We all know about the Lauder Lipstick Indicator - in a recession women still treat themselves to little purchases. But that's so last recession darlings because apparently this recession is all about more expensive, but quality, purchases - like foundation.
(Take our poll and tell us what your Lipstick Indicator is)
But is this foundation claim really true or is it all just marketing? For sure it's marketing - the research was commissioned by L'Oreal. The cosmetic companies never stop telling us how well they're doing despite the recession (read: Yawn, yet more Beauty Research for de Recession). It's all getting a bit tired now.
The hairdressers are half empty, salons are deluging us with offers - they're suffering. But is that because they raised their prices too high during the good times and now they must reassess what they're offering? (They can start with their customer service - it costs nothing and for the most part it's dreadful). Every feckin hotel in the country seemed to tack a shit spa on to its offerings during Tiger Times. Cosmetic companies are going to the wall ( e.g. Prescriptives; B Never To Busy To Be Beautiful) and offers and reduced prices are everywhere.
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But the cosmetics industry is booming apparently. Or so they say. (Read: Is the Credit Crunch affecting the beauty business).
We've been discussing this for ages. When Beautienomics kicked off the day after the last budget we all discussed the changes in our spending patterns and talked about what we were doing differently because of the economic situation - and coming up to this budget let's see how things stand.
So how has your beauty spending changed? Home hair colour instead of trips to the salon? Buying cheaper brands instead of the luxe ones you used to favour? Or are there one or two products you just can't live without and will buy regardless.
Rate your recession beauty spending!
