Can you guess what product people largely abstained from buying last year -- thanks to COVID-19 -- but are purchasing in droves now that vaccines are widely available and the pandemic appears to be receding?
I'll give you a minute to "make up" your mind. (Note: That was a subtle hint...)
If you guessed lipstick, you hit the nail on the head.
Lips for the most part remained out of sight last year because they were being concealed by our face coverings.
But consumers (presumably vaccinated ones) must be feeling more comfortable about stepping out without a mask because lipstick sales hit a whopping 34 million in April. That's an 80% from the same period a year ago.
While that's 40% lower than pre-pandemic levels, it's still a marked improvement and suggests the economy is beginning to turn the corner.
The fact that the CDC announced last week that vaccinated folks no longer have to wear masks or practice social distancing indoors or outdoors (with a few exceptions) was a clear game changer.
Walmart stated that lipstick is hands down its best performer across all segments of cosmetics, and that lipstick sales were a definite bright spot in its latest quarter.
Not surprisingly, the nation's biggest retailer added that customers have displayed a preference for smudge-proof lipsticks that don't rub off easily.
As more people start to venture out for dining, workouts, travel, and other activities, there's no question they're yearning to put away the masks and resume life as we knew it in 2019.
Rest assured lipstick isn't the only product poised to make a killing in the coming months as people aim to spend their stimulus and savings.
So what do you say? Time to pucker up?
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