Nearly half of people would go into debt to maintain beauty routines – even if they lost their job

Losing a job wouldn’t stop almost half of American adults from trying to look and feel good.

Some 46 percent of consumers age 18 and older said they would go into debt to maintain their beauty and wellness routines if they lost their job, according to a March survey by beauty and wellness AI software platform Zenoti.

Respondents are ready to make other sacrifices for self-care, too, including a curtailed social life, delayed vacations, reduced funds for savings and debt repayment.

The survey’s analysis of spending trends found that people would most likely go into debt using credit cards to keep up appearances after a job loss.

Consumer habits indicate that being made unemployed might spur even more beauty spending, the study found. Some 33 percent of respondents said they increased their self-care routines because of workplace stress or burnout.

Loneliness, financial stress and major life transitions – all situations a job loss could create – are among the top reasons why people increase their beauty and wellness spending. But there was one concession: 45 percent of respondents said they would reduce the frequency of beauty appointments.

The study brings into focus the trade-offs that Americans are making as they negotiate rising costs. While many draw the line at self-care, there are other costs they’re willing to sacrifice to steady their finances.

Entertainment is on the consumer chopping block. Around 40 percent of Americans have dropped at least one streaming service over the past three months, according to a study from Deloitte. The average household spends an average of $69 a month on these services, Deloitte noted.

Another popular target for spending cuts in the past year is eating out. Some 61 percent of U.S. adults, over age 21, have lowered spending at restaurants, according to a May 2025 study from retail news and analysis firm Chain Store Age. And consumers are making sacrifices in their closets: Just over half (52 percent) say they’ve cut back on clothes and shoe spending.

The cost-cutting reflects a nationwide concern about household finances amid high gas prices and rising inflation.

Consumers are more pessimistic about their financial future today than they were during the Great Recession. Some 55 percent of consumers said their financial situation is getting worse, according to a Gallup poll published Tuesday, compared to 49 per cent in 2008.