By the time a woman is 30 years old, she has paid $40K more for the same basic personal care items and services than a man. That is about $1,351* per year. This extra amount of money women pay for everyday products and services is known as the “Pink Tax.”
On Wednesday, October 17th, Sherry Baker, President of Marketing and Product Development of European Wax Center, explained to guests at an #AxThePinkTax™ breakfast and discussion held at The Fashion Institute of Technology, that 2018 was a momentous year for European Wax Center with the launch of its #AxThePinkTax™ campaign, which was created to raise awareness and education about this issue and in turn, ignite change to help level the playing field for women.
Claire Clarke
In attendance at the breakfast, were Ladies Get Paid Founder Claire Wasserman, Chairwoman & Co-Founder of Batallure Beauty Robin Burns-McNeill, Co-Founder of Ash & Ames Jewelry Amy Nobile, Founder & CEO of Covey Club Lesley Jane Seymour, Andrea Greeven Douzet of Empire Global Ventures, Founder of SohoMuse Consuelo Vanderbilt Costin and Blair Voltz Clarke of Voltz Clarke Gallery, among others.
Sherry Baker said of the morning, “As a female-centric brand we want to give a voice to issues that matter to women. We were delighted to engage with such an enthusiastic group of empowered women who are equally passionate about leveling the play field.”
Following the breakfast and the Pink Tax discussion, Dr. Valerie Steele, Director and Chief Curator of The Museum at FIT, hosted guests on a private tour of the new FIT exhibition PINK: The History of a Punk, Pretty Powerful Color.
A 2015 study by the NYC Department of Consumer Affairs compared nearly 800 products from more than 90 brands and found a striking price difference in items marketed to women; on average, products for females cost 7% more. The study also cites that women pay more for everyday essentials, such as body wash and conditioner, adding up to a whopping $1,351 per year (according to a 1994 study). *Adjusted for inflation (from 1994 to 2018), that amounts to $2,248.65 in 2018, or roughly $182,140 in a women’s lifetime, if that average remained the same over 50 years.
In addition to offering scholarships at FIT, European Wax Center supports other organizations to empower women with unapologetic confidence. The brand partners with Girls in Tech for various programs that help teach women entrepreneurial and tech skills and also sponsors scholarships through Beauty Changes Lives to provide viable career options for many within the beauty industry.