Damn… you look ravishing.”

As she walked through the hallway, someone called out.

She smiled, said thank you, and kept moving.

Her hair was freshly done.

Her skin was glowing.

Her nails were neat.

Her outfit sat perfectly on her body, and there was a soft scent of perfume following her with every step.

From the outside, she looked effortless.

But let's talk about the whole economy behind that appearance.

The hair appointment had been booked days before.

The skincare products on her shelf had been restocked several times.

The nails had been done, and in a few weeks, they would need to be done again.

The perfume would finish.

The moisturiser would finish.

The sunscreen would finish.

Maintenance is expensive, and we don't talk about it enough.

It is expensive precisely because it doesn't have an ending.

You can buy one beautiful outfit today and still need another one tomorrow.

You can do your hair this week and still need to do it again next month.

You can buy skincare today, and one day, you'll squeeze the bottle and realise there's nothing left.

You can have a wardrobe full of clothes and still stand in front of it saying:

“I have nothing to wear.” 😩

It becomes interesting when you look at beauty from a financial perspective.

Looking good requires resources, money, time, energy.

And sometimes, even learning.

Learning what works for your skin.

Learning how to dress your body.

Learning what colours suit you.

Learning how to style your hair.

Learning how to put things together.

There is an entire invisible labour behind looking “effortlessly” good.

And in my opinion, looking good is a financial commitment on its own.

That's part of why celebrities are constantly changing outfits, changing looks, buying new pieces and keeping up with trends.

When the image becomes part of the brand, maintenance becomes part of the business.

And even outside celebrity culture, many of us experience a smaller version of the same thing.

So when we talk about personal finance, I think we need to have conversations beyond rent, food, transport, savings and investments.

We should also think about the recurring cost attached to the person we present to the world.

Because sometimes, lifestyle is expensive because of all the little things that keep coming back.

Hair, nails, skincare, clothes, perfume, shoes.

Maintenance.

Again.

And again.

And again.

You're honey now.

You have to look sweet.

And looking sweet takes money.

So, the next time you're planning your budget, don't forget the cost of maintaining the life and the version of yourself you want to present.

Add it to your financial budget...