Around the Bluhmin’ Town

By

Judy Bluhm

We are in a recession. The data is in, and it doesn’t look promising. We are experiencing more women with “recession hair” and there is an uptick in lipstick sales. In other words, don’t bother looking at the stock market numbers, GDP, pundits huffing and puffing about tariffs and the state of our economy. Because everything we need to know, we can see with our own eyes. Plenty of dark roots and red lips.

“Recession hair” is a term used to describe the dark brown roots that are either not being “weaved” with blonde highlights, ignored entirely while blonde ends remain, or a cost-saving strategy to give women more months out of their dye job. It has become very popular but also is an indicator of women’s spending habits. But many argue that “recession hair” also refers to women’s return to becoming more natural, with more gray hair.

Beauty experts like to point to the Sarah Jessica Parker “look” with her dark roots showing. But isn’t she a movie star and a multi-millionaire? So, is this a style, a statement or a recession indicator? Hmm, more research might be required to analyze the findings. Yet, if you look around, dark roots are everywhere!

In the year 2000. Leonard Lauder (of Estee Lauder) explained that when women needed to scale back on luxury purchases, they tend to spend more on smaller items. Since then, it is referred to as the “lipstick index” for a recession, and so far, it appears the sales of lipstick is off the charts.

So, is there a correlation between consumer spending and an economic downturn? Well, of course. Maybe the bigger question is when times are tough, how exactly do Americans spend their money? Why buy eggs when they are six bucks and require cooking, baking, or whatever. They do not last long. Forget about omelets when a new color of tropical pink lip gloss is only twenty dollars and can last for months. Eggs will not make us look better! Oh, but a little color on our lips holds the promise of looking and feeling better!

Men also get in on the “recession hair” act. Barbers notice longer beards, fewer haircuts, longer hair, or a whole bunch of requests for shaved heads. Everyone seems to be getting frugal in some areas of their life. Even the doggy groomers notice folks going an extra week (or two) to get Rover shampooed and clipped.

Sometimes people go overboard trying to save a buck. One of my clients shaved their collie, Heidi, in an attempt to help her stay cool in the summer and save on grooming costs. Bad idea! Poor Heidi came home from her “beauty treatment” and hid under a bed. For one week. Sometimes, “cheap” isn’t a good look!

Now I think of it, I was going to buy new sandals but ended up instead getting a tube of lipstick that was called “Fabulous.” So, this must be proof that the recession has landed. On my lips. As for hair? Going natural can be “fabulous.” Trimming our budgets, not so much.

Judy Bluhm is a writer and a local realtor. Contact Judy at [email protected] or visit www.aroundthebluhmintown.com