This is a reflection of a new economic reality- plutonomy. The rich are getting richer, therefore, status symbols need to become more expensive to remain exclusive. That exclusivity is what divides the extremely wealthy conspicuous consumer from the merely wealthy. It is the rich that power our economy with their spending- not the struggling and dwindling middle class.

Spending 45 dollars on lipstick as a "pick me up", can never be justified. Seriously.

Anyone that would pay the prices mentioned in this article have more money than brains and are desperate to regain their youth ....HOW SAD

Why does the cost of beauty keep rising? Because women can be fooled into buying anything...PERIOD! True beauty costs NOTHING! It's God's gift!

There could be a flood of anything on the market but that doesn't mean people are going to spend their money to get it. Most people I know are not going to the hair dresser half as much as they use to and when they do they don't get their hair colored and highlighted, they do that at home. As the economy worsens people are getting more practical and using their brains when it comes to what is important to purchase and beauty supplies would be low on the list. Maybe it takes hard time to be able to appreciate what we already have and what is really important.

HA, obviously not working much. You can be a smart shopper by learning what ingredients do, some good ingredients are used by both high-end and cheaper brands.

The products being sold as luxury items, be they cosmetics, skin care, purses, shoes, jewelry, etc. must continually raise their prices in order to maintain the interest of status seekers. Since those status seekers will continue to by those items, the prices will continue to rise. The marketing campaigns behind these products is nothing short of fascinating!

Why does the price of beauty keep rising? The answer to that is simple. We've all been indoctrinated to believe that a "name" and a high price means better quality and better results. In most cases, it isn't.

If you read the entire story about Creme de la mer,, it is a miracle cream. I know people who would starve before going without it, yet I think the price is exhorbitant, Since the secret has now been discovered, I can't see what justifies this price.
Now, a party, a big date, any type of important get together, even a funeral, then I can see $45 for a good lipstick. When applied correctly, the color will be perfect, it will stay put even after a dozen cheek kisses and just look beautiful. $10k for perfume! Somebody saw a sucker coming.

Women are using less cosmetics, overall.

Well, when women wake-up and discover aging is normal, and quit trying to look 30 when you're 50 maybe things will change. I have so many friends who have had countless "procedures" to try and look younger. They don't look younger. They look like freaks. L.A. is a prime example of women looking freaky. You don't k now what age they are but you know they look bizarre. Some examples: Heather Locklear Melanie Griffin, Barry Manilow, Janis Dickerson, Kirk Douglas, Cher (frightening, Meg Ryan (the lips are freaky), Mickey Roarke, etc..

I had a facelift, browlift, eye job, chemical peel, the whole works, in 2007. It hurt like hell, but I'm happy with the results. By the way, I'll be 61 in September. What I didn't have was botox and other fattening shots (lip pump). I'm done. I think it's the fillers and Botox that makes people look so strange.

There's

one

born

every

minute.

Unbelievable. When there is so much want, so much NEED in the world, and somehow these companies are finding, and selling to, SUCKERS.

The price of beauty keeps rising b/c WE, as women, are gullible into believing all this crap works. Here's a few things the plastic surgeons and the cosmedic industries don't tell you:
1) Pray for great genes
2) Stay out of the sun
3) eat well and exersize regularly
4) wash your face daily, especially at night
5) no amount of money is gonna stop the aging process.
After recently spending $1800 to erase labial folds and lip lines; the Dr., on my follow-up treatment, THEN tells me that injectables DO NOT erase any lines. They just "soften" and "plump" the lines. Hence, the money I threw down and away to "erase" lines are only slightly "softened". The look I was going for could only be achieved through plastic surgery. Thanks Doc, wish I knew that $1801 ago. Bottom line Ladies: follow #s 1-4 and stop hating yourself. You're beautiful. You just don't know it.