Battle of the sexes: Are female products really MORE EXPENSIVE than male products?
The ‘pink tax’ debate is not new, with many concluding that ladies do indeed pay 13% more for personal care products, which is an even bigger issue to know that women earn 79% of what men do.
I sought to find out if we are subject to the said price differences here in Singapore, given that we have a myriad of discounter beauty stores that hold insane sales and slashed prices.
TL;DR: There is NO apparent price disparity for male and female products if you shop at the right stores in Singapore!
| Item | Girls' Price (SGD) | Guys' Price (SGD) | Comparison |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deodorant - Nivea | $2.50 | $2.50 | SAME PRICE |
| Face Wash - Neutrogena | $6.95 | $6.95 | SAME PRICE |
| Blackhead Pore Pack - Biore | $4.50 | $4.89 | Guys' more expensive |
| Oil Sheet Wipes - Clean & Clear, Gatsby | $3.20 | $2.50 | Girls' more expensive |
| Hair Dye - Revlon | $10.90 | $10.90 | SAME PRICE |
*Prices here are referenced from neighbourhood CK Department Store, now rebranded as myCK, which has 20 stores islandwide.
We’ve found that big-chain drugstores like Watsons and Guardian do not have competitive prices/generous discounts like neighbourhood stores do.
1. Face Wash
What the product claims to do-
Improved formula with PureRice(TM) technology effectively:
- Removes dirt and excess oil that clogs pores
- Helps prevent blemishes
- Acts as a microsponge to continue absorbing excess pol for fresh and breathable skin
Ingredients:
| Ingredients | Neutrogena Men | Neutrogena deep clean energizing foaming cleanser | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Glycerin | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Propylene Glycol | ✓ | ✓ | |
| PEG-8 | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Myristic Acid | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Stearic Acid | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Potassium Hydroxide | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Lauric Acid | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Beeswax | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Glyceryl Stearate | ✓ | ✓ | |
| PEG-100 Stearate | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Menthyl Lactate | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Fragrance | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Methylisothiazolinone | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Palmitic Acid | ✓ | ||
| Oryza Sativa (Rice) Seed Protein | ✓ | ||
| o-Cymen-5-ol | ✓ | ||
| Tetrasodium EDTA | ✓ | ||
| Methylparaben | ✓ | ||
| Isopulegol | ✓ | ||
| Magnesium Aspartate | ✓ | ||
| Zinc Gluconate | ✓ | ||
| Propylparaben | ✓ | ||
| Copper Gluconate | ✓ | ||
| Phenoxyethanol | ✓ | ||
| Cl77007 | ✓ | ||
| Cl42090 | ✓ | ||
| Cl17200 | ✓ | ||
| Total no. of ingredients | 17 | 25 |
I guess that means ladies would be paying the same amount as guys for 8-ingredients “jia liao” in their facewash!
2. Deodorants
Common drugstore brands like Rexona and Nivea have a flat price for deodorants.
3. Blackhead Pore Packs
4. Oil sheets
Would you pay more for oil sheets (paper), and are you brand-conscious?
5. Hair Dyes
As mentioned above, most big-chain stores like Watsons and Guardian do indeed have products which prove the point of the ‘pink tax’, with products like female facial wash costing 8% more than male facial wash from the same brand and series.
Other discounters/budget beauty product stores:
Daiso
Venus Beauty
Swanston Chinatown
Beauty Language
Hot Tomato
Pink Beauty
Remember to shop smarter!
Check out our blog for more unbiased opinions on your personal finance journey.
Like what you see? Follow us on Facebook and Telegram. Show us some love!
