Edith Cowan University Research Online Theses: Doctorates and Masters Theses 2005 The semiotics of visible face make-up: The masks women wear Madeleine Ogilvie Edith Cowan University Follow this and additional works at: https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses Part of the Law and Gender Commons, and the Sociology of Culture Commons Some illustrative material removed due to copyright requirements. Recommended Citation Ogilvie, M. (2005). The semiotics of visible face make-up: The masks women wear. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/ theses/110 This Thesis is posted at Research Online. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/110 Edith Cowan University Copyright Warning You may print or download ONE copy of this document for the purpose of your own research or study. The University does not authorize you to copy, communicate or otherwise make available electronically to any other person any copyright material contained on this site. 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THE SEMIOTICS OF VISIBLE FACE MAKE-UP: THE MASKS WOMEN WEAR Madeleine Ogilvie Student No. 3993195 Faculty of Business and Law Submitted for the award of: PhD, May 31st, 2005 Supervisors: Assoc Prof. R. Groves Dr. K. Mizerski USE OF THESIS The Use of Thesis statement is not included in this version of the thesis. ABSTRACT This dissertation explores the ‘sign’ of visible face make-up and examines how women consume appearance in everyday life in contemporary Australia. Using a semiotic framework, it presents a novel new method for interpreting and gaining increased meaning into an everyday consumption phenomenon. The purpose of the study is to gain insights into why women wear make-up. It seeks to provide understanding of what this medium signifies to women and what the ‘sign’ of make-up symbolises to the female individual. It explores how visible face make- up affects the way women consume appearance in everyday life, how they feel about themselves, and the role make-up plays in defining their own self-identity. The study utilises an interpretivist approach and uses a qualitative methodology in the form of phenomenology. The theoretical framework used to underpin this research is semiotics and this study examines the sign of make-up using two different semiotic perspectives previously not used together. The significance of this process is that by combining these perspectives a richer and more in-depth understanding is derived. The study consists of two phases. The first phase of the study examines the visual codes of make-up within Australian society. Observational data over a ten year period from 1990 -2000 is examined using a range of mediums. A ten year time span is selected to enable representation of the shifting paradigm within the culture and to identify residual, dominant and emergent codes within Australian society. These codes are mapped using a semiotic technique adapted from Levi-Strauss to provide a contextual picture of society’s view of beauty and beauty images during this time-frame. The maps present a window to the norms and values of the day and highlight the ideological iii platform that pervades society during the period. The semiotic maps also provide information to assist with sample selection for a more narrow focus in the second phase of the study. Phase two of the study takes a more narrow focus. Through the use of photoelicitation and in-depth interviews, the experiential dimension of face make-up is explored further. A judgment sample is used. Thirty-one Caucasian women aged thirty and over were given disposable cameras to take four photographs of their face in four different settings. The photos were then used as projective stimuli for phenomenological interviews. This enabled the researcher to capture the women’s histories, motivations, beliefs, behaviours and experiences about wearing make-up. In addition, seven projective stimuli of different make-up outcomes were used to explore these issues further. The relevance of this phase of the study is that it provides insights into how individuals are socialised to the customs and codes of the sign of make-up and, how through these experiences women gain meaning and mould their consumption behaviours. Findings suggest that women wear make-up to adhere to a strict societal appearance code and from this code they derive secondary benefits such as power, status, sexual allurement, and increased self-esteem. The use of make-up is extremely ritualistic and harnesses the properties of myth and magic to create powerful transformations. Make-up itself is a liminal product that is consumed during these transformations. Finally this study questions the contemporary theory that sign ‘indexes’ are not culturally inscribed, and suggests that consumer culture plays an important role in shaping and creating the learned experiences that form these indices. This thesis challenges a long held view in semiotics, and presents evidence to suggest that from a marketing perspective, consumer culture has a large impact on shaping the indices of many contemporary signs. It concludes that contemporary consumer culture challenges iv the foundations of the old philosophies, and that the modern day sign, so often driven by marketing, forces a rethink of these semiotic perspectives and how they are used to interpret the sign. v DECLARATION I certify that this thesis does not, to the best of my knowledge and belief; (i) incorporate without acknowledgement any material previously submitted for a degree or diploma in any institution of higher education; (ii) contain any material previously published or written by another person except where due reference is made in the text; or (iii) contain any defamatory material. I also grant permission for the Library at Edith Cowan University to make duplicate copies of my thesis as required. Signed: ________________________________________ Date: __________________ vi ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This thesis has been a journey – it has been a long and arduous road, with many mountains to climb, rivers to cross and beautiful landscapes to fill my senses. Now as it nears its completion, I would like to thank the following people for enriching this journey and joining me on its path. Firstly, to Genevieve, Yvette and John for weathering the distance. Your love, courage and understanding are much appreciated. To Ron Groves who’s pragmatic, motivating and enthusiastic approach has been a guiding beacon in keeping me on the path, and in lending me a hand when the road was hard, treacherous, and seemed unclimbable – thankyou! I am sure I would have stumbled and fallen without you. To Kate Mizerski whose collegial spirit, guidance, support and assistance also kept me on track and focused on the journeys end, no matter how far away it seemed. To Marie Ryan whose loyal friendship and laughter lightened the load and gave me great solace when the road was bleak, cold, dark, wet, windy and unwelcoming. May we bask in the sun filled fields of completion together! To Arron Jackson for his expertise with all things technical - the scanning of the graphic images, the computer generation of the collages, and all the other helpful tips provided. Many thanks for your advice, support and assistance. Your help saved me hours of work, showed me the fast way home and prevented me from taking yet more detours on this long journey. To numerous others who have freely offered their advice and support with this project. Adrian Palmer, Russ Belk, Fuat Firat, Dominique Bouchet, Guliz Ger, Eric Arnould, Linda Price and Kent Grayson, thank you all for taking time to give me directions. I would still be lost in the wilderness without them. And finally, this thesis is dedicated to the memory of my father, whose inspiration and belief in the quest for knowledge set me on the journey in the first place. I regret that he is not here to see its end, yet know he would be proud that I made it. Yes, I am all the richer for experiencing this journey- so thankyou to you all. vii TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION -------------------------ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED. 1.0 INTRODUCTION ------------------------------------------ ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED. 1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY ---------------------------- ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED. 1.2 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY ------------------------------ ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED. 1.3 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY ------------------------------------ ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED. 1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS ------------------------------------- ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED. 1.5 OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONS -------------------------------- ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED. CHAPTER TWO: THE CONTEMPORARY CAUCASIAN FACE--ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED. 2.1 HISTORY OF MAKE-UP --------------------------------------- ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.