The question may seem to belong to another era. Yet, amidst the pressure to be "well-groomed," "chic," or "professional," makeup is still sometimes presented as an almost obligatory step for women. So why does this reflex persist when no skill can be measured by foundation?<\/p>\n
No job description officially requires knowing how to apply mascara. And yet, many women still take a few minutes each morning to put on makeup before going to work. Not necessarily because they want to. Sometimes simply because they know their appearance will be observed, commented on, or interpreted.<\/p>\n
This pressure is all the more interesting because it rarely rests on an explicit rule. Rather, it's a set of codes: to look "well-groomed," presentable, elegant, "professional." Expectations that may seem innocuous, but which ultimately place an additional burden on women: time, money, and constant attention to their appearance.<\/p>\n
A study conducted by researchers at Boston University<\/a> and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, led by Nancy Etcoff, is often cited when discussing makeup and professional perception. Twenty-five women between the ages of 20 and 50 were photographed without makeup, then with varying intensities of makeup. The photos were then shown to participants, some for a very short time, others indefinitely.<\/p>\n The result: faces wearing makeup were generally associated with greater competence, likeability, and reliability. In other words, makeup obviously doesn't make a person more competent. However, it can change how that competence is perceived. And that's precisely where the topic becomes interesting.<\/p>\n The study does, however, have one significant limitation: it was funded by an industry player in the cosmetics sector. The researchers state that they maintained their independence in conducting the work, but this source of funding naturally needs to be considered when interpreting the results. Other independent studies have nevertheless found similar trends.<\/p>\n A German study published in 2016, in particular, examined the perceptions of women in positions of responsibility. It offers an interesting nuance: while light makeup can be associated with a positive image, makeup considered too heavy can, on the contrary, produce a negative effect. This shows that even when it comes to makeup, women can hardly win: too little, and you appear "unkempt"; too much, and you risk being judged "excessive."<\/p>\n Faced with these observations, two positions exist. The first is pragmatic: since biases exist, why not use them to one's advantage? Wearing makeup can be a personal choice, a way to feel good, to express oneself, or simply to start the day the way one likes. And that's perfectly legitimate.<\/p>\n However, another interpretation is crucial: these studies primarily measure social perception, not actual professional value. They show that we still associate certain aesthetic codes with qualities like seriousness or competence. The question then becomes: why should these qualities be conveyed through women's faces? Especially since men are rarely asked to compensate for their lack of makeup with a grooming routine, a so-called impeccable hairstyle, or a carefully chosen outfit each morning.<\/p>\n In France, an employer can impose certain dress codes when justified by "objective reasons," such as safety, hygiene, or the needs of customer interaction. However, these requirements must remain proportionate and not create discrimination. Specifically requiring women to wear makeup would therefore be particularly difficult to justify. And thankfully so: your face is not a uniform.<\/p>\n The problem goes far beyond makeup. We still hear that a woman should "dress well" to be credible, "look chic" to represent her company, or "be more put-together" to project a good image. But "dress well" according to whom? And above all, why should these requirements differ based on gender?<\/p>\n You can love lipstick or never wear it. You can love suits, sneakers, dresses, bright colors, or the simplest clothes in the world. You can put on makeup for ten minutes, an hour, or not at all. Your body is not a communication tool that your employer can reshape at will.<\/p>\n Attitudes are evolving, although the changes vary considerably across sectors. Creative and technological professions have often relaxed these codes, while some customer-facing roles maintain stronger aesthetic expectations. Remote work has also changed the relationship to appearance for many female employees: when the camera is off, it's hard to argue that lipstick determines the quality of one's work.<\/p>\n The answer is simple, even if the reality is less so: no, women don't have to wear makeup to be professional. If you like wearing makeup, do it. If you don't want to, don't. If you change your mind tomorrow, that's perfectly fine too. Your competence doesn't need mascara. Your credibility doesn't need high heels. And your professionalism certainly doesn't need to be painted on your face.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The question may seem to belong to another era. Yet, amidst the pressure to be "well-groomed," "chic," or...","protected":false},"author":8394,"featured_media":446905,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"disable_msn":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5678],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-446904","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-societe"],"image":{"medium":["https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Au-travail-les-femmes-doivent-elles-encore-se-maquiller-pour-paraitre-professionnelles-_-200x113.jpg",200,113,true],"large":["https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Au-travail-les-femmes-doivent-elles-encore-se-maquiller-pour-paraitre-professionnelles-_-500x281.jpg",500,281,true]},"custom":{"td_video":"","featured_image":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Au-travail-les-femmes-doivent-elles-encore-se-maquiller-pour-paraitre-professionnelles-_.jpg","author":{"name":"L\u00e9a Michel","avatar":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/1721220128171-96x96.jpg"},"categories":[{"term_id":5678,"name":"Society","slug":"societe","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":5846,"taxonomy":"category","description":" The Society section of The Body Optimist unpacks the debates that shape women\u2019s lives: equality, discrimination, beauty standards, social ties and the place of bodies in public space. Its analysis, first-person stories and practical advice are for anyone who wants to understand the pressures of everyday life and push back, with an inclusive, body-positive and judgment-free perspective.<\/p>\n Beauty standards are a social issue because they are neither natural nor universal: they shift from one country to another and from one era to the next, as our article on how beauty standards differ around the world<\/a> shows. Yet these ideals of thinness, youth and flawless skin have very real effects: comments starting in childhood, pressure to watch your weight, unequal treatment at work and in health care, online harassment. Recognizing that a norm is constructed helps you take a step back, spot the messages designed to make you feel guilty and choose what you want to keep. That is the common thread of this section: connecting individual experiences to the collective mechanisms that produce them.<\/p>\n If you experience discrimination or online harassment, the first step is to keep evidence, then to turn to the right people, who will depend on the country you live in:<\/p>\n Born from a plus-size fashion site, our magazine looks at social issues through the lens of the body and representation. We give a voice to the people most affected, we explain the words before debating them (sexism, fatphobia, trans identity, consent) and we favor practical ways forward over outrage alone. Our articles start from everyday experiences to shed light on broader patterns, without moralizing or pitting women against each other.<\/p>\n Discrimination is unequal treatment based on a characteristic protected by law, in a specific area such as employment, housing or access to goods and services. Protected grounds vary from country to country, but they often include sex, race or ethnic origin, disability, age, religion, sexual orientation and gender identity. Some places also protect physical appearance or weight.<\/p>\n Intersectionality describes how several forms of discrimination can overlap in the same person and reinforce one another. The American legal scholar Kimberl\u00e9 Crenshaw coined the term to describe the experiences of Black women. A woman who is both fat and lesbian, for example, may face sexism, fatphobia and homophobia, which compound one another rather than simply adding up.<\/p>\n Diet culture is the set of beliefs that equates thinness with health, success and personal worth. It shows up in foods labeled \u201cgood\u201d or \u201cbad,\u201d compliments on weight loss and the shaming of fat bodies. Our magazine prefers a weight-inclusive approach to health, at every size.<\/p>\n Want to go further? Our Culture<\/a> section explores how bodies and identities are portrayed in movies, TV shows and books, and our Psychology<\/a> section supports you with self-image, confidence and emotions.<\/p>","parent":0,"count":1542,"filter":"raw","cat_ID":5678,"category_count":1542,"category_description":" The Society section of The Body Optimist unpacks the debates that shape women\u2019s lives: equality, discrimination, beauty standards, social ties and the place of bodies in public space. Its analysis, first-person stories and practical advice are for anyone who wants to understand the pressures of everyday life and push back, with an inclusive, body-positive and judgment-free perspective.<\/p>\n Beauty standards are a social issue because they are neither natural nor universal: they shift from one country to another and from one era to the next, as our article on how beauty standards differ around the world<\/a> shows. Yet these ideals of thinness, youth and flawless skin have very real effects: comments starting in childhood, pressure to watch your weight, unequal treatment at work and in health care, online harassment. Recognizing that a norm is constructed helps you take a step back, spot the messages designed to make you feel guilty and choose what you want to keep. That is the common thread of this section: connecting individual experiences to the collective mechanisms that produce them.<\/p>\n If you experience discrimination or online harassment, the first step is to keep evidence, then to turn to the right people, who will depend on the country you live in:<\/p>\n Born from a plus-size fashion site, our magazine looks at social issues through the lens of the body and representation. We give a voice to the people most affected, we explain the words before debating them (sexism, fatphobia, trans identity, consent) and we favor practical ways forward over outrage alone. Our articles start from everyday experiences to shed light on broader patterns, without moralizing or pitting women against each other.<\/p>\n Discrimination is unequal treatment based on a characteristic protected by law, in a specific area such as employment, housing or access to goods and services. Protected grounds vary from country to country, but they often include sex, race or ethnic origin, disability, age, religion, sexual orientation and gender identity. Some places also protect physical appearance or weight.<\/p>\n Intersectionality describes how several forms of discrimination can overlap in the same person and reinforce one another. The American legal scholar Kimberl\u00e9 Crenshaw coined the term to describe the experiences of Black women. A woman who is both fat and lesbian, for example, may face sexism, fatphobia and homophobia, which compound one another rather than simply adding up.<\/p>\n Diet culture is the set of beliefs that equates thinness with health, success and personal worth. It shows up in foods labeled \u201cgood\u201d or \u201cbad,\u201d compliments on weight loss and the shaming of fat bodies. Our magazine prefers a weight-inclusive approach to health, at every size.<\/p>\n Want to go further? Our Culture<\/a> section explores how bodies and identities are portrayed in movies, TV shows and books, and our Psychology<\/a> section supports you with self-image, confidence and emotions.<\/p>","cat_name":"Society","category_nicename":"societe","category_parent":0}]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/446904","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8394"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=446904"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/446904\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":446927,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/446904\/revisions\/446927"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/446905"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=446904"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=446904"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=446904"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}} Beware of oversimplification: wearing makeup does not mean being more competent.<\/h2>\n
A bias is not a rule to follow<\/h2>\n
And what about the law in all of this?<\/h2>\n
\u201cDressing well\u201d, \u201cbeing well-groomed\u201d: are they the same thing?<\/h2>\n
True progress: the ability to choose<\/h2>\n
What you\u2019ll find in the Society section<\/h2>\n
\n
Why are beauty standards a social issue?<\/h2>\n
What can you do about discrimination or online harassment?<\/h2>\n
\n
Our approach: connecting the personal and the collective<\/h2>\n
Articles to start with<\/h2>\n
\n
Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n
What counts as discrimination?<\/h3>\n
What is intersectionality?<\/h3>\n
What is diet culture?<\/h3>\n
What you\u2019ll find in the Society section<\/h2>\n
\n
Why are beauty standards a social issue?<\/h2>\n
What can you do about discrimination or online harassment?<\/h2>\n
\n
Our approach: connecting the personal and the collective<\/h2>\n
Articles to start with<\/h2>\n
\n
Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n
What counts as discrimination?<\/h3>\n
What is intersectionality?<\/h3>\n
What is diet culture?<\/h3>\n