Australians are not quite as laid back as we may claim to be when it comes to aesthetics, according to Suncorp’s recent Cost of Looking Good report. The survey analysed the spending habits of both men and women aged 24 to 64 around the nation, with some alarming results.
The report states that Australians fork out $8 billion a month on looking good - that’s $1.2 billion spent on clothing, $828 million on shoes, $722 million on accessories, $811 million on haircare, $729 million on skincare, and $193 on cosmetic enhancements.
The biggest spender state-wise is Victoria, who spend $707 per month each, compared to New South Wales’ $669, South Australia’s $618, Western Australia’s $616 and Queensland’s $353. Reasoning for the spend varies, with 52 per cent claiming they did it for themself, 53 per cent for a partner, and 42 per cent for their career.
Perhaps most interesting was a noticeable rise in male grooming spend. Suncorp regional manager Monique Reynolds says: “Nearly half of men indicated they had purchased skincare products in the past month and more than a quarter confessed to having bought make-up. They also outspent women in these products by 74 per cent ($125 to $72) and 50 per cent ($173 to $116) respectively.”
It’s not just money Aussies are throwing at looking good, but time. The report confirmed significant time is spent on getting ready, as well as shopping for fashion and grooming products. Time spent each week on personal grooming is 1 hour 20 minutes on average - with 44 minutes spent on professional grooming and one hour spent trawling the aisles for appearance-boosting items.
Image: @thedailymark
