The relation between physical attractiveness and career success has long been probed. Over the years, a slate of studies, conducted by both leading cosmetics brands and top universities, have confirmed that women perceived as good-looking prosper better than their not-so-stunning peers. And before millions of female professionals sigh in defeat – makeup, research shows, spikes up attractiveness. So, instead of taking your time to peel out of bed in the mornings, jump out and spend some extra minutes on preening. Here are the beauty tricks found to increase prospects in the workplace. Not to mention, that they are also major confidence boosters!

Lipstick
Back in 2011, CoverGirl teamed up with Harvard psychologists to study the perceptions of different hues in cosmetics. In a more recent research, the beauty giant focused on lipsticks. The results show that lipstick wearers are more confident than their bare-lip peers and twice more likely to occupy senior positions. In the office hierarchy, lipstick shade is a telling indicator of status. Executives swing pink, while their junior coworkers opt for plum or nude, the study indicates. So, if you want that promotion, arm yourself with a pink lipstick.

Gloss
Matte is currently in demand but not in the office. According to a research by Boston University, the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Procter & Gamble, luminous tones reflect a competent, I-am-in-charge vibe. At the time of the study’s release in 2011, co-author Sarah Vickery cautioned not to over-gloss it, as such a deed could easily eclipse an otherwise collaborative mien. Yet, when it comes to that high-profile meeting, you may find it empowering to bring the shine on.

Moderation
The same Procter & Gamble study, which gauged participants’ reactions to four different looks, barefaced, natural, professional and glamorous, concluded that made-up faces are considered more likeable, capable and trustworthy. Here, a caveat rises, though – if you overindulge, you would come off as vain and unreliable. Shades and textures also play a role – if they are wrong for your skin, you risk appearing sloppy and inept.

Despite the pushback such studies have faced by various women emancipation and empowerment groups, if nothing else, their findings subtly carry a potent insight. Beauty and attractiveness are as natural as they are constructed.