What it means to be “attractive”: from cosmetics to proper manners, and to disaster countermeasures

Cosmetics provide a well of topics for psychological research. Studies of skin care or of the relaxing effects of fragrance connect people’s mental and physical states, and thus enter the domain of psychophysiology. A research on makeup techniques belongs to the subfield of perceptual psychology, since makeup influences face perception and impressions of the looker. Cosmetic therapy has become a popular research object in clinical psychology. All these studies have convinced me that “cosmetics are the emotion regulation mechanism incorporated into our daily lives”.
Cosmetics are a means to improve outward attractiveness, but recently I have become equally interested in beautiful behavior. To stand in a line while waiting for a train is considered a desirable, pleasant type of conduct by city dwellers. And giving way to others and forming lines in front of the water truck is probably the ultimate politeness in the aftermath of disaster. Attempts to be attractive go beyond the issue of good looks. They can also become the basis of safe and healthy life in an evacuation center. Characteristics and outcomes of such “attractiveness” are now the main subject of my research.