Getting paid the same as your male counterpart at work is hard enough, but new research shows that there are also pay discrepancies between women who wear makeup, and those who don’t.
A study of over 14,000 women in the workplace found that ‘well-groomed’ women earned more than those who chose not to wear makeup to work. Hmm.
Notably, the grooming factor didn’t matter when it came to male employees – they can turn up however they want (within reason) and still get paid the same.
Aside from dress codes and basic hygiene (clean teeth, fragrant underarms and washed clothes) should how you show up to work really matter? The trouble is that values will vary based on where you work, in some offices trainers and a slick of Vaseline is the norm, in other places it’s heels and bright red lipstick.
Of course, different employers have different value systems – some people see a full face of makeup (including contouring and two tones of eye shadow) as the basic standard, others would see this as unprofessional – shouldn’t you be spending time on getting to work and preparing for the day instead of making yourself up?
READ MORE: The Most Instagram-Friendly Beauty Brands
Grazia Instagram Beauty Brands
1 of 9Selahatin
Inspired by classic French beauty brands, Selahatin's toothpaste comes in an aluminium tube with a paired-back, monochrome design. What's inside is just exciting with the Scandi brand designing their toothpaste flavours like perfume aromas.
2 of 9The Gentle Label
Proving that even chores can be chic, The Gentle Label's household cleaning products come in stylish bottles you'd be proud to display. Using all natural ingredients, their three part range ticks the eco-approved box too.
3 of 9Lixir
You've probably already spotted Lixir's millennial pink packaging on Instagram and it turns out their hardworking products are just as impressive as their photogenic aesthetic. Formulated by industry expert, Dr Collette Haydon, the streamlined range aims to take the fuss and faff out of skincare with results-driven and multi-purpose products.
4 of 9Apa
Apa Beauty are aiming to overhaul the way we see toothcare with their line of 'oral cosmetics.' Borrowing their aesthetic from the world of luxury skincare, the tasteful white and gold packaging will improve any bathroom #shelfie.
5 of 9Herbivore
Whether it's their jade rollers, blush pink bath salts or charcoal soap bars, Herbivore Botanicals know a thing or two about Instagrammable branding. Bursting with natural active ingredients, the products live up to the hype.
6 of 9IGK
Whether it's the tongue-in-cheek product names, the world-class formulas or the bathroom brightening packaging, we've fallen hard for IGK haircare. And now, thanks to our friends at Space NK, you no longer have to worry about raiding a stateside Sephora to get your fix.
7 of 9Flora and Curl
Inject some tropical vibes into your bathroom with Flora & Curl's colourful, floral packaging. The non-toxic hair care range for naturally dry, curly or afro hair is well worth investing in.
8 of 9Haeckels
Hailing from Margate, Haeckels harvests the abundant seaweed off the town's coast to create powerful, natural skincare products. Housed in amber glass bottles with minimal branding, the packaging is both understated and elegant.
9 of 9Saturday Skin
With playful pink packaging and glow-giving credentials, this Korean beauty brand deserves a place on your bathroom shelf.
Maybe this is a case of the wrong interpretation of the data – could it be that those who get paid more tend to wear makeup to work? They can afford to buy the brands they love, they aren’t stressed about paying their rent and feeding themselves so they can spend time on other things, and they get paid enough that they feel valued by the company they work for – and so want to make an effort by wearing makeup to that workplace.
Either way, whether or not you wear makeup to work shouldn’t determine how much you get paid – that should be based solely on your ability to do the job.