More than two thirds of women would be too scared to go to work without a full face of make-up, it has been revealed.
Leaving the house bare-faced for the commute to work would be more stressful than public speaking, a job interview or even a first date for most women, according to the survey for the Vitality Show.
The poll of 3,000 women found that more than half would be confident to be seen by their friends, family or partner without make-up.
But 70 per cent said that they would not want to be seen by their work colleagues or bosses without their hair and make-up done.
Women end up having to get up half an hour before their male counterparts to get ready, spending an average of 21 minutes each morning applying their make-up ready for the working day, it was found.
Some 91 per cent of women said they would cancel a first date rather than turn up bare-faced.
But 31 per cent would not go to the gym without make-up and astonishingly one in six women would not even answer the front door unless in full make-up.
Sarah-Jane Froom, a make-up artist at bareMinerals, said: ‘There is the assumption within some companies that for women good grooming equates to doing a good job.
‘But while women are expected to look awake, bright and glowing, with great skin of course, they don’t want to look to heavily made-up or like they are wearing a mask.
‘Last year a study found that one in three bosses think female employees wear too much make-up.’
Pyschologist Celia Bibby said: ‘Many women feel that there is a stigma associated with not wearing make-up and that their employers may discriminate against them if they don’t turn up to work “dolled up”.
‘Studies have found that women who wear makeup are seen as more competent, likeable and trustworthy to employers.
‘But there is a crucial maximum as to how much women should wear beyond which dramatic and heavy makeup make them be seen as untrustworthy.
‘We may object to the pressure to wear makeup as part of the “uniform” of working life but for men it is very difficult to display their individuality, having only a haircut, choice of colour tie or jacket style to differentiate them from their colleagues.’
