The combined results between two different studies have shined some light on what old age really looks like, and why the makeup so many women wear actually works.
In the first study, psychology professor Richard Russell, who has been collaborating with the Epidermal and Sensory Research and Investigation Center (CE.R.I.E.S), wanted to figure out what facial cues indicated our age to people. Obviously, wrinkles are the first thing that come to mind, but what Russell found was much more subtle.
In his study of 289 faces ranging in age from 20 to 70 years old, he found that the color of people's lips, eyes and eyebrows change, and their skin becomes darker. The resulting look is a face with far less color contrast than younger versions. Redness of the lips begins to fade as does the difference in color between eyebrow and forehead. Russell claims that we are rather unaware of these factors in determining age:
"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."
Another study in Paris that involved more than a hundred subjects found similar results. The scientists increased and decreased contrasts of the colors on person's picture, and found that people reacted by judging then as younger and older, respectively. Such findings may lend credence to the idea that makeup is not just a cultural phenomenon, but a biological one as well.
This seems to make sense when considering the type of products that are routinely sold in the makeup aisle of any grocery store. Eyeliner and eye shadow make the eyes pop while a little bit of blush livens up the cheek. Lipstick also provides a stark contrast to the skin around the mouth. All of these factors help to make a person seem considerably younger than they are.
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