ABSTRACT
Self-presentations are tailored to the perceived values and preferences of the target. The realization that people try to make impressions they think others will value leads some people to conclude that are little more than social chameleons who change color as move from situation to situation. Most people recognize that others value physical attractiveness and consequently do what they can to enhance their appearance. The most common way in which people enhance their appearance is through daily grooming and the use of cosmetic enhancements. Many women regularly use makeup to enhance their appearance. Unfortunately, frequent use of cosmetics can have negative self-presentational consequences. Roughly one third of adolescent girls who regularly use makeup develop facial blemishes caused solely by the cosmetics, a condition known as acne cosmetica. In contemporary America, physical attractiveness involves not only facial appearance, but having an appropriate body weight and, often, being in good physical shape.
