Sadly, there aren’t really a lot of mentions of lipstick in this post.
But we will be talking a lot about shopping.
Today’s post is about a behavioural economics theory called the lipstick effect. In the early 2000s, most of Europe and America were struggling through a recession.
But Leonard Lauder, chairman of cosmetics giant Estée Lauder, found that lipstick sales boomed. He realised that people were still willing to spend on small luxury items in tough times to bring a little sense of comfort. He called this the 'lipstick effect'.
This isn’t limited to lipstick. We've seen the same effect on nail polish, ice cream and decorative cushions.
Some people take an increase in lipstick sales to be an indicator of tough times. There’s some contention on whether or not that’s really a good way to evaluate how the economy is doing.
But I’m not here to debate market indicators, or how to predict beauty industry sales. I’m more interested in the psychological aspect of it, and I wanted to assess how this effect has played out in my own life.
Long story short, yes I’ve been buying a lot more useless things in the pandemic. I have no excuses.
Exposing my Shopee purchase history & more
A list of random & (arguably) unnecessary things I’ve bought in the past year:
This phone case. I considered that Gen Z strap phone case look for a while, but it was that bread dude pop socket that ultimately convinced me. Once upon a time I was really concerned about finding professional-looking phone covers for work meetings, but WFH has released me to be my real, cartoon case-loving self.
The Chanel issue of Magazine B. Each issue of Magazine B studies how famous companies (like Muji, Apple Music, Montblanc) built their brand. I can’t afford a Chanel bag, but I can buy a magazine that tells me why it’s so expensive.
Uniqlo bedroom slippers. I now walk on cushions every morning on the way to brush my teeth. I also have warm feet, which makes Zoom calls decidedly better.
Washi tape. I started bullet journaling this year, after watching way too many Amanda Rach Lee videos. I don’t have the artistic abilities she has, so I make up for it by covering up most of the page with pretty stickers and tapes.
Briogeo hair conditioners from Sephora. Okay this isn’t actually a pandemic thing. I’ve never been good at resisting those Christmas gift packages every year.
Bottled coffee. Not the most cost-friendly method of ingesting caffeine tbh. But mornings are just so much easier when you know you have delicious coffee sitting in glass bottles waiting for you in the fridge!
None of these are actual luxury items, which is what the lipstick effect is about. But I think the same principle applies - buying small items to bring that little bit of comfort.
I did a quick poll and…
Not everyone experienced this effect. Which makes sense, since the lipstick effect is meant to capture a broad trend across society, not predict individual behaviour.
I asked two friends how their spending habits changed in the pandemic. One bought more miscellaneous gadgets to spruce up her work-from-home life, like a yoga mat and an upgraded computer mouse. She did say her main motivation for this was boredom, and also the various discounts companies released during the pandemic to boost sales haha.
And another friend didn’t change her buying habits at all. So I’m very much the one with the least self control in this friend group.
Here’s an out-of-place financial tip for you
After reading this post, I think it’s clear I’m in no place to give financial advice. But I thought this habit of stripping things down and living a more sustainable and *minimalistic* life is pretty interesting.
“Instead of buying stuff, [an American graphic designer who resolved to buy less]’s been making a list. If she still wants something on her list at the end of the year, perhaps she’ll treat herself in 2021. What she learned is that temptations fade surprisingly fast.” - The New York Times
Back in December 2020 when I was a lot more inspired about changing up my lifestyle habits, I considered doing this for 2021. That’s obviously fallen through. But I’ll try again!
Some final thoughts
A bit of a sombre note. I know I’m one of the fortunate ones who managed to keep their source of income in the pandemic, and I live in a part of the world that has the resources to handle the disease fairly well. I don’t take this for granted.
I’m intrigued by how humans find our own ways to deal with the stress from the changes in the world. Mine may be to computer-window shop, but there are a lot of better ways to cope. I’m not at all for spending outside of our means, and I’m also learning to steward what I have better.
Here’s to each of us finding little victories and joys in these stressful times.
Biscuit on the side
It’s time for this post’s recommendations!
I’ve been watching so many Korean cafe vlogs on YouTube. These are basically compilations of baristas making various drinks and desserts in their cafe. It’s great because they’re a combination of white noise and ASMR, and Korea is so good at making their desserts look pretty.
An example:
Highly recommended for morning get-readys!
Stay safe everyone. Until next time :)
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