Beauty’s Wealth Gap

Beauty is something that most of us are reluctant to give up. If you're anything like me, the concept of personal beauty is not ultimately defined by applying god-knows-what to god-knows-where, but it does play a large role.

Trying to ignore the stances of modern day media, who forcibly promote unattainable ideals of what a woman should be or look like, has always been my forte. Yet, I’m sure you can relate to my impartiality to a regulated beauty routine. Whilst I could go on for days about embracing the natural - and believe me, sometimes that is the only way, as I try and decipher the extremities of life - the confidence that a fresh set of nails or even a cut and blowdry brings is unmatched.

The cost of living crisis that we find ourselves in has stripped women of their ability to present themselves in a certain way through the beauty services they buy into. Nearly three fifths of Brits are making changes to their spending habits, as the amount spent on essential items reaches an all time high

When the cost of butter now exceeds a fiver, how are we supposed to balance food, bills and a balayage? I don't know about you, but the cost of living is ruining my confidence.

In September alone, UK salons and barbers saw a 20% drop in revenue, highlighting the sheer sacrifice of beauty treatments since the rapid acceleration of inflation. As we find ourselves in dire straits, with rising energy bills, fuel, and for some, an accumulation of debt, it’s no wonder why many have been sacking off the hairdressers chair in an attempt to heat their homes. This in turn has highlighted the pressure to achieve perfectionism that many women now can’t afford to meet.

Confidence has always been a big thing for me, like I know it is for many of you. In fact, a 2022 Opinium survey found that confidence in our appearance is a topdriver for self-esteem. We all strive towards perfectionism, especially in this digital age. As damaging as it can be, I find myself aimlessly scrolling through social media, in a flurry of comparison as I take in each touched-up image that represents a goal that I can’t even reach now, even if I wanted to.

While in no way am I saying that I feel inadequate, and I am all for no-makeup days, but there is a lack of choice now in how I want to present myself, that ultimately feels quite cruel. Re-evaluating my spending habits has become a chore, and it feels as though I've stepped into a personal crisis, let alone a national one. Some may call it vanity or self-conceit, but there seems to be an overbearing social influence that feels heavier than ever before, because of the fact that access to my beauty treatments is dissipating before my very eyes.

Beauty culture is so limitless and creative and I know I’m not alone when I say that cutting back has made me feel like a duller version of myself. For many it puts a strain on relationships and gives them lesser reasons to socialise. I find myself Googling ‘how tos’ on services I usually participate in in a bid to treat myself. After lockdown it felt as though we had all learnt our lesson not to cut our own hair, but the kitchen scissors that lie in the drawer beside my sink seem to call to me louder everytime I pass, and my sense of impending doom rises each day. But alas, it's not like my hairdresser can tell me off for it anytime soon anyway.

Many women are straying away from wearing makeup, let alone buying it, and because we are in these trying times, once again the concept of beauty has faded into a ball of nothingness. According to a new report by Beauty Buyers’ Club, of the top 15 beauty brands, all of them supply from the same three manufacturers, so the argument here is that pricing should be fair, in comparison to the hyper-inflated markups we are experiencing today. The cost of living crisis has resulted in consumers demanding “fairer pricing, greater product efficacy and more honest business models”, which is outlined by the report, and this may just be our glimmer of hope.

While to some, this may all seem trivial, I hope there is an understanding of the importance of beauty treatments to women and their self-esteem. Whether this be for medical or professional reasons - or simply as a pick-me-up, I stand with you in recognising the brutality of these services being swept from our feet. For now, I have an at home acrylic nail kit coming in the post, and I’ll be sure to let you know how that goes.