Beauty Budget Breakdown: How Americans Prioritize Self-Care

2026 Survey: Beauty budget breakdown | How clients prioritize their wellness budget — and what it means for your business

Even in the face of economic uncertainty and wild headlines, your clients are still investing in their appearance and wellness. The $450 billion beauty industry continues to grow, proving that people want to look and feel good even during hard times. Between new hair trends, viral skincare routines, and a good old-fashioned spa day, Americans use self-care as more than just a way to unwind.

But understanding how your clients are funding these visits and what they're willing to sacrifice to maintain their routines can help you make smarter decisions about pricing, services, and retention.

We surveyed 1,000 U.S. adults about their beauty and wellness spending to uncover what they prioritize, what they sacrifice, and how they fund their appointments. We also spoke with industry experts about what these findings mean for business strategy.

The findings reveal a landscape where self-care has shifted from luxury to necessity — and where salon, spa, medspa, and fitness owners who understand these shifts can build more resilient businesses.

What this means for salon, spa, medspa, and fitness owners

Your clients view self-care as essential infrastructure, not optional spending. They're even delaying medical care and cutting groceries to keep booking appointments. However, financial pressure is causing them to space out visits, trade down to cheaper services, and supplement with DIY between appointments.

The strategic opportunity lies in flexible pricing models, payment plans, tiered service offerings, and positioning your business as wellness infrastructure that supports their mental health and confidence, not just their appearance.

What clients are sacrificing to book with you

We’ve all seen the headlines about how everything is getting more expensive, and beauty products are no exception. From skincare to supplements, Americans are having to pay more for the same elements of their self-care routines. To be able to afford their favorite products and services, many Americans are cutting back on essentials.

Social events were the first to be sacrificed: 68% of respondents said they curbed their social life in order to afford their beauty routines, 28% of whom admitted to doing so regularly. Other money-saving methods included:

• Delaying or cancelling vacations (35%);
• Reducing debt payments or savings contributions (29%);
• Scaled back on groceries (22%);
• Delayed medical or dental care (21%);
• Delayed home repairs (20%);
• Delayed buying a new vehicle (20%);
• Delayed vehicle repairs (19%)

Only 28% of respondents said they would cut their beauty spending before any of these essentials. When asked why beauty and wellness took such precedence in their budget, 63% of respondents said that cutting back on beauty spending would make them more stressed, less confident, or even frustrated. A segment of those (14%) even consider their beauty budget to be essential.

Emotional anchors: Why stress makes your services essential

When life feels unstable, beauty and wellness routines help keep Americans centered and rested. For some, booking an occasional spa day is as vital to their mental health as getting eight hours of sleep at night. We asked our respondents what made them increase or change their self-care routines, and how societal expectations influence their decisions.

For a third of respondents (33%), their job was what drove them to prioritize their self-care routines. Considering 65% of workers in the US have reported some level of stress at work, it makes sense that many of them would turn to sauna rests and bubble baths. Similarly, 28% of respondents changed their self-care routines due to the pressure to look “put together” at work, highlighting that many people see beauty as a necessity for their lifestyle. Over a quarter (26%) increased their self-care during periods of isolation or loneliness, while 25% turned to their beauty routine to cope with economic uncertainty.

Almost a quarter (23%) of people say that sticking to a routine brings them peace during stressful times (including 50% of boomers), but these routines look different for everybody. Haircuts and daily skincare were the highest-priority routines for many respondents, but men were more likely to prioritize physical activity over wellness routines.

We found that while 27% of men prioritize exercise or gym time as their primary form of self-care, only 17% of women did the same. This might point to the gendered nature of many self-care and beauty routines (after all, how many men are getting their highlights touched up every few months?) or the fact that men feel pressured to meet a muscular body image.

How clients are adapting — not abandoning — their self-care routines

Even when faced with higher financial pressure, people aren’t abandoning their beauty and wellness routines. They’re just bringing them home. We asked what people are doing to save money on their beauty rituals, and learning to DIY led the pack.

Hair, skin, and nails were the most common routines to start DIY-ing. Almost half (44%) of respondents did DIY facials, masks, or skincare treatments instead of professional services, and a similar amount of people (43%) started coloring their hair at home to avoid going to a salon. One-third (33%) used at-home waxing or hair removal products as well. Others didn’t start to DIY their routine, but instead decided to cut down on the frequency: 45% said they started booking professional services less often, while 28% cut them out entirely. This shows that people still want the benefits of these services, but not the price of professional oversight.

