news & events

Have you heard of the so-called Lipstick Index? It’s a pseudo-scientific barometer for measuring economic misery. The common wisdom goes that even in hard times, women still buy lipstick.

Uh-oh. Financial reporter Simon Pitman, www.cosmeticsdesign.com, reports that US prestige makeup sales in all categories has dropped between 3 and 20 percent, including lipstick which until now has seemed a sacred cow.

Interestingly, the same report notes that men’s fragrances are a bright spot—a 23% increase in new male fragrance launches.

So, what does this mean? That men smell better, but women are kissing them less? Are men splashing on the attractants and pheromones in a desperate attempt to get their women to come home?

I say this as I plan a getaway with a group of female friends. We’re heading for a quiet Mexican destination called Punta Mita. There’s not much to do there except yoga, watch the waves, and, if you’re so inclined, have a few margaritas. I had the idea of asking a few girlfriends to join me for this excursion, thinking none of them would go—they’re all married, and all but one of us has children after all.

Can I just tell you: within minutes, I had several resounding RSVPs. One asked ‘can we leave tomorrow?’ By the way, in case you didn’t surmise, this is a trip without Significant Others. My friends can’t wait to get away without their men! This is food for thought, since we’re all happily married. Maybe we just are being driven out of town by all of that male fragrance.

This entry was posted on Monday, September 28th, 2009 at 9:30 am and is filed under under my skin with jane wurwand, founder of dermalogica.