(NewsNation) — Check out recent Google search trends and Amazon purchases, and you might just get an economic forecast.
Women who normally prioritize self-care are now seeking frugal tips and tricks to prepare for a shaky economy, recent search data suggests.
Gone are the days of buying up pricey concert tickets, according to a recent Wall Street Journal article analyzing this year’s spending trends.
Nails done by professionals? They’re out — and “press-on nail” searches are up 10% since February, per Google.
Blondes are going brunette or turning to a more natural look, with a search jump of 17% for “blonde to brunette hair” in the same time frame.
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Jordan Baird, a hairstylist at the 6th & Big Beauty Bar Co. in Acworth, Georgia, has seen the trend among her clients.
“I find that recession hair during this time is, at first, it started out as more of a money — a budget thing,” Baird said. “And then, I think, when people have seen how that organic look is just so beautiful … they’re loving it.”
Another trend is do-it-yourself fashion.
Social media is flourishing with frugal finds, with some opting to thrift or find cheaper versions of their favorite brand names like Nike and Lululemon.
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National Partnership for Women and Families economist Anwesha Majumder told NewsNation that women are more prone to cutting things for themselves rather than for their household.
“And I think that’s how you get to things like recession hair. Women are much more likely to say, ‘I will give up these luxuries, or these things that I enjoy, so that my kids can go to summer camp or so that we can do these things that we want for our family.”
Other budget-chopping choices include cutting streaming service subscriptions, choosing subway rides over Uber trips or trying automated therapy options rather than an in-person practitioner.
Though President Donald Trump has paused some of his highest tariffs, experts predict the economy will see slower and smaller growth in 2025.
But the odds of a recession are still a toss-up — depending on who you ask.
