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‘People think that looking better means you will have a better life’: why gen Z spends so much on beauty

The idea that splashing out on nail, hair, eyebrow and lash treatments increases your chances of a better social life, relationships and jobs has taken a firm hold on social media – but what’s driving it?

The 28-year-old influencer spends about £500 a month on grooming appointments, including £80 on pedicures and manicures, £70 on eyebrow lamination (where a chemical solution is used to straighten and reshape brow hair) and £60 on her lashes. These enormously popular videos feature users meticulously documenting their trips to the nail salon, brow and lash bars and going for laser hair removal. While hairdressers and salons were shut down, experimenting with DIY treatments at home became popular – according to one 2022 Mintel study, 38% of women aged 16-24 made changes to their beauty and grooming routines.

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