Pink tasks: Feminists and their preferences for premium beauty products

Abstract

Consumers of different genders often have different consumption habits, especially pertaining to routine, daily practices. Anecdotal evidence, as well as scholarly research, suggests that feminists may experience conflicting pressures surrounding consumption associated with a feminine identity—such as applying make-up, shaving one's legs, keeping fingernails manicured, and styling one's hair. We investigate how consumption experiences surrounding beauty work differ for feminists and nonfeminists. Employing a variety of methods—including online experiments (Studies 1 and 4), secondary data (Study 2), and a behavioral study (Study 3)—we demonstrate that feminists report higher preferences for premium beauty products than nonfeminists. Feminists’ preferences stem from associating beauty work with feelings of empowerment or, more specifically, self-determination. We discuss implications for our work and conclude with a call for additional research examining how consumers experience consumption dictated by social standards and expectations rather than individual choice.