Lipstick colour affects perceptions

It is one of the most affordable cosmetic products available, with research suggesting that as many as 80% of women use it regularly with many owning up to 20 lipsticks in different colours or shades.

The South African lipstick market is quite distinct with an overall value of over R420m. In this segment, mostly mature women opt for lipstick over lip-gloss with many using a combination of the two to get the desired results. Most women use lipstick for its colour and the fact that it can last longer.

A recent study conducted with colour psychologist, Angela Wright, reveals that women perceive different shades of lipstick very differently. Wright, who is an expert on the effective properties of colour and a lecturer at the London College of Fashion, says the study highlighted that approximately 70% of women judged women who wear dark shades to be unfriendly while 85% of women said that women who wear pale shades are shy. Women who consistently wear bright colours are unanimously perceived as being confident. Likewise more than 50% of women said they felt more confident when wearing a bright hue.