America’s female shoppers just aren’t as interested as they used to be in most of the stuff available in malls: spending on almost everything is down. There’s one area of retail that’s growing that you might not have expected, though: sales of high-end cosmetics are climbing, which include makeup and skin care. Why is that? Blame YouTube.

Specifically, YouTube beauty tutorials, which show amateurs who might not trust the advice of a commission-based salesperson how to apply certain products and create new looks.

Sure, online beauty personalities receive freebies or might be on makeup company payrolls too, but you can watch hours of videos without feeling directly pressured to buy anything.

A bigger focus on environmental chemicals and additives as a society is also turning some customers away from cheap makeup. “People are becoming more aware that what they put on their skin seeps into their skin,” one industry analyst told the Washington Post. “There’s definitely been a rise in demand for natural products.”

While Americans are spending more of our clothing budgets in outlet and off-price clothing stores, even more trends are dragging us in to stores to spend more on beauty and skin care. Major trends of the last few years like contouring, thick and dark eyebrows, and skincare routines imported from Korea are also drawing women to try new products.

Women are scrimping on clothes, but splurging on this [Washington Post]

Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.