Your boss is speaking during a meeting. What lipstick is she wearing?
Originally published on November 1, 2024
I have to ask you a question.
Let’s say the power goes out overnight, your phone dies, and you wake up late for a job interview.
Gasp! I know.
You shove your interview-prep notes into your bag and leave. Somehow, you make it to a seat in the waiting room with five minutes to spare. You’re wearing a blazer, with no coffee in your system. It’s unnatural. You check your watch — four minutes now. You look at your bag.
What do you reach for to prepare at the last minute: an eyelash curler and mascara, or your notes?
For many people in the workplace, this is more than just a loaded question. A splash of pink on your cheeks and lips might just be the deciding factor to whether or not you get the job.
On March 15, Melissa Weaver posted a TikTok on this exact issue. She had a great interview with a company whose values aligned with hers, for a role that fit her background and experience. She wore a blazer, a nice top, and some earrings. Her hair had a blowout. On her face? Chapstick. Weaver doesn’t wear makeup.
When she wasn’t moved forward in the interview process, she was disappointed and asked for feedback. What could possibly have gone wrong? Any guesses?
Unsurprisingly, the recruiter’s feedback bares a naked truth in professional settings. A female-presenting person’s face without makeup can, and will, be interpreted as unprofessional. Weaver said the recruiter disclosed she was “concerned that for the interview, I had not put enough effort into my appearance given the level of role I was interviewing for.”
Under her TikTok, which at the time of writing had close to 890,000 views, over 6,000 comments discuss the necessity of adhering to our concealer customs, mascara minutia, and image insanity. What appearance does a workplace and society deem as professional for the “career woman?”
One comment says, “You dodged a bullet, imo.” I agree. But, why is the bullet loaded in the first place? In Alberta, our Human Rights Act protects employees from discrimination at work. As employees in Alberta, we have the right to, “work in a respectful, inclusive environment free of discrimination.” At the same time, we have the responsibility to carry out the duties outlined in our position.
“When I’m asked why I’m a good candidate for a position, the last thing I’m thinking about is how I can make my under eyes lighter with some beige liquid and a sponge.”
So, is wearing makeup a part of my duty as a female employee? It is for some workplaces. I’ve never seen a female flight attendant without at least some makeup. Have you?
In 2018, the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) representing Air Canada filed a human rights complaint with the Canadian Human Rights Commission. Their case? CUPE says the uniform and makeup policies, “are clearly discriminatory towards female flight attendants on the basis of sex, sexual orientation and race.”
When I was younger, makeup was an option. It was fun and free (thanks Mom!). It was that first swipe of orange lip gloss on my lips before dinner at Olive Garden. It was a bonus in the dress up games I played on my family’s boulder-sized computer.
Years later, and I’ll be honest, makeup helps me feel more confident in the workplace. A swish of mascara and suddenly talking to a room full of people is less daunting. But, cosmetics should never be mandatory. We haven’t even broached the amount of time and money people spend on makeup a year.
As a journalist, I’ve been on both sides of the interview table. Regardless of whether I’m the interviewer or interviewee, I wish I could say I’m always focused on the conversation at hand, on my career, not on what my face looks like. Because when I’m asked why I’m a good candidate for a position, the last thing I’m thinking about is how I can make my under eyes lighter with some beige liquid and a sponge.
Photo of Victoria Lockridge taken by Katrina Hay
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