The GetFundedAfrica Poll Series: Why Women Wear Make-up: 60 Nigerian Women Speak
Mirror, mirror on the wall; why women wear make-up
According to a study, there are two primary reasons why women wear makeup: 1) Camouflage – Women who are anxious and insecure tend to use make-up to appear less noticeable. 2) Seduction – Women who want to be noticeably more attractive tend to use make-up to be more confident, sociable, and assertive.
I found the above research intriguing. Never had I imagined that those two would top the reasons women wear make-up.
Camouflage? Definitely. Those imperfections must be covered, hidden, blotted out, etc. Acne, scars, discolorations, birthmarks et al; they all have to be sheathed because they hinder the path to perfection on a woman’s face.
But seduction? This caused me to pause. Wasn’t this a subtle hint to the fact that some women wore make-up for the sake and attention of . . .men?
Read also: Men and Make-up: 30 Nigerian Men Speak Their Minds
Honestly, I was hard-pressed to accept it. So, I polled about 160 women to get their answers to a bunch of facial beauty-related questions, especially the most pertinent one: why do you wear make-up?
The results are in and here are some insights:
- More than one-third of them responded
- A good number began using make-up in their teens
- Most did not put on their face paint daily; some for special occasions only.
- A slim percentage tended towards the heavy and dramatic variety
- All of them saw nothing wrong in wearing make-up for whatever reason
As to why some Nigerian women wear make-up, below are the top five reasons:
5. To look different
Modupeola, 45, geologist
To look a little different
Preferred look: extremely simple (just brows and lipstick on my lower lip only)
Must-have make-up item(s): eyebrow pencil, lipstick
Catherine, 35, medical professional
To look a bit different from my everyday look on special occasions like weddings and parties
Preferred look: understated – mostly nude but on occasion I can be colourful depending on my mood
Must-have make-up item(s): mascara, lipstick
Sophie, 47, health practitioner
To look different from the usual daily seen
Preferred look: subtle. . . with concentration on my brows and lips
Must-have make-up item(s): baby powder/Enchanteur (for fragrance’s sake), eye liner, red or dark lipsticks
Henrietta, 51, teacher
When there’s a special occasion and I want to look different.
Preferred look: natural and simple
Must-have make-up item(s): powder, Lip gloss and eye shadow
I developed vitiligo, so I use make-up to camouflage it to try and look like my natural self. For me, make-up is for self esteem as I don’t like the vitiligo. – Vivian, 56, lawyer
4. As Camouflage
Judith, 47, banker
To cover up the birth mark I have
Preferred look: nude
Must-have make-up item(s): powder, lipstick and brow pencil
Ngozi, 45, public servant
Sometimes to cover the spots on my face and other times to look good for the cameras
Preferred look: depending on the occasion
Must-have make-up item(s): foundation and lipstick/gloss
Simi, 45, doctor
To even out pigmentation
Preferred look: natural
Must-have make-up item(s): foundation
Vivian, 56, lawyer
I developed vitiligo, so I use makeup to camouflage it to try and look like my natural self. For me, make-up is for self esteem as I don’t like the vitiligo.
Preferred look: natural
Must-have make-up item(s): concealer
Read also: Beyond Looks: 5 Health Benefits of Wearing Make-up
3. For personal satisfaction, confidence boost, added oomph to outfits and all-round good feeling vibes
Ashabi, 40, teacher/coach
To complete my dressing especially on special occasions
Preferred look: nude, as close to natural as possible
Must-have make-up item(s): foundation, powder, mascara and lip gloss.
Funmilola, 48, teacher
To feel more confident and sometimes just because
Preferred look: l love light make-up – powder, eyeliner and lip gloss
Must-have make-up item(s): eye liner
Connie, 54, senior commissioning manager
For my own satisfaction
Preferred look: as close to a natural look as possible with minor enhancements. For special occasions, full make-up including blush and false eyelashes
Must-have make-up item(s): mascara, eyeliner and foundation
Ebuwa, 48, broadcaster
It makes me feel good
Preferred look: depends on the occasion- sometimes heavy, sometimes moderate or light
Must-have make-up item(s): lip stick, lip gloss, eye liner, and face powder.
Efe, 42, learning & development head
It does add some confidence to the outfit
Preferred look: nude
Must-have make-up item(s): foundation and Lip gloss
Sarah, 50, civil servant
To dress up
Preferred look: none, I just follow the flow
Must-have make-up item(s): eye pencil
EKD, 41, event host
Because I feel like
Preferred look: Nude
Must-have make-up item(s): powder, eyeliner, mascara, blush, lipstick and brow pencil
Eni, 49, medical doctor
To enhance my dressing
Preferred look: nude
Must-have make-up item(s): armani foundation
Ema,38, student
I like how I look when I wear make-up. I do it for me.
