Made Up Over Make Up!

Illuminated mirrors could be the most coveted piece of furniture in a home. According to scientists in Japan , women adore make-up. The idea of National No Make-Up Day strikes horror into the hearts of millions of women who wouldn’t be seen dead without their ‘face’ on.

But why do women love to apply cosmetics? Brain scientist Dr Ken Mogi said his team of researchers spent two years unravelling the answer – apparently women anticipate a rush of optimism as they prepare to put on their cosmetics. The ‘Cosmetics, Beauty and Brain Science’ project found distinct cognitive activities when women viewed their faces with and without make-up.

The scientists scanned women’s brains as they looked at their faces in the mirror and found that the anticipation of how women feel they will look when they’re applying their foundation and powders released dopamine – the reward or pleasure chemical in the body.

The team concluded that this expectation and optimism meant make-up helped to create feelings of pleasure in women, explaining why so many women bond over make-up or love to read about it in lifestyle magazines.