Women 'see beauty as a necessity'

Women would rather give up holidays and cut their spending on clothes than stop buying beauty products, new research has found.

A survey of 1,088 readers of Allure magazine in the US found that 75 per cent would sooner give up anything else than their beloved makeup and skincare brands, reports Brand Media Week.

Some 69 per cent said dining out would go out of the window if they were forced to cut back, while 59 per cent said they would cut their entertainment budget.

In addition, 45 per cent would cut back on the money they spent on holidays and 30 per cent said they would reduce outgoings on their cars.

However, only 16 per cent would not buy beauty products and 84 per cent of respondents said they felt beauty is a "necessity in life".

"The current economic situation may look ugly, but that doesn't mean women want to. Which, at least, is some good news for health and beauty retailers," said Brand Media Week's Fashion Notebook.

According to Leonard Lauder, founder of Estee Lauder, lipstick purchases are a way to gauge the economy.

When it's shaky, he said in the New York Times, sales increase as women boost their mood with inexpensive lipstick purchases instead of more expensive items such as designer shoes.