The study, which was originally published A study published in PLoS ONE showed that men who wear makeup appear more masculine. The study aimed to determine whether the “positive effect” of makeup on women also applies to men’s faces.

To answer this question, researchers Carlota Batres and Hannah Robinson assembled a group of 20 men, whom they photographed twice. The first photo showed the man without any makeup, while in the second, the same man was made up by professional makeup artist Carmina Christina.

The researchers set the following task for the makeup artist: 20 men needed ultra-light makeup that wasn’t too noticeable, so that it would be impossible to tell from a photo that they were wearing any makeup. The research paper describes in detail what she was tasked with: “For the male participants, the goal was to increase skin uniformity, reduce facial contrast, and emphasize bone structure without making it too obvious that the men were wearing makeup”.

The makeup artist used a variety of cosmetic products on the study participants, such as concealer and powder.

Next, 200 men and women were asked to rate all 40 images for attractiveness.

Doctor Carlota Batre, who led the study, commented: “We found that men’s faces were rated as more attractive when they wore light makeup, compared to photos where they wore no makeup. This held true for both men and women who evaluated the results, regardless of whether the data was analyzed using individual participant analysis or personal analysis.”“.

The scientific article concludes that: “Thus, men’s faces with light makeup will be perceived as more attractive than men’s faces without makeup, since makeup can potentially be used to influence skin uniformity, facial contrast, and the perception of bone structure.”.

Effective use of makeup can give the skin a more even appearance, lending it a healthier, more youthful glow; enhance the perception of masculinity by reducing facial contrast; and, finally, alter the bone structure, giving men a well-defined jawline.