Mirror, mirror on the wall, who spends the most time grooming of them all? Well, The Italians, according to data from market research company GFK, who consider any of the following grooming: bathing, shaving, dressing, hair and makeup.
Well, what did you expect? Home of the deep-deep tan, la figura bella, Sophia Loren, and more dimly lit hairdressers than bars on every high street, Italy of course ranked highest. The findings, which come from a survey of 22 countries and 27,000 people, show that women spend an average of almost five hours per week on personal grooming, while men spend just over three hours. However, Italia ranked not only first, but also sneaked in as the number one for the least disparity in hours spent on sprucing oneself between the two sexes.
The UK came in at number 10, with men spending an average of 3.7 hours per week on personal grooming, and women 5.4 hours. The study also showed that the top three motivations behind people wanting to improve their physical appearance are as follows:
• To feel good about themselves.
•To make a good impression on people they meet for the first time.
• To set a good example for their children. However, the research also suggests that these priorities change with age.
•To make a good impression on people they meet for the first time.
• To set a good example for their children. However, the research also suggests that these priorities change with age.