Article Beauty is an ‘insidious force in women’s financial lives,’ says ‘Rich Girl Nation’ author — here’s how to overcome it
Article Beauty is an ‘insidious force in women’s financial lives,’ says ‘Rich Girl Nation’ author — here’s how to overcome it
Jul 12 2025, 8:45 AM
Quote:But what I want to bring people back to is, beauty is a depreciating asset by design. Unlike investing in actual capital — which will grow with time, it will become more valuable — when you invest in beauty, the opposite is happening. It’s going to require more and more cash to extend that half-life.
I'd never thought of it that way but author Katie Gatti Tassin is right. Beauty is a depreciating asset. No matter how we might invest in it and increase it for a while, it is bound to drop and give diminishing returns on that investment. Putting that money into health, finances, and other aspects of well-being is a better investment. I won't slam women for being part of beauty culture because I still do it myself to an extent. Vanity and old habits die hard. But it's freeing to feel like reducing participation in beauty culture isn't just turning away from something, it's turning toward something - multiple somethings that are better uses of time and money. Health, finances, other aspects of well being.
Quote:But what I want to bring people back to is, beauty is a depreciating asset by design. Unlike investing in actual capital — which will grow with time, it will become more valuable — when you invest in beauty, the opposite is happening. It’s going to require more and more cash to extend that half-life.
I'd never thought of it that way but author Katie Gatti Tassin is right. Beauty is a depreciating asset. No matter how we might invest in it and increase it for a while, it is bound to drop and give diminishing returns on that investment. Putting that money into health, finances, and other aspects of well-being is a better investment. I won't slam women for being part of beauty culture because I still do it myself to an extent. Vanity and old habits die hard. But it's freeing to feel like reducing participation in beauty culture isn't just turning away from something, it's turning toward something - multiple somethings that are better uses of time and money. Health, finances, other aspects of well being.