MAKEUP AND MENSTRUAL CYCLE: NEAR OVULATION, WOMEN USE MORE COSMETICS

Research has demonstrated that women near ovulation change their appearance in order to look more attractive. I hypothesized that, near ovulation, women would use more cosmetics. In a first study, female participants received an LH test in a laboratory setting to determine their fertility risk. Participants estimated the time they had spent putting on makeup, and two female professional makeup artists evaluated the level of makeup use. Results showed that, near ovulation, women spent more time putting on makeup and makeup artists evaluated their level of use to be higher and of better quality. In a second field study, the level of cosmetics use by women in nightclubs and bars on a Saturday night was measured. Near ovulation, the level of cosmetics use was higher.