‘Recession brunette’: Australian women ditch blonde hair dye amid cost of living crisis

It looks like we will see a lot more “recession brunettes” this year as women abandon a common beauty treatment. Photo / Getty Images

As the cost of living continues to rise, women are forgoing dying their hair blonde and the term “recession brunette” has been coined.

Interest rate rises and the fact inflation in Australia has risen to 7.8 per cent means Aussies are making cuts and women are going back to their natural brown hair because it is cheaper to maintain.

Christina, 28, who works in sales, has given up on her blonde locks for a brunette look because she can’t afford the huge price of keeping her hair colour light.

“It is $400 (NZ$438) each time I do it, and so I can only do it like once a year and then it grows out and looks terrible because I can’t afford to do it more. It just doesn’t fit my budget because I can’t afford the upkeep, so I’ve gone for a darker brunette,” she told news.com.au.

For women looking to get their hair treated once a month at a typical hairdresser, it adds up to $4800 (NZ$5250) a year.

Theresa, a hairdresser with more than a decade under her belt with scissors, said she had noticed a change in what her clients were asking for and she puts it down to financial pressures.

“Living on the Gold Coast, 90 per cent of my clients are varying shades of blonde, and while ‘lived-in blonde’ and low-maintenance colours have been in fashion for quite a while now, I have definitely noticed a shift in the services clients are requesting,” she explained.

@carsonlackeyy

cant even stand out with my dark hair in this economy😭💀 #hairtok #fyppppppppppppppppppppppp #hairstylist #blonde #brunette #recession

♬ original sound - Malachi.W

While Theresa admitted clients spending less was not good news for her, she was more than happy to accommodate her clients’ changing needs.

“As I work one-on-one in the salon, I can speak frankly with each client, and some have definitely expressed some financial pressure in the last few months, leading to changing to more natural colours that grow out softer and last for several months before follow-up appointments.

“Obviously, from a business perspective, this isn’t ideal, but as a stylist that has built a strong rapport with the women that sit in my chair, I’m more than happy to adjust hair services to fit in with any budget and see them when it suits them,” she said.

Similarly, Sydney-based hairdresser Timur Smagulov has found customers’ wants are changing.

“There is definitely a big shift in full lightening requests, it became not as popular and less booked in. Sadly it’s happening due to rising living costs and the cost to be a blonde these days,” he said.

Smagulov has also noticed his blonde customers making the switch to darker.

“More and more costumers going from full blonde to 1/3 or half head highlights or even fully changing the colour from blonde to darker or natural shades not to follow the hair trends but to reduce the cost of the colour service.”

BRUNETTES ARE IN!! (we are in a recession and cannot afford salon care)

— Shhhh (@ih8cuddlefish) January 31, 2023

Lawyer Brinley, 26, is another example of a woman giving up her Pamela Anderson-inspired locks to save money.

Brinley hasn’t opted to go Angelina Jolie brunette but she’s gone for a more earthy tone blonde/brown with her wallet in mind.

“The last time I went to the hairdresser for a half head of foils, toner and a cut, it cost me $369 (NZ$404). If I were to maintain the colour, I’d have to get it done every six to eight weeks,” she told news.com.au.

“I got them to fade out my roots so I could start growing out my colour, and it wouldn’t look like a block line.”

Meanwhile, Lucy in her 30s, explained she’d phase out dying her as well because of the rising price, of, well, everything.

“My hair is classed as extra-long, so can cost anywhere from $300-$400 for a colour, cut and blow dry. Usually, I’d go in every 12 weeks or so,” she said.

“I’d also normally throw in a wash and blow dry for special occasions here and there, $100 (NZ$109) a pop. I haven’t been doing that either.”

So, if you’ve noticed there are fewer blondes around, it might be because recession brunette is the new practical trend.