The ‘recession’ is real. More real than the receding hair line on that dude, more real than the receding tidal waves at dusk on a beach, and more real than the receding hem lines at every private girls school in the city. Yep. I read this article on Forbes today and it talked about the Lipstick Effect that occured during the Great Depression, production of beauty producted halved but sales rose between 1929-1933. This is an economical theory that women will buy more beauty products and lipsticks to make themselves feel better in times of economic uncertainity. After 9/11, US sales in lipsticks doubled. Well this makes a lot of sense to me – as many of you know, I do freelance work and there are often times of economic uncertainities in my person budget – hence the 100 lipglosses I have! These are ‘feel good’ items that does the job without the heavy $$. So! Hello to Sephora, Make Up For Ever and all that good stuff. Buy yourself a little lipstick or lipgloss because you have to wait on that bag, those shoes and that spring trench you have been eyeing. A lipstick is a reasonable indulgence.

Some of my personal favorites:
L’Oreal Color Juice Stick in Island Punch

Elizabeth Arden Hot Pink or Pink Vibrations

Thierry Mugler Lip Lacker in Pink

GOSH High Shine Lip Cream in Raisin

Urban Decay Lipstick in Peroxide

Sephora Lip Attitude in Trendy Pink

While clothing stores are shutting down left, right, centre – accessories and makeup stores are actually doing quite well. I have noticed that several stores on Queen St W have shut down. The stores between BlackBull to Lemor are all gone, the shoe store on Beverley and Queen also goners, the jewelry store by Adidas also for lease. And all 6 RK stores are shutting down. Yikes. But, M.A.C has these wicked ChromaLiquid Liners in blue, yellow, white, green! PS: I think you can get the same effect with clown paint and a great brush.

Since 2009, I gave up Starbucks, shopping per event habit, eating out only 15 times a week now as opposed to 21 times :). I will not give up my Blackberry data plan, buying fresh meat for my dog, getting my eyebrows waxed, going to the movies at least twice a week and books.

Hard times ahead, but lips sure are glossy. What will you give up?

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