aged between 20 and 70 years old. Researchers found that as people age, the tone of the skin changes, leaving less contrast between facial features and the skin.

In another experiment, researchers changed the contrast in the images and found that the images that had higher color contrast were rated as younger and decreased contrast in an image was considered older.

Previous research published in the journal Experimental Brain Research had found that people find the left side of the face more pleasant and youthful than the right side.

The study "Aspects of Facial Contrast Decrease with Age and Are Cues for Age Perception", is published in the journal PLOS ONE.

For the study, Russell collaborated with researchers from CE.R.I.E.S. (Epidermal and Sensory Research and Investigation Center), a department of Chanel Research and Technology studying skin-related issues.