日本香粧品学会誌

Vol. 47, No. 3, pp. 169–175（2023）〈Regular Article〉

Sanitary Masks Modify the Flow of Gaze on a Face When Evaluating Healthiness:
A Study with Japanese Women
Emilie YOKOYAMA1, *, Kumiko UDODAIRA1, Yosuke SAITO3, Ryota TAKAYAMA3, Atsuko KAWASE1,Alexandre NICOLAS1, Frederic FLAMENT2, Damien VELLEMAN1(Accepted: April 26, 2023)

Abstract
Background: Sanitary masks cover the lower part of the face, reducing visual clues about health. This study investigated whether wearing a mask aﬀects the ﬂow of gaze on the visible areas of the face by using an eye-tracking system. We also
examined the impact of wearing a mask and the potential beneﬁt of makeup on a healthy appearance.
Materials and Methods: Japanese women with and without visible signs of aging (n=4 each) were selected as models.
Their photographs were taken under four conditions: with/without makeup and with/without a mask. The photographs werepresented to 60 women (n=30 aged 20–30 years, n=30 aged 45–55 years) who were asked to evaluate the models healthiness. Their ﬂow of gaze on the models faces was recorded with an eye-tracking system, and observed areas, gaze time, andorder of observation were analyzed.
Results: Regardless of the condition, gaze was focused ﬁrst, and for the longest time, on the eyes and nose. Wearing amask increased gaze time on the eyes and expanded the observed areas to the hair, forehead, and neck and décolleté. Wearing
a mask decreased healthiness ratings, but makeup counterbalanced this eﬀect. Older observers focused more on the mouthareas compared with younger observers, while the area under the nose was observed more for older models.
Conclusion: Wearing a mask not only reduces visual information but also modiﬁes how the visible areas of the face areobserved. Wearing makeup while wearing a mask might enhance the perception of health.
Key words: sanitary mask, makeup, eye tracking, face perception, gaze, face evaluation.

1.

Introduction

The use of sanitary masks has suddenly expanded with theoutbreak of COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Increased maskuse has meant that many women changed how they wear
makeup, using less foundation and lipstick to avoid makeup
degradation on the skin, transfer to the mask, and reduceburden on the skin. Because wearing a mask changes the balance of the face and can give an unhealthy appearance, many
women have become more concerned about looking neat andhealthy (Unpublished data: online survey of women in Korea, Japan, China, and Europe). Interestingly, in Japan, somepeople wore masks for aesthetic reasons even before the COVID-19 pandemic. They believed that using a mask to hide
perceived aesthetic defects would increase their attractiveness1, 2) by giving the impression that faces seem pleasinglysmaller2), and wearing a mask led to increased attractivenessratings3). However, in a similar study in Japan, no beneﬁt interms of attractiveness rating was observed with a mask; in-L Oréal Research and Innovation (KSP R&D D2, 3–2–1 Sakado,Takatsu-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa 213–0012, Japan)
2
L Oréal Research and Innovation
3Tobii Technology K.K.
1

* Corresponding author: Nihon L Oréal Research & Innovation Center,KSP R&D D2, 3–2–1 Sakado, Takatsu-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa
213–0012, Japan (E-mail: emilie.yokoyama@loreal.com)

deed, there was even a decrease in ratings for highly attractive
persons due to the unhealthy appearance that the mask created4). Together, the ﬁndings of previous studies suggest thatwearing a mask aﬀects the perception of attractiveness andhealth; however, further analyses are needed to fully understand this eﬀect.
The use of makeup is also known to aﬀect face perception
and to modify attractiveness, femininity, and perceived age
and health5–8). The use of gaze analysis with an eye-tracking
tool provides a way to understand these eﬀects because wetend to gaze more at what we consider important9). Previous
studies have observed that makeup modiﬁes the way we observe a face, with more focus on the triangle of beauty (i.e.,
the eyes, nose, and mouth)10–12).
In this study, we used gaze analysis with an eye-tracking
system to understand how wearing a mask aﬀects the observer s gaze ﬂow on a face when evaluating the healthiness of thewearer. Do observers compensate for the loss of information
by observing for longer periods or looking at diﬀerent visible