Looking Young Trumps Looking Thin?
The Fountain of Youth
Supposedly, you can never be too rich or too thin, or so said the Duchess of Windsor. But a recent poll suggests American women have a new motto they live by: You can never look too young. On average, women would be willing to spend more on facial products that would make them look 10 years younger than they would on a diet program that would make them lose 10 pounds.
The survey, which was conducted among 1,131 U.S. adult women by Harris Interactive, reported how much women care about the condition of their skin, particularly their face. Even in a time when many women have cut back on discretionary spending, they are willing to spend on facial products that they believe will be effective at making their skin look younger and healthier.
"Results, results, results. At the end of the day, that"s all that matters. Women are fed up with products that don"t work, that make empty promises and bogus claims. What counts are the active ingredients and their concentrations,- says Dr. Zein Obagi, board-certified dermatologist and creator of ZO Skin Health.
Market for Cosmeceuticals
Some of the products and services-like Botox, laser treatments, facial peels, and department store creams ... can be pricey, so overall spending has shifted away from procedures that are new and trendy, in favor of products that are proven effective. If a cosmeceutical such as anti-aging makeup can take 10 years away, then it will have tremendous staying power.
The survey also revealed that women think about the health and condition of their skin more often than they think about their love life. About two in five women think about the health of their skin always or often, which is more often than they think about their relationship status (39%) or cardiovascular health (33%).
Even in a recessionary economy, lipstick and cosmetics sell very well -- presumably because women still like to look good, so they spend on affordable luxuries. This is the perfect opportunity for makeup artists to add to their bottom line by applying or selling effective anti-aging makeup and skin products to clients.
By Rita Henry
Get Make-Up Artist Jobs, Contributing Editor
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Source: “What Will Women Give Up for Skin Health?” Dec. 1, 2008. Harris Interactive Inc. All rights reserved.