Face value: The effect of facial aesthetic treatment on first impressions and partner preferences

Abstract

People across cultures engage in various practices that alter their appearance (e.g., makeup, tanning, facial aesthetic treatment). Theories in social and evolutionary psychology propose that the primary function of these practices is to create an appearance perceived more positively by others, ultimately resulting in more favorable outcomes in social, romantic, or professional relations. In two preregistered studies that improved upon and extended prior work, we tested the effect of popular types of minimally invasive facial aesthetic treatment on how people are perceived by others. Study 1 (2,720 raters, 114 targets) showed that treatment significantly increased perceived attractiveness (a 0.09-point change on a seven-point scale), but not perceived approachability (e.g., trustworthiness) or capability (e.g., competence). Study 2 (481 raters, 81 targets) showed that treatment significantly increased targets’ desirability as a short-term romantic partner (a 0.10-point change on a seven-point scale) and as a platonic friend (a 0.08-point change on a seven-point scale), but not their desirability as a long-term romantic partner. Thus, our results suggest that a single session of minimally invasive facial aesthetic treatment leads to more positive perceptions on dimensions related to attractiveness, but these effects are relatively small.