Abstract
Recent studies showed that makeup reduces mental stress, indicated by not only psychological but also physiological values. In this study, we examined the relationship between mental stress and the activity of reactive oxygen scavenging enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT), and the effect of the mental stress reduction by makeup on the activity of reactive oxygen scavenging enzymes. In experiment 1, we measured the concentration of cortisol and activity of SOD in saliva after the addition of mental stress. In this result, the concentration of cortisol increased and the activity of SOD decreased significantly. As we examined the effect of makeup following the mental stress addition in experiment 2, the concentration of cortisol decreased and the activity of SOD and CAT increased. Moreover, we showed a decrease in the anxiety state and increase in spiritual health as the psychological effects. Those results suggest that makeup psychologically canceled anxiety and physiologically inhibited the reduction of reactive oxygen scavenging enzyme activity induced by the mental stress.
