Perceived skin evenness is influenced by background color and hair color

Previous research has found that increased contrast between the skin and adjacent surfaces (e.g., eyebrows, eyes, and lips) makes the skin appear more even. In this study, we aimed to examine whether this effect can be extended to another ecologically significant situation—the contrast between the facial skin and the surfaces surrounding the face, whether background color or hair color. In two experiments, we found that the same faces were rated as having more even skin when surrounded by a black background versus a skin-colored background in Study 1 and that the same faces were rated as having more even skin when hair color was decreased in lightness versus increased in lightness in Study 2. Many practices of grooming and personal decoration involve surfaces adjacent to the skin, and our results provide evidence that these social practices have perceptual consequences related to skin appearance.