Hmmmm....

So today I was studying my craft, as I love to do, and came across an article titled Which U.S City is the Vainest by Sarah at Total Beauty. I would really like to share this information with my readers.

No. 10: Louisville, Ky.

There's definitely more to Louisville than the