What exactly is “The Lipstick Effect”? You’re actually probably hearing more about the lipstick effect lately than you ever have, because it’s currently being touted as an economic term, the notion that people will be more likely to make small purchases in difficult times – that pick-me-up effect. Whilst I’m certainly extremely guilty of this at the minute, that’s not what I’m here to talk about today.
To me, “the lipstick effect” means something much more than an economic marker. I see the Lipstick Effect as a psychological phenomenon, where wearing makeup makes us feel more physically attractive, boosting our confidence and positively affecting our self-esteem. I see it when I’m doing makeup on a client, her head is lifted just that wee bit higher when she’s leaving my studio compared to when she walked in. That boost of confidence that she knows she looks good, and so she feels good too.
It really makes a massive difference, doesn’t it?
But with no nights out happening at the minute, no days at the races, no weddings to attend, what happens to that Lipstick Effect? In the midst of a global pandemic, things have certainly changed. Like a lot of you, I’m currently based at home, attempting to homeschool my 3 feral children, attempting to do some work, providing 273 meals and snacks a day, and generally trying to hold everything together at a time when the world feels like it’s falling apart at the seams. I’m a makeup artist, I have a studio full of makeup, I have no excuse – yet most days, it just feels like enough effort to brush my hair, let alone do my makeup!
There are days when I do make that effort though. And, my goodness, it is worth it. That 15 minutes of self-care in the length of a Groundhog Day – like day, makes all the difference. I feel more like “me”, I feel good about myself. I catch myself in the mirror, and it makes me smile. My day is better, time goes faster, making today more manageable in an increasingly uncertain world.
I urge you to do the same. Doesn’t have to be every day, doesn’t even have to be makeup. Just take that time to yourself today; cleanse your face, put on a facemask, even just get a hot coffee in peace. Make it happen, you owe it to yourself. Feel The Lipstick Effect in action, and then let me know if it improved your day! I’ve been using the hashtag #thelipstickeffect on my Instagram page, so I encourage you to do the same. Let’s flood social media with some positivity for a change! The current Lockdown situation is so difficult, in so many ways – but you are not going through this alone. Sometimes the smallest things, even like putting on that red lippy which you often shy away from, can really help. Why not give it a try? 
