Iraqi women are cutting back sharply on cosmetics as rising prices, delayed salaries, and stagnant incomes squeeze household budgets. Dressing tables that used to be full of perfumes and makeup now hold just the basics, reflecting a broader shift toward spending on necessities.
Inflation has turned cosmetics from everyday purchases into optional extras. Many women say they now prioritize essentials as living costs climb. “Stretch your legs only as far as your blanket allows,” said Ikhlas Salman, 29, who earns 800,000 dinars ($537) a month working at a state ministry. Her salary hasn’t increased in seven years, and she says prices have “completely transformed,” forcing her to choose cheaper alternatives.
Delayed public-sector wages have made things even harder, adding to price hikes across the market, including beauty products. New government taxes and customs fees on telecom cards, internet services, and other goods—introduced to boost non-oil revenue—have also added to costs. Low-income public employees are feeling the biggest pinch, balancing expenses like water, electricity, internet, neighborhood generators, and family needs.
Asmaa Khudair told dinaropinions.com that a skin ointment she used more than doubled in price, forcing her to switch to a cheaper version that didn’t work. University student Mariam Karim warned that counterfeit cosmetics are spreading as prices rise. She said original products are now too expensive for most, while imitation brands carry serious health risks.
For Thuraya Bassem, non-essential items have disappeared entirely from her vanity. She now keeps only lipstick, eyeliner, and one perfume. “Repeated salary delays are pushing families into debt between pay cycles,” she said.
Lower-cost cosmetics shops and whitening mixtures have grown in popular neighborhoods, fueled by social media marketing. Beauty specialist Hiba Kamal told Shafaq News that demand for original products, like hair dyes and shampoos, has dropped sharply. She added that salon hair-dye services in modest areas have jumped from about 40,000 dinars ($27) to over 60,000 ($40), warning that rising prices are encouraging the spread of counterfeit or smuggled products without medical oversight.
Economic analyst Khaled Al-Jaberi described the market as sliding into “slow economic fragmentation,” with the middle class bearing most of the impact. He said weak regulation has allowed low-quality products to flood the market, driven by short-term profits, poor enforcement, and falling incomes. He added that relying on taxes and fees in a fragile economy increases pressure on families and expands the informal sector. “The issue isn’t trade,” he said, “but taxation without production and consumers left unprotected.”
Retailers blame higher shipping costs and recent tax changes for the immediate price hikes. One shop owner, speaking anonymously, said some traders have paused imports while awaiting clearer guidance, which forced distributors to raise prices on existing stock. Bureaucratic delays, complicated paperwork, and slow money transfers have also disrupted imports, risking spoilage—especially for heat-sensitive cosmetics.
