In Japanese society today, it is often said that makeup is an essential part of personal grooming for women, and some workplaces require women and only women to wear makeup. Dress codes and rules of personal grooming that apply only to women involve more than just makeup. In some workplaces, women are required to wear high heels or are prohibited from wearing glasses. These rules can have negative health effects or hamper employees’ ability to work, and although there is a growing global movement to abolish such unfair dress codes for women, there are still many in Japan who consider them unavoidable and thus tolerate them. While many Japanese women wear makeup because they enjoy it, some use makeup simply because they feel it is mandatoryforwomen.Conversely, some people are also opposed to men using makeup. In order to create a society where people decide their makeup use as they wish regardless of their gender, we need to eliminate gender stereotypes. This paper presents research on the history of makeup‒related behavior and perceptions of makeup, as well as discussing what needs to be considered to build a tolerant society that is not dominated by gender stereotypes.