CLEVELAND — As inflation and economic uncertainty weigh on wallets, many are cutting costs — including at the salon.
A viral beauty trend dubbed “recession brown” is taking off online, encouraging a more natural, low-maintenance hair color that helps save money.
Before Carmen DiCicco started her career in hair, bold looks were in. “Everything was super high-maintenance — super blonde, super icy,” she said. “Right now, everything’s really low-maintenance.”
The look — often a richer brunette or a softer blonde with a more blended root — is being requested more and more by DiCicco’s clients, even if they aren’t saying directly it’s to save money.
“I haven’t had any clients personally tell me, ‘I’m not coming in because I can’t afford to get my hair done anymore,’” she said. “But it’s definitely more of a step back.”
It’s a step back that Bethany Miller decided to take. She switched hairdressers, saying she used to spend close to $250 every six weeks.
“It saves me money, for one,” Miller said. “Before I came to her, I was going every six weeks.”
While her new look is easier to maintain, she admits she’s not ready to give up blonde just yet. “Blonde is my thing,” she said. “I don’t know if I could do it.”
Experts say beauty trends often follow the economy — with people either pulling back or, sometimes, treating themselves to small luxuries during difficult times.
“We’ve seen time and again that people go against that trend,” Jonathan Ernest, assistant professor of Economics at the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University, said. “To buy those small things that give them happiness.”
This time, though, the industry isn’t seeing that same bounce. Several beauty companies have reported a drop in sales, and stylists are seeing longer gaps between appointments.
“For someone who is a brunette, they’ll be like, ‘No, no, I’ll push it back another month because I don’t want to spend the money,’” DiCicco said. “Which is fair.”
If you want to stretch your style between visits, DiCicco recommends asking for a low-maintenance cut or color and investing in products that help preserve your hair’s tone.
