雅思阅读：经济衰退期 女性钟爱化妆品

　　Make-up sales have risen despite the recession as women aim to look their best without breaking the bank on clothes and shoes, new figures show.

　　While many women have cut back on other fashion and beauty treats amid the global economic crisis, sales of cosmetics have increased.

　　Research shows that cosmetics enjoyed the highest growth in the expanding British beauty market with a 7.4 per cent rise to ￡1,200 million between 2007 and 2008.

　　Face and body skincare were up 6.7 per cent to ￡1,000 million and womens perfume rose 4.6 per cent to ￡667 million over the same period, according to market research specialists Mintel.

　　Experts claim that the phenomenon, dubbed the Lipstick factor, is a repeat of that seen during the Great Depression of the 1930s when tougher competition for jobs made women eager to look their best.

　　Selfridges director Anne Pitcher said that women particularly favour bright red shades during periods of economic hardship because it brings them more confidence.

　　She told the Daily Mail: Anecdotal evidence shows that lipsticks are up for the first time in years.

　　Red is especially popular, as Scarlet Johansson and Monica Bellucci promote the classic Hollywood make-up look.

　　Research also suggests that rather than saving money by choosing cheaper products, women are treating themselves to top quality brands.

　　George Wallace, chief executive of shopping consultants MHE Retail, said: A 25 to 34-year-old woman in the UK is carrying ￡71 worth of make-up in her handbag and there is no sign of her giving this up in the downturn.

　　Vocabulary:

　　break the bank: to require more money than is available

　　cut back on：减低

　　red shade：红色，泛红光

　　anecdotal evidence：non-scientific observations or studies, which do not provide proof but may assist research efforts

　　最新数据显示，尽管面临经济衰退，但的化妆品销量不降反升，这是因为女性想在缩减衣服和鞋子开支的情况下尽量让自己看起来美一点。

　　尽管受全球经济危机的影响，很多女性缩减了其它的时尚和美容开支，但化妆品的销量却有所上升。

　　调查表明，在2007年至2008年间，化妆品是英国不断扩大的美容市场上销量增长最快的商品，增幅为7.4%，总销售额达12亿英镑。

　　据明特尔市场调查公司介绍，在此期间，面部和身体护肤品的销售额增长6.7%，达10亿英镑;女式香水增4.6%，达6.67亿英镑。

　　专家称，这种现象被称为口红效应，在上世纪30年代的经济大萧条时期曾出现过。当时，就业市场的竞争更为激烈，因此女性急切地想让自己看起来更漂亮。

　　塞尔福里奇百货公司的总监安妮 皮彻称，在经济困难时期，女性尤其钟爱亮红色，因为这能给她们带来更多自信。

　　她在接受《每日邮报》采访时说：事实证据表明，口红的销量近年来首次上升。

　　红色尤其受欢迎，斯嘉丽 约翰逊和莫妮卡 贝鲁奇把这一经典好莱坞妆容带回了潮流。

　　调查还表明，女性一般会选用质量较好的名牌化妆品，而不会为了省钱去选用廉价产品。

　　MHE Retail购物咨询公司首席执行官乔治 华莱士说：在英国，每个25岁至34岁间的女性的手袋里装着价值至少71英镑的化妆品，目前还没什么迹象表明她们会在经济低迷时期舍弃这些。