The Meaning Behind The Mask

Ever wondered why women wear make-up? This book explores the 'sign' of visible face make-up and examines how women consume appearance in everyday life. Using a semiotic framework it presents a novel new method for interpreting and gaining increased meaning into an everyday consumption phenomenon. It seeks to provide understanding of what the 'sign' of make-up symbolises to the female individual. Using an interpretivist approach and a methodology of phenomenology this work 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 analysis provides useful insights for academics and professionals in the fields of marketing and communications consumer research semiotics and anyone else who may just be interested to know 'why women wear make-up'.