According to a recent national survey commissioned by L’Bel USA, women are willing to sacrifice coffee, chocolate, and even sex for one week rather than their favorite beauty product, and more likely to let airline security take a pair of beloved shoes and/or jeans, than give up their favorite skin care and/or makeup items. The findings are just two of many unique insights gathered by the beauty brand from a survey of more than 1,300 American women age 18 and older.

“Women not only want beauty products that make them feel radiant inside and out, but products that are customized for their skin and lifestyle. It’s no surprise they would rather go without a few of life’s other simple pleasures. Once you find a product you love, that’s affordable and works, you never want to let it go,” says John Krites, L’Bel USA’s beauty expert.

With its parent corporation Belcorp being the 3rd largest skin care company in South America and having over 40 years of beauty experience and success, L’Bel USA commissioned the survey to gain a better understanding of women’s attitudes on beauty and lifestyle, and the products that are top of mind for women this spring. Other findings include:

* Beauty products play an important role in women’s lives, with the majority reporting that they carry a make-up/skin care related product in their purse regularly. Three-quarters of women (76%) report that they carry a make-up/skin care related product in their purse regularly, with lipstick/lip gloss (63%) topping the list of beauty-related items.

* The top ranked item that women report is a “must-have” when they go out at night is their lipstick/lip gloss. Six in ten (59%) women prefer lip gloss to lotion (17%), fragrance (12%), foundation/concealer (9%) and mascara (6%).

* Fragrance is the number one item on which women would splurge their paycheck. An estimated 25% of women would use their paycheck to splurge on fragrance. One in ten women says that if they could use their paycheck to splurge on one beauty product, they would choose foundation/concealer (12%) or lotion (10%).

While the new survey explored women’s passion for their favorite products, it also evaluated the influence of others in making a purchasing decision. According to the survey, over half of women (52%) reported that beauty consultants / salespersons were an important influence in helping them to make knowledgeable decisions about their beauty product purchases.