Preferred look: none. I just fix my brows, use eyeliner and wear lipstick. For occasions, I head over to a make-up artist to do the entire work.
Must-have make-up item(s): eyeliner, brow pencil, lipstick, and sometimes mascara
Henrietta, 43, administrative officer
To add colours to my face
Preferred look: Nude
Must-have make-up item(s): lip gloss
Theresa, 40, medical doctor
I feel incomplete without it
Preferred look: simple, a little more colourful than nude
Must-have make-up item(s): eyeliner, lip liner
Zeejanny, 56, ceo
To look younger
Preferred look: nude but with bold lips
Must-have make-up item(s): eye pencil, foundation, lipstick
Sarah, 35, writer/make-up artist
Because I like trying new character looks
Preferred look: smokey-eyed/nude
Must-have make-up item(s): eyeliner, eye shadow, foundation, concealer
Vera, 44, teacher
Because I like it. To me, wearing make-up is like a man going to the barber to have his hair cut. He looks decent and good. Similarly, I wear make-up because it makes me prettier and look decent.
Preferred look: simple
Must-have make-up item(s): powder, eye pencils, lipstick, foundation
Because I love shakara and need my looks to be on point for special occasions. – Ogechi, 43, compliance & quality control
2. To look good, classy and for special occasions
Chinasa, 42, hr manager
To look great, on occasions
Preferred look: glam and bold
Must-have make-up item: eye pencil
Omasan, 46, lawyer
To look good and mostly during the week when I’m out
Preferred look: nude
Must-have make-up item(s): face powder, eye pencil, eye liner and lip gloss
Chidi, 36, research assistant
It makes me look classy
Preferred look: nude, light, barely there
Must-have make-up item(s): foundation and lip gloss
Blessing, 44, entrepreneur
I think it gives my face a prettier look
Preferred look: nude
Must-have make-up item(s): eyeliner, mascara and lip gloss
Anuli, 40, entrepreneur
When I have parties and to give me the extra baby girl look
Preferred look: depends on where I’m going
Must-have make-up item(s): foundation, loose powder, blush, eye shadow and lipstick
Taiwo, 46, senior hr business partner
To look good
Preferred look: nude
Must-have make-up item(s): eyebrow pencil, lip gloss and lip liner
Ogechi, 43, compliance and quality control
Because I love shakara and need my looks to be on point for special occasions
Preferred look: light make-up for daily/work use but with a popping lipstick, then glam for special occasions
Must-have make-up item(s): foundation, eye pencil and lipstick
Bridget, 58, civil servant
To look good, confident and happy with myself.
Preferred look: glamorous to suit the outing
Must-have make-up item(s): foundation, eye liner, mascara and lipstick
Bolatito, 45, businesswoman
Just to look more attractive
Preferred look: smokey-eyed
Must-have make-up item(s): foundation
Grace, 51, human resource manager
For occasions, just to look good
Preferred look: nude
Must-have make-up item(s): foundation
Muinat, 45, fashion entrepreneur
To make my face look better
Preferred look: I like the smokey-eyed look on some days but I’m more into nude make-up. And I put on colours for parties
Must-have make-up item(s): eye pencil, lip gloss
Gail, 56, interior designer
I feel it makes me look better, prettier.
Preferred look: nude and smokey-eyed
Must-have make-up item(s): liquid lid liner, eye liner, mascara, rouge
Norah, 60, lecturer
To look good
Preferred look: nude
Must-have make-up item(s): concealer, foundation and cake powder
Nkiru, 30, accountant
To look more beautiful
Preferred look: glam
Must-have make-up item(s): face primer, concealer, eyeliner, eyebrow pencil, liquid foundation
OBIE, 47, administrator
To look more beautiful to myself and more attractive to other people. Basically, to enhance my looks.
Preferred look: natural, very moderate. In fact, almost nothing showing but my face looks brighter. Sometimes, smoky eye shadow for occasions.
Must-have make-up item(s): eye pencil and lip gloss. Dark loose powder sometimes.
To enhance my beauty and my work environment requires that I look corporately beautiful. It’s simply a necessity. I can’t be seen without makeup . – Jennifer, 42, banker
1. And the top reason in the poll? To accentuate beauty
Anne, 47, teacher
To enhance or complement my beauty on special occasions
Preferred look: nude
Must-have make-up item (s): foundation, concealer, setting powder, eye pencil, mascara, face primer and lip gloss
Temichelle, 48, health & wellness practitioner
To enhance my facial features every now and then
Preferred look: smokey eyed, glam
Must-have make-up item(s): brown & black eyeliners, pink lipstick, eye shadow, mascara, white face powder
Wunmi, 44, data analyst
To accentuate my beauty
Preferred look: nude
Must-have make-up item(s): foundation, eye liner, blusher, eye mascara, bronzer, concealer, lipstick
Patricia, 47, police officer
To enhance my already good looks, it’s trendy, to improve my mood when I find I’m down as I guess a burst of colors is therapeutic, to compliment my outfit, to mask breakouts and eye bags from all the stress of metropolitan life.
Preferred look: Bold and dramatic
Must-have make-up item(s): red lipstick; mascara to lengthen and volumize; gloss, blush, eye pencil, foundation, and concealer
Jennifer, 42, banker
To enhance my beauty and my work environment requires that I look corporately beautiful. It’s simply a necessity. I can’t be seen without makeup .
Preferred look: my personality plays a major role and I keep it simple. Nude.
Must-have make-up item(s): good foundation, red lipsticks, eye liner/ pencils
Blessing, 47, administrator
To complement my looks
Preferred look: nude. I like the natural look.
Must-have make-up item(s): powder, lip gloss, and brow pencil.
Nere, 41, teacher
To enhance my beauty, and to look and feel good
Preferred look: depends on the occasion
Must-have make-up item(s): brown powder and lip gloss
Itohan, 41, teacher
To enhance my beauty
Preferred look: nude, making me look natural yet classy
Must-have make-up item(s): eye liners and lip gloss
Uyi, 46, customer service personnel
It makes me feel good
Preferred look: it depends on how I feel
Must-have make-up item(s): liquid lipstick, foundation, powder, lip gloss
Diva, 47, chef
I love it and use it to enhance my natural beauty
Preferred look: i like mild natural hues
Must-have make-up item(s): eye pencil, lipstick, foundation and powders
Oluranti, 49, human resources manager
To enhance my physical beauty
Preferred look: nude
Must-have make-up item(s): foundation, eye pencil, lip gloss, powder
Ehiaghe, 46, assistant director admin
To enhance my look
Preferred look: basic
Must-have make-up item(s): powder, eyeliner and lip gloss
Uche Eronini, 44, civil servant
To enhance my look
Preferred look: nude
Must-have make-up item(s): liquid eyeliner, brown pencil
Theodora, 41, administrator/ creative designer
To serve as an enhancer of natural beauty.
Preferred look: I would rather it is mild, to have a subtle yet beautiful natural look
Must-have make-up item(s): eye pencil, powder and lip gloss
Toby, 46, entrepreneur
To highlight my already beautiful face
Preferred look: very light
Must-have make-up item(s): eye pencils and lipstick
Nkiruka, 43, corrosion engineer
To help brighten up my face, and it makes me feel upbeat and confident
Preferred look: well. . . colourful might be too strong but none of the others qualify my style. I love my bold red lipstick and not afraid to have bright coloured eyeshadow on but I never go overboard with it. Just enough to make my face pop.
Must-have make-up item(s): lipstick, eyeshadow and brown powder
Josephine, 56, nurse
To enhance my looks
Preferred look: bold
Must-have make-up item(s): eye pencil, foundation, eye liner, powder
Adenike, 44, cake decorator
To enhance my beauty
Preferred look: subtle, not too dramatic
Must-have make-up item(s): eye pencil and lip gloss
Ebele, 54, educationist
To beautify my self
Preferred look: nude
Must-have make-up item(s): lipstick, powder, eye pencil
Precious, 42, legal practitioner
To enhance my appearance.
Preferred look: light make-up
Must-have make-up item(s): Lip stick, eye pencil and eye shadow.
Fatima, 40, legal practitioner
To enhance my natural beauty
Preferred look: nude and smokey-eyed, and sometimes bright colours
Must-have make-up item(s): powder, eye and brow pencil, lip liner
Funmilola, 41, banker
To enhance my beauty
Preferred look: nude
Must-have make-up item(s): lip gloss, eye liner
Bisola, 52, Head of HR
To admire my beauty
Preferred look: natural and, once in a while, glam for social events
Must-have make-up item(s): lipstick, eye pencil and brown powder
Read also: 10 Must-have Beauty Items for Today’s Woman
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