Others are getting their self-care off the shelf, but they’re shopping from different shelves now. Almost a quarter (32%) of respondents said they have started to use cheaper versions of their favorite products and services, while 24% switched from premium to drugstore beauty or wellness products. Similarly, 18% started buying miniature or express versions of their favorite products to save money in the short term.

According to Zenoti salon growth expert Sarah Simonelli, the key is keeping express options in their proper context. "Express and mini services are really best for guests who are maintaining the full service experience regularly," she says. "A guest who is keeping up with their regular full treatment services on the recommended frequency can extend those benefits with express services as supplements — but they are not a replacement for the full treatments.”

In comparison, another 18% started to use beauty subscription boxes as an affordable way to build up their collection. Beauty consumers are savvy about their budgets, finding ways to keep their routine as unchanged as possible while still saving money.

One important note for salon and spa owners: while clients may be seeking at-home alternatives, there are limits to what professionals can sell them. "Salons and spas actually cannot legally sell professional-grade products — true professional-grade products can only be purchased by a licensed professional," says Simonelli, Director of Customer Success at Zenoti. "However, salons and spas should absolutely be selling high-quality retail items that extend the benefits of their services at home. Their hair and skin look better longer, and clients ultimately end up spending less when they're purchasing the right products instead of trying a variety they self-shopped online or in stores."

How clients are funding their beauty budgets

When people start tightening their budgets, luxuries are one of the first things to go. But many modern Americans don’t see their beauty routines as a luxury — they see them as essential. Even though for many, money is tighter than ever, they’re still finding ways to afford their favorite services.

One method more Americans are using to afford their beauty budgets is to pull from multiple income sources. While 62% say they utilized their regular income to pay for their self-care, 41% admitted to supplementing with credit cards in the past year. Another 30% pulled from their savings, and 27% took on a side gig to afford their habits. A minority (12%) utilized Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) services to split large purchases into smaller, more manageable payments. Almost half (46%) said they would willingly take on debt to afford their routines if they were to lose their primary income.

Men were more likely than women to take on credit card debt for their routines, at 50% to womens’ 32%. They were also much more likely to dip into their savings, with 38% of men admitting to it and only 21% of women. Because women are taught from a young age that beauty is expected of them, it may be that more women create a budget with self-care in mind, while men consider it an incidental cost.

Meanwhile, both genders were almost equally likely to take on extra work to make ends meet: 27% of women took on a side hustle or second job, compared to 28% of men. While men and women face different sets of beauty standards, both genders feel enough pressure to make financial sacrifices in the name of self-care.

The social media effect: Pressure and payoff

Multiple studies have shown that social media has a tremendous impact on people’s confidence and self-image. Instagram trends and Pinterest-worthy hairstyles influence many people to spend more money and time on their beauty. Sometimes, that desire brings real-world benefits as well. In-person beauty rituals like haircuts, spa days, and facials can help build community and boost confidence overall.

Social media inspired some of our respondents to make decisions they might not have otherwise made. While 40% said that social media had little to no impact on their decision-making, 28% felt pressured to use services or products they couldn’t afford in order to maintain beauty standards. Another 26% said they feel as if they would fall behind if they didn’t keep up with beauty trends online, rising to 30% among men. More than one in five (21%) admitted to feeling inadequate if they’re unable to afford the routines they see online. In the age of influencer marketing and undisclosed sponsorships, a lot of Americans are sold an unrealistic standard of beauty.

However, if social media pushes people to salons and spas, the tangible benefits are what make them come back. Over half (52%) of respondents said that going to beauty and wellness spaces gave them a mood boost, leaving them more confident than before. This rose to 54% for women, but only 48% of men said the same. Another significant number of respondents said their beauty spaces provide stress relief, including 50% of both Gen Z and millennials. Nearly a quarter (23%) said that these spaces bring them emotional support, and an additional 13% say they feel a sense of community. Even though it may seem like algorithms divide us as people, self-care can bring us back together.

And according to Lesley Silvestre, Director of Customer Success at Zenoti, this shift toward wellness spaces as community hubs is particularly pronounced in fitness. With a background in club operations before moving into beauty and wellness software, Silvestre has observed a fundamental cultural transformation. "We're seeing a real cultural shift, especially with Gen Z, where fitness is starting to replace traditional nightlife”, she explains. “More people are choosing evening workouts, group classes, or run clubs instead of heading to bars, reflecting a stronger focus on health, longevity, and overall wellbeing. In many ways, the gym is becoming the new social hub — a place where community, lifestyle, and self-care naturally come together."

