Haircuts are in the news for many reasons. One category is that used in legalese—which involves settling loans for a fraction of the original amount—while the other is just letting the comb and shears do their job on your head. Both seem to involve steep costs.
Recently, the amount of money spent on personal grooming by a head of State and his spouse has made headlines, inviting reactions ranging from outrage to exasperation. A few months ago, the Supreme Court awarded damages of ₹25 lakh for a botched-up haircut that the litigant claimed had affected her professional opportunities.
Spending on care of hair, face, skin, nails and fragrances is booming. And there is a growing stack of products, procedures and treatments designed to meet consumer demand. The cosmetic industry in India, valued at approximately $21 billion, is thriving as it reaches its demographic target through social media and e-commerce platforms, selling tinted hopes.
The Covid era witnessed a spurt in the growth of the cosmetic industry. One of the possible reasons is said to be the rise in online meetings, with people seeing themselves longer on screens than they ever would in a mirror. The awareness of the advantages of improved appearances was aided by social media. The cosmetic industry also began to spread its reach to smaller cities and towns.
Access to skincare hacks and information regarding trends across the globe, from South Korea to Europe, resulted in adoption of beauty standards that broadened and deepened markets. This contributed to an increase in spending by Gen Z shoppers who tend to see beauty as a form of self-care and not merely as an aspiration. This was a distinct shift in attitude from the earlier generations where use of cosmetics was confined to certain professions or particular occasions. With greater access to cosmetic products, a response to ‘lookism’ in the workplace, where discrimination based on appearances has long prevailed, has shaped up.
In her book Survival of the Prettiest: The Science of Beauty, American psychologist Nancy Etcoff highlights the preposition that “good looks are a woman’s most fungible asset”. This, however, cuts across genders. The rise in brands that focus on grooming products for men, is an indication of the trend.
The youth today seek to use cosmetics to enhance their appearance and increase their transactional opportunities in the workplace and social lives. It is certainly a valid personal choice. It is this demand that the cosmetic industry has managed to leverage for profits. The delivery of personal care services is powered by relentless marketing, with private equity players also in the field for a slice of the pie.
Over the years, the presence of toxic ingredients like lead and mercury in some make-up products, and parabens and sulfates in shampoos have been flagged. Some of the ingredients used by global brands in their products have come under the scanner for carcinogenic properties. This has led to some products being banned in certain countries.
The irony is that something banned in one jurisdiction may be sold in another. There is no uniform regulation across nations regarding the listing of ingredients on the packaging. For instance, phthalates may get blended into a proprietary formulation and consumers remain in the dark about their harmful consequences. The lack of transparency and absence of adequate research on products shipped worldwide is one of the dodgiest practices of global cosmetic giants.
Amid this, the Indian cosmetic market’s growth is estimated to be outpacing the global average due to the country’s large cohort of young people and increase in disposable incomes. Add to this the new specialised products for older age groups and the rise of influencers and social media marketing. Access to cosmetic surgery, facial fillers, injectables and hair transplant has made transformation and curating of looks more precisely possible than ever before. However, such procedures are often done in unsafe conditions, increasing the risk of infection.
The most controversial aspect of the cosmetic boom is its deceptive marketing practices. Many products may have no demonstrable benefits. A popular brand that promised youthful skin was known to contain 99 percent water! It has also come to light that competing market players outsource manufacturing to the same contractor.
Ultimately, the consumer pays for the branding without any incremental benefit. The rise of wellness clinics and medi-spas is an example of mark-up through packaging and rebranding of what is established knowledge. This has seen appropriations of traditional systems of ayurveds, yoga and naturopathy and end up burning a hole in the consumer’s pocket.
The cosmetic industry feeds off the insecurities of people about their appearance. Even the effort required to look ‘natural’ or ‘clean’ can be a demanding process requiring a number of expensive products. As a consequence, there is an emerging trend of counter-awareness that embraces bodily imperfections. This seeks to project authenticity instead of chasing somebody else’s ideal of beauty.
The cosmetic industry is known to flourish even during recession cycles. That’s one of the reasons it should try doubly hard to back up claims with data and adopt transparently ethical practices.
Geetha Ravichandran | Former bureaucrat and author of The Spell of the Rain Tree
(Views are personal)