Lipstick sales don’t
tint economy

The Wall Street Journal would have you believe that lipstick sales are an indicator of the strength -- or in this case, the weakness -- of the economy.

The Journal reports that women "traditionally" buy lipstick when they are cutting back on other luxuries and that Estee Lauder's Leading Lipstick Index -- it's really called that -- shows sales are up broadly since September 11.

Well, I don't believe buying lipstick can be termed a tradition for women in good times or bad. I think women buy lipstick because they are either running low or because they just want to.

What increased sales of lipstick shows is that more lipstick is being bought. Assigning deeper motives to that simple purchase may make for interesting reading, but really, it's just plain silliness.

If not, what can be gleaned if men buy more aftershave?

Cynthia Oi

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