Boosting Beauty in an Economic Decline: Mating, Spending, and the Lipstick Effect

Abstract

Although consumer spending typically declines in economic recessions, some observers have noted that recessions appear to increase women's spending on beauty products--the so-called lipstick effect. Using both historical spending data and rigorous experiments, the authors examine how and why economic recessions influence women's consumer behavior. Findings revealed that recessionary cues--whether naturally occurring or experimentally primed--decreased desire for most products (e.g., electronics, household items). However, these cues consistently increased women's desire for products that increase attractiveness to mates--the first experimental demonstration of the lipstick effect. Additional studies show that this effect is driven by women's desire to attract mates with resources and depends on the perceived mate attraction function served by these products. In addition to showing how and why economic recessions influence women's desire for beauty products, this research provides novel insights into women's mating psychology, consumer behavior, and the relationship between the two.

Full text

Boosting Beauty in an Economic Decline:
Mating, Spending, and the Lipstick Effect
Sarah E. Hill and Christopher D. Rodeheffer
Texas Christian University Vladas Griskevicius
University of Minnesota
Kristina Durante
University of Texas at San Antonio Andrew Edward White
Arizona State University
Although consumer spending typically declines in economic recessions, some observers have noted that
recessions appear to increase women’s spending on beauty products—the so-called lipstick effect. Using
both historical spending data and rigorous experiments, the authors examine how and why economic
recessions influence women’s consumer behavior. Findings revealed that recessionary cues—whether
naturally occurring or experimentally primed—decreased desire for most products (e.g., electronics,
household items). However, these cues consistently increased women’s desire for products that increase
attractiveness to mates—the first experimental demonstration of the lipstick effect. Additional studies
show that this effect is driven by women’s desire to attract mates with resources and depends on the
perceived mate attraction function served by these products. In addition to showing how and why
economic recessions influence women’s desire for beauty products, this research provides novel insights
into women’s mating psychology, consumer behavior, and the relationship between the two.
Keywords: evolutionary psychology, mating, economic recessions, consumer behavior, attractiveness
The year 2007 began what has been considered by many econ-
omists to be the worst economic recession since the great depres-
sion (Business Wire News, 2009). This period has been marked by
myriad workplace layoffs, home foreclosures, and an overall de-
cline in economic activity (Bailey & Elliott, 2009). Consistent with
previous recessionary periods, consumers in this economic down-
turn have downsized spending on everything from groceries to
homes (Bohlen, Carlotti, & Mihas, 2010; Dibaji, Powers, & Kes-
wani, 2010; Katona, 1974). For example, many people have traded
their vacations for a “stay-cation,” choosing to vacation in the
low-cost destination of their own home.
Although spending on most consumer products during the recent
recession has predictably declined, one class of products is believed to
have fared unusually well: beauty products (Allison & Martinez,
2010; Schaefer, 2008). For instance, sales figures from one of the
world’s biggest cosmetics companies—L’Oreal—showed that during
2008, a year when the rest of the economy was suffering record
declines in sales, they experienced sales growth of 5.3% (Elliott,
2008). The notion that women may spend relatively more money on
attractiveness-enhancing products during times of economic recession
has been dubbed by journalists as the lipstick effect (Nelson, 2001).
The idea of a lipstick effect has been discussed in several recent
economic downturns and is even believed to have occurred during the
Great Depression, when sales of women’s cosmetics products
boomed unexpectedly (Koehn, 2001).
In the present research, we experimentally examine the idea of
the lipstick effect. To understand how and why economic reces-
sions might influence women’s psychology and behavior, we draw
on life history theory (Charnov, 1993; Roff, 1992; Stearns, 1992),
models of human mating (Buss, 1988a; Kenrick & Keefe, 1992;
Symons, 1979), and biological models of mating pool quality
(Clutton-Brock, 2009; Cotton, Small, & Pomiankowski, 2006).
These frameworks suggest that conditions of economic resource
scarcity should prompt individuals to increase effort directed to-
ward attracting mates, particularly for women. This means that
despite dampening consumer interest in most classes of products,
economic recession cues may lead women to have heightened
interest in products that enhance their desirability to mates, thereby
prompting the lipstick effect. By showing how and why economic
recessions influence women’s psychology, the present research
provides novel links between economic conditions, women’s mat-
ing psychology, and consumer behavior.
Economic Recessions and Life History Theory
Economic recessions are a ubiquitous feature of modern market
economies. In the United States alone, there have been 23 eco-
nomic recessions since the mid-1880s (National Bureau of Eco-
nomic Research, 2011). At the aggregate economic level, reces-
sions are marked by widespread decreases in consumer spending
(Bohlen et al., 2010; Dibaji et al., 2010; Katona, 1974). Economic
This article was published Online First May 28, 2012.
Sarah E. Hill and Christopher D. Rodeheffer, Psychology Department,
Texas Christian University; Vladas Griskevicius, Carlson School of Man-
agement, University of Minnesota; Kristina Durante, Department of Man-
agement, University of Texas at San Antonio; Andrew Edward White,
Psychology Department, Arizona State University.
We thank Cathleen Cox, Naomi Ekas, and Leo Nicolao for statistical and
theoretical guidance and Lindsey Ethington, Gaby Mastromarino, Holly Pet-
tijohn, and Jill Pollock for their research assistance with this project.
Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Sarah E.
Hill, Department of Psychology, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth,
TX 76129. E-mail: s.e.hill@tcu.edu
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology © 2012 American Psychological Association
2012, Vol. 103, No. 2, 275–291 0022-3514/12/$12.00 DOI: 10.1037/a0028657
275
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