China News Service Client Beijing, July 14 (Zuo Yukun) Under the crisis, what efforts will girls make for their beauty?
In the 1930s, during the Great Depression in the United States, the results given by economists were "lipsticks." But when the new coronary pneumonia epidemic struck, masks covered the luster of lipstick, what became a substitute?
Recently, an American study gave the answer-nail polish.
On April 4, local time, a pair of Palestinian newcomers fully armed held a wedding. The picture shows the bride putting nail polish on the gloves before the wedding.
Under the mask, the "lipstick effect" is not working
A report titled "Masks may make the "lipstick index" die" recently published on the US "Fortune" magazine website stated that under the epidemic, the "lipstick index" may have a new alternative-the "nail polish effect."
The lipstick index, also known as the lipstick effect, refers to an interesting economic phenomenon, also known as "low-price product preference trends." In other words, whenever the economy is sluggish, the sales of lipsticks will rise linearly.
The reason behind it is simple. In the United States, people think that lipstick is a relatively cheap consumer product. In the economic downturn, people still have a strong desire to consume, so they will switch to buying cheaper products. Lipstick as a "cheap non-essential thing" can play a "solace" role for consumers.
The picture shows people wearing masks in duty-free shops to buy lipstick. Photo by Luo Yunfei
This theory, which has been repeatedly verified by the Great Depression of the United States and the 2008 financial crisis, has failed in this new coronary pneumonia epidemic.
According to a report released by Bain & Company and Alibaba Tmall, compared with the consumption data provided by Tmall for the first and first days of the first month of the Spring Festival of 2019 and 2020, the overall sales of beauty category decreased by 30%. Among them, the high-end beauty category was greatly affected, dropping by 40%.
As for the lipstick sector, the losses are even more severe. According to data from market research agency MeNoter, sales of lip products, including lip gloss, lipstick and lip glaze, fell by 59% over the same period last year in the three months to June 14.
“The decline in sales of lip products is partly because people don’t go out often and don’t wear makeup often during the epidemic, and partly because everyone wears masks,” a MeNoter spokesperson said.
When the mask covers your smile, lipstick is really useless.
McKinsey predicts that if there is a second wave of outbreaks later this year, global beauty product sales may decline by 20%-30%, of which, the US market may decline by 35%, and the most likely to be hit It's lipstick.
Faced with the lipstick effect of failure, cosmetics companies began to force other sectors. For example, at the beginning of the year, "half-face makeup" and "mask face" became popular keywords on social media. After all, when half of the face is covered by a mask, only this "window of the soul" can show others: I have put on makeup.
In addition to making a fuss about the eyes, many people also set their sights on "the second face of a woman"-hands. McKinsey suggested that if the "lipstick index" has a place in the economic field, then there is now a new alternative-the "nail polish effect."
Nail shop owner busy working to tie waist support
In April, the data released by the Kantar Consumer Index showed that in January-February, all channels of beauty retail sales fell by 13%, while the nail polish category increased by 179% year-on-year in February.
Miss Feng operates a nail shop in Chaoyang District, Beijing. Recently, she has posted several times in the circle of friends every day to emphasize: there are too many customers to make nails, please make an appointment in advance.
"Summer is here, and it is also the peak season for nail art. The two busiest time periods of the year are one for the Chinese New Year and the other is for the summer." Miss Feng told Chinanews.com that the Spring Festival is very busy for many people in just a few days Come together intensively, in summer there are many customers every day.
"And there are still many customers doing toe nails in the summer, which is not available in the Spring Festival." Miss Feng added.
Ms. Feng, who had just given birth to a child for more than a year, fell ill during the birth. The waist muscles are prone to soreness, and they feel stiff when bending down. But in the face of business that bursts every day, "sometimes I'm so busy all day long that I can't even drink my saliva, I can only work while wearing a waist support."
"It used to be the busiest on Saturday and Sunday and from 15:00 to 21:00 on weekdays. But it is still in the epidemic period, the mall closes earlier, from 11:00 in the morning to 20:00 in the evening, even if It’s a working day, and the customers in the shop are non-stop.” Ms. Feng introduced.
Miss Feng, who dared not stop, was not "scared by the epidemic" not because she was short of money.
On May 8, local time, Austin, Texas, USA, some local businesses began to resume business. The picture shows people in the nail shop manicure.
"A total of two or three months, staying in my hometown and not returning to Beijing, money can only go in and out, facing great pressure." At the beginning of the year, the family was persuading Miss Feng to transfer out of the store, it was better than dry burning The rent is strong.
"At that time, I just wanted to wait and wait. Finally, I waited for a return to work, but because nail art is an industry that requires close face-to-face contact, customers will have concerns, the business is not very good, and the passenger flow is four quarters of previous years. One or so."
"I finally waited until now I'm back to normal, and I'm willing to do it even if I'm tired." According to Ms. Feng, many colleagues she knew changed their careers because of the epidemic: "Those who haven't opened the door by April can't hold it. Just look at them and you will be content. It's better to be tired than not living."
Ms. Feng who persevered was lucky. She was in an industry that rebounded strongly after the epidemic. WeChat big data compares the data of March and February. Beauty salons and nail services have become the most prosperous industry after resumption of work. The number of transfers has increased by up to 356%, even exceeding the growth of express logistics and snacks.
In the days when "Miss Feng" did not resume work, the nail polish was undoubtedly stained. McKinsey’s tracking of Amazon’s US sales data shows that in the four weeks to April 11, while sales of lip makeup products and prices both fell, nail polish sales soared 218%.
Much more expensive than lipstick! Nail art is a 200,000/㎡ business
The area of one nail cover is about 1 square centimeter, and the ten nail covers are 10 square centimeters. If it is calculated based on the cost of 200 yuan for a manicure, the price of the manicure is 200,000 yuan per square meter, surpassing the school district in first-tier cities!
Lipsticks with an average price of three to four hundred yuan are almost difficult for most girls to run out. However, due to the natural growth of nail length, the lifespan of a manicure is usually about one or two months. It seems that nail art seems to be a profiteering industry.
Ms. Feng has been in the nail art industry for seven or eight years. The shop includes a total of six nail technicians. One person takes a break every day, and there can be thousands of regular customers. Under normal circumstances, a month's income can easily reach six figures. Even if the rent is not low in Beijing, gross profit and net profit are very high.
According to Miss Feng, the reason why the nail industry can make money is mainly due to the relatively low cost: "General nail art uses nail polish. Its consumption is very economical. On average, a bottle of 15ml can be used by 20 people. And this 20 Individuals, if calculated on the basis of 200 yuan per order, let alone say that they can have an income of five or six thousand."
How much does nail polish cost? Ms. Feng said that she pays attention to repeat customers and uses big-name products with good quality. I currently use an internationally renowned nail polish brand with a retail price of more than 100 yuan. If you buy it in wholesale, you can get it for dozens of yuan.
Data Map: Participants who participated in the beauty project of the China Skills Competition displayed superb nail art skills. Photo by Zhang Hengwei
In fact, this big business on small nails has been gaining momentum for many years.
According to data from iResearch and China Industry Information Network, in 2014, the scale of the Chinese nail market (including nail services, nail products and nail training) was 58 billion yuan; in 2017, the industry market scale soared to 120 billion yuan. The growth rate is 30%. By 2019, this number will reach 150 billion yuan, and there is a projected annual growth of over 20% in the future.
"There is a line in the line, and the veteran paints a solid color to see the technology. The dead skin that opens the store after a few days of quick work is unfavorable." Ms. Feng believes that even if the market develops fast, it will be the fittest. No matter what kind of work you do, every industry needs fine "craftsmen." (Finish)