A recent report from The NPD Group found — no surprise here — that women purchase beauty products to feel more confident and sexier. The study found attitudes split on purchasing in today’s economy. According to analyst Karen Grant, “While about 50% of women report beauty products are the first thing they would cut back on if money got tight, an almost equal proportion say they would continue to buy beauty products in such a situation because the products make them feel better about themselves. Similarly, nearly half of women indicate they usually shop for beauty products that are on sale, while the other half reports that price is not the most important factor when shopping for beauty products.”

Something to note for retail:  If they were given an extra $100 of disposable income to spend on beauty, most women said they would purchase makeup or fragrance products.  

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