2026 Midterms: Beauty Spending Myths Debunked

There’s a ton of speculation about the 2026 Midterm Elections and what they’ll do to beauty industry trends and consumer spending, but most of it is just noise. Whenever politics and the economy get tangled up, you get a flood of bad information, especially about how it all affects specific things like personal care and hair removal. So how much will these elections really change things for beauty brands?

Myth 1: Midterm Elections Will Cause a Drastic Drop in Beauty Spending

The idea that beauty spending is going to fall off a cliff right after the midterms is a myth that just won’t die. Political cycles might make people feel a certain way about the economy, but there’s no real data connecting that feeling to a sudden drop in beauty sales. A report from the National Retail Federation (NRF) that looked at spending across several election years found that people’s buying habits in categories like beauty are driven by the actual health of the economy, things like job numbers and how much money they have left after bills. People don’t just stop washing their face or getting waxed because a new person won a congressional seat. Just look at the 2022 midterms. There was a lot of political noise, but the beauty industry, especially the prestige side, kept growing. The NPD Group (which is now Circana) reported a big jump in prestige beauty sales that year, which flew in the face of all the doom-and-gloom predictions. For many people, these purchases aren’t just frivolous extras. They’re baked into personal routines and self-care habits that don’t change with the political weather, which is why services like regular hair removal are treated as a non-negotiable part of their budget.

Myth 2: Economic Uncertainty Post-Midterms Drives Consumers Exclusively to “Drugstore” Brands

Thinking that a bit of economic anxiety after an election automatically sends everyone to the drugstore aisle for cheap beauty products is a huge oversimplification of how people shop. Sure, some people will trade down, especially for products where they don’t see a big quality difference. But the premium and luxury beauty markets are surprisingly durable, and sometimes even grow, when people are being more careful with their money. A McKinsey & Company study on what consumers do during slowdowns found that people get more selective, but they don’t just default to the cheapest option. They look for products that deliver real results and feel like a small, worthwhile indulgence. For example, someone might see a professional hair removal service not as a splurge but as a necessary investment in their well-being, even if it costs more than at-home kits. This isn’t just about loyalty to a brand. When money’s tight, people think hard about the return on investment for their personal care, and they’ll often cut out a dinner or two before they give up a service or product that makes them feel good and delivers tangible results. They might go less often, but they rarely quit completely.

Myth 3: Political Polarization Will Segment Beauty Markets Along Ideological Lines

The prediction that the beauty industry will fracture along political lines after the midterms is just not based in reality. A few brands might get loud about social causes that appeal to one side, but people’s actual purchasing decisions in beauty are almost never driven by their politics. You choose a face wash or book a waxing appointment based on if it works, what it costs, and if it’s convenient, not because the company’s CEO made a donation to some politician. The political stuff might be all over the news, but its direct impact on what brand of hair removal cream someone picks up at the store is practically zero. Consumer data shows again and again that factors like age, income, where you live, and what skin problems you have are what really matter. For instance, if you’re looking for a gentle waxing experience, are you going to check the salon owner’s voting record? No, you’re going to check their reviews for cleanliness and skill. Trying to build a marketing strategy around political identity would be a great way to alienate half your customers and would almost certainly fail.

Myth 4: The Beauty Industry Is Uniquely Vulnerable to Political Swings

There’s this story that gets told over and over again: that because beauty is “discretionary,” it’s especially fragile when politics get rocky. That completely misses how central personal care is to a lot of people’s lives. While a big-ticket luxury item might take a hit, essential grooming routines and services tend to see consistent demand. Take hair removal. For millions of people, it’s not an occasional treat, it’s a regular part of their hygiene and how they present themselves to the world. Think about how people budget. When things get tight, they postpone buying a new car or a big vacation, but they’ll usually keep up the small, routine expenses that make them feel confident and put-together. A professional waxing appointment fits right into that category for a lot of clients. The beauty industry’s resilience is rooted in that practical value. We’ve seen it cycle after cycle. Recessions happen, but people’s desire to feel good about themselves doesn’t go away. The industry adjusts, maybe with more deals or value-focused products, but it doesn’t just fall apart because of an election.

Myth 5: Regulatory Changes from Midterms Will Instantly Reshape Beauty Product Formulations

Any panic that the 2026 Midterm Elections are going to trigger immediate, massive regulatory changes to product formulas is seriously overblown. A new Congress can start the process, sure, but actually implementing major new rules for product ingredients or manufacturing is an incredibly slow-moving train. It involves multiple review stages, public comment periods, and tons of scientific evaluation. It’s not a switch that gets flipped overnight. Government bodies like the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have established procedures, and any proposal to change cosmetics rules, like for ingredients in hair removal creams, would face a long and detailed vetting process. The industry itself, through groups like the Personal Care Products Council, is heavily involved in those conversations, providing data and an economic perspective. So while politics can set the *agenda* for future regulation, the idea that product formulas will radically change right after an election is highly unlikely. Brands get years, not weeks, to adapt to new guidelines.

Myth 6: Marketing Strategies Need a Complete Overhaul Based on Election Results

Thinking you need to burn your marketing plan and start over the day after midterm results come in is a huge overreaction. Smart brands should always have a finger on the pulse of consumer sentiment, but a complete strategy change is rarely the right move. The better approach is to have agile, data-driven marketing that can react to what customers are actually doing, no matter what’s happening in politics. Digital channels are perfect for this, since they let you tweak your messaging, audiences, and promotions based on what the data is telling you right now. For example, if you see signs that consumer confidence is slipping, you can quickly shift your campaigns to focus on value sets or the mental-health benefits of self-care. If the economy looks strong, you can lean into your premium products. The fundamentals of good marketing, knowing your audience, giving them real value, and earning their trust, don’t change with an election. A strong brand that clearly communicates its value, like a professional hair removal service that guarantees great results, will always do better than a brand that tries to chase every political headline. The 2026 Midterms are a big deal politically, but they won’t cause the kind of earthquake in the beauty industry that people are predicting. The sector’s path will be shaped by bigger economic forces and the simple, enduring habits of consumers. The brands that win will be the ones that are adaptable and obsessed with what their customers actually want.