While corporate America is becoming more diverse, it is still overly white. Along with that comes preconceived notions about Latina, Asian-American and black women. Your makeup and your nails, while an expression of yourself, shouldn't play into those stereotypes.
(See also: Hair, Clothes, Makeup, Nails: Look Professional Without Losing Your Identity)
When asking yourself how you want to be known, remember that historically, Latina, black and Asian-American women were stereotyped as overly sexual, overly aggressive or too submissive, says Venus Opal Reese, assistant professor of aesthetics/cultural studies the University of Texas at Dallas.
"You're going to feel like people are judging you, but they're going on what they recognize," says Reese, who adds to not take the judgment personally because it is less about the executive as a person and more about the particular stereotype.
"Don't call too much attention to [yourself] by being flashy," suggests Edwina Fanner, past president of Delta Sigma Theta, a public-service sorority for black women. Like many sororities, Delta Sigma Theta provides etiquette services for its members to teach corporate culture.
"A lot of the younger people these days want to be flashy with lots of makeup, heavy brows and eyelashes," says Fanner. "But you don't want to appear to be hiding anything behind your makeup."
Adds Reese, "Consider 'How do I make myself feel beautiful and pretty and have people notice me and see me the way I want to be seen, as a professional?'"
(See also: Career Advice: 5 Keys to Success for Young Blacks, Latinos and Native Americans)
Trends Aren't Always Corporate
"There was a season where women made sure people saw the line of their lip liner. That was sexy in certain environments, but in a corporate environment, that translates as 'harlot,'" says Reese. "Some women have their initials on their nails and that was a cultural practice in major metropolitan urban areas. From what I recognized, however, white women weren't doing that."
Lip liner and colorful nails are items Latinas and black women use to create dynamic expressions of creativity on what was thought to be a static medium. The same cultural trait launched the different forms of jazz music and in the 1970s inspired deejays to scratch records and talk over a song's instrumental bridge, thus creating rap music.
Similarly, a staple in white-male culture has been baseball, a sport of statistics and odds.
"Imagine if you're a young white boy who has a grandfather who takes him to baseball games. As you watch, you're being taught how to compute statistics without realizing that's what's happening," says Reese. "So there are cultural practices that are invisible and of course that boy would know percentages and think in ratios and odds. He was trained in business practices from the moment he entered Little League."
Reese says black, Latina and Asian-American women executives should realize which cultural traits will serve them well in a corporate context and which will not. Makeup should be subtle and match a woman's complexion. Do not wear colors that are too dark and dramatic and keep nails short enough so that when typing the fingers hit the keyboard and not the nails.
(See also: Is Natural Black Hair a Glamour 'Don't'?)
Use the Right Products
Finding makeup that matches the many complexions of black and Asian-American women and Latinas is becoming easier. Mainstream makeup companies are creating more shades to match the complexions of women of color, and more people of color are launching makeup companies to address the market's need.
The list of makeup and skincare companies owned by people of color ranges from the stalwart Fashion Fair to newer lines such as Just Glam Cosmetics, Nubian Heritage, Carol's Daughter and Golden Goddess, says Caprice Willard, vice president, divisional merchandise manager for cosmetics at Macy's West.
"Many women of color in corporate America tend to go with a more natural look [because] many women of color have a complexion they can enhance with limited makeup," says Willard.
Like Reese, Willard suggests Latina, black and Asian-American women wear foundation and powder that exactly match their complexion. To feed a cultural desire for flare, she says to contrast dark eye tones with light lipstick. However, she adds, make sure the dark makeup is not dramatic, evening makeup.
"Rarely in corporate America will you see a woman with dramatic, smoky, dark eye shadow who also wears very dramatic red lipstick. That's more of an evening look. For day, you want softer and less dramatic," says Willard.
As for nails, Willard says that while black women and Latinas tend to choose more dramatic styles, those who are corporate executives keep them short and use neutral colors, such as beige, off-white and taupe.
"A lot of the people who shop here are in high-powered corporate jobs," says Willard. "Most of them tend to stay in the neutral family, but it is the length of the nails that is more important and there is a definite trend toward shorter nails. And, if they wear darker nail polish, their nails are cut shorter."
The basic rule of thumb for Latina, black and Asian-American executive women, says Reese, is to "create how you want to be seen and be aware that if you don't, then they will."
(See also: Will Your Accent Keep You From Getting Ahead?)
