In 2001, Leonard Lauder – former chief executive of the Estée Lauder Companies – coined the “lipstick index” theory. He argued that during times of recession and hardship, beauty products serve as an affordable pick-me-up.
More than 20 years later, the theory still stacks up, and it’s a trend that the retailer Net-a-Porter calls “Dopamine Beauty”. It looked at data from its millions of global customers and noticed that the checkout basket would often include clothing, skincare and a single item of cheering make-up.
No contouring or shading needed; from a bold red lipstick to a pop of pink blusher on the cheeks, it doesn’t need expert application or half an hour sitting in front of a mirror to apply. One of Net-a-Porter’s global bestsellers is the Happikiss Lip Balm by Charlotte Tilbury, a deeply moisturising lipstick in cheering berries and corals.
