7/12/16

No, this isn’t political psychology, but it’s so cool I thought I’d blog about it anyway. The next blog will be back on topic. Stay tuned.

The Lipstick Effect

During 2008, a time when the economy was suffering record declines in sales, L’Oreal, the world’s largest cosmetics company, still posted an increase in earnings. Now that’s weird right? 

Apparently not.

 

In times of economic stress, women will devote some of their very limited resources to improving their appearance. This is called the Lipstick Effect. So even though women will cut back on most non-essential items, they will spend more, not less, to make themselves more attractive.  Why would they do that?

The general theory has been that this is driven by evolutionary motives: women facing hardships will focus on reproductive growth rather than personal growth. That means finding a partner who can provide food and security for her and their children. And since men are driven to find mates that are physically attractive, a successful strategy means being as attractive as possible. Ergo: The Lipstick Effect.

However, the latest research, that popped up in my inbox this morning, suggests that women have additional reasons to look good in times of stress: their jobs.

When people appear more attractive, they are also seen as more competent and more intelligent.  With more and more women in the workplace, and especially during times of economic stress, even a little edge can make the difference between finding or keeping a job or even getting a promotion. So money spent on makeup is actually money well spent.

Whatever is driving this, when the economy tanks, the cosmetics industry thrives. I should have bought stock in L’Oreal!