An evaluation of the effects of makeup on perceived age based on skin color in Korean women.

BACKGROUND: Makeup has been shown to increase women's attractiveness, perceived femininity, and self-confidence and reduce their perceived age. Some of these results were caused by facial contrast and visible skin color. However, they did not investigate makeup benefit by focusing skin color change.

OBJECTIVES: We investigated the benefit of makeup in reducing perceived age by focusing on only skin color, based on the age-related changes in several skin color parameters (mean, standard deviation, skewness, and kurtosis), and attempted to discover the indications for youthful-looking skin color.

METHODS: A total of 174 Korean women aged 20-69 years participated in this study. Their digital facial images were cropped on the cheek area, standard Red green Blue data were transformed to Quasi-L*a*b*, and the statistical parameters of individual Quasi-L*a*b* data were calculated. Fourteen volunteers aged 30-45 years wore liquid-type makeup. The perceived age was assessed by 11 clinical evaluation researchers with a LCD monitor. The statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 23.0, with a significance level of P < 0.05.

RESULTS: According to a multiple regression analysis, unevenness in skin color, skin lightness, and skewness in skin yellowness significantly affected the participants' perceived age; the most important factor was the unevenness in skin yellowness in Korean women. The evaluated and calculated with the regression equation perceived age were decreased after makeup was applied.

CONCLUSIONS: The makeup can reduce women's perceived age by correcting the skin's color, and it can show youthful skin properties such as a lighter and more homogenous color with less chroma.