The Gen Z opportunity: High engagement, high pressure

Beauty standards in the eighties and nineties were hugely different from the beauty standards of today. While many grew up with beauty tips from magazines and local beauty counters, younger generations scroll through hours of beauty content starting at an increasingly young age. This shift toward self-care as an industry has changed how younger generations invest in and protect their health and beauty routines.

As the youngest generation and the one with the least wealth, you may expect Gen Z to cut back on beauty spending, but that’s not necessarily true. Zoomers were actually the most likely to put off paying for essentials: 26% of Gen Z and 24% of millennials delayed medical or dental care to continue spending on beauty or wellness, compared with 17% of Gen X and 11% of baby boomers. Similarly, 21% of Gen Z say they would definitely take on debt to maintain their beauty routines if they lost their primary income — nearly eight times higher than Boomers (3%).

Even if Zoomers are placing their beauty above other responsibilities, they’re doing it on their own terms. Gen Z was the only generation that ranked daily skincare products as their most essential service when budgets are tight, while haircuts and hair color ranked first for all other generations.

As the first generation to grow up entirely online, Gen Z also faces increased pressure to meet the beauty standards they see on TikTok. Nearly a third (32%) of Gen Z feel behind if they don’t keep up with trending beauty routines, compared with 30% of millennials, 21% of Gen X, and 9% of Boomers. An even higher share (38%) of Gen Z say they feel expected to maintain beauty standards they can’t afford, but they’re not letting people know how much it costs to look so good. Over half (58%) of Gen Z admitted to hiding, downplaying, or lying about beauty or wellness spending. Not only does this generation face the highest pressure to conform to the beauty standards they see online, they also have to make it look natural.

The new economics of beauty and wellness: Meeting clients where they are

This data makes one thing clear: beauty and wellness are no longer treated as optional indulgences, but as emotional infrastructure. Consumers are making calculated tradeoffs to protect routines that help them manage stress, maintain confidence, and function day to day. Even under financial strain, self-care brings more relief than stress.

Rather than walking away, people are optimizing. They’re booking less often, doing more at home, and choosing lower-cost options to keep routines intact. At the same time, the tradeoffs are becoming sharper: increased reliance on debt and BNPL services signal that beauty has moved into the same budgetary essentials as groceries, healthcare, and savings.

For service providers, the opportunity lies in meeting consumers where they are. Flexible pricing, memberships, and bundled services can support consistency without increasing pressure, while reinforcing trust. In uncertain times, beauty and wellness spaces are more than businesses. They’re places people return to for grounding, confidence, and human connection.

For salon, spa, medspa, and fitness owners, this means:

1. Flexible pricing is essential: Tiered services, memberships, and express options help clients stay consistent without increasing financial pressure.
2. DIY is a complement, not a competitor: Position at-home products as bridges between professional visits rather than replacements.
3. Frequency matters more than loyalty: Clients aren't leaving — they're spacing out visits. Retention strategies should focus on maintaining relationships during gaps.
4. Payment flexibility removes barriers: BNPL partnerships and package deals reduce friction for price-sensitive clients.
5. Community creates stickiness: The emotional support and stress relief clients find in your space are as valuable as the services themselves.

Transparency builds trust: When clients are making real sacrifices to afford your services, honesty about costs and realistic expectations strengthens relationships.

In uncertain times, beauty and wellness spaces are more than businesses. They're places people return to for grounding, confidence, and human connection. Understanding how clients are funding visits and what they're giving up to be there can help you serve them better while building a more sustainable business model.

Methodology

To understand how consumers are prioritizing beauty, wellness, and fitness routines during financial pressure, Zenoti commissioned an online survey of 1,000 U.S. adults aged 18 and older. The sample was stratified and segmented by age and gender to ensure representativeness among those who report using beauty or wellness services at least occasionally. Respondents provided self-reported data on spending behaviors, emotional drivers, cost-saving adaptations, and generational differences. Because some respondents provided multiple responses for some questions, some percentages may not sum to 100.

About Zenoti

Zenoti is a leading cloud-based software provider for the beauty and wellness industry, offering practice management and marketing solutions that help salons, spas, and fitness studios operate more efficiently and profitably. With tools designed to enhance customer experience, streamline bookings, and support business growth, Zenoti works with thousands of businesses worldwide and provides insight into evolving consumer trends in personal care.

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