Beauty addict? Sadly (but not surprisingly), Australia is not the country to live in.
Australia has been ranked the sixth most expensive country for beauty products and services according to the 2017 Beauty Price Index.
Compiled by Latin American e-commerce platform Linio.com, the index compared the cost of beauty products and services across 50 countries and then ranked them using the sum of their scores in three categories (beauty services, cosmetic procedures and products).
The countries at the top of the index are the most affordable and the ones at the bottom (Australia was ranked number 45) are the most expensive. Overall Asian countries were found to be the most affordable with Vietnam taking the top spot, followed by India, South Africa, Thailand and Egypt.
The review looked at retail prices for beauty products such as long-lasting lipstick, perfume, foundation and anti-ageing cream. It also compared charges for haircuts, waxing, anti-wrinkle injections, and breast and nose surgery were also assessed.
Linio CEO Andreas Mjelde said, “From perfume to pedicures, people want to look and feel good. At Linio, we believe that a little pampering shouldn’t cost an arm and a leg. We hope this research inspires people to be smart with their money and use online marketplaces to their advantage.”
It was found that Australian’s fork out a steep amount for anti-wrinkle injections, at fourth highest, and eyeshadow, the eighth highest. Cosmetic surgery, hair dye and perfume prices were also particularly high.
Our most affordable prices were for lipstick, which ranked 17th cheapest, and nail polish at 27th. The United States scored cheapest for perfume, while best top makeup deals were found in Canada, South Africa, the US and Italy.
Australia’s costs ranged from $12 for an eyebrow wax to $8,471 for breast implants.
Product prices from shops and online retailers, excluding shipping, were based on best-selling and top international brands in each market, as brands were not consistent worldwide. Beauty salon and cosmetic clinic fees were sourced from up to five major cities per country.
Mjelde said the company placed a high value of transparency and hoped that the index would, “help people more confidently interpret variations in costs associated with beauty around the world.”
“Increasingly, the average citizen is a global one, and with a better understanding of global markets comes empowerment to travel, shop, and live smarter.”
If you want to see how we stack up against the rest of the world, check out the full rankings here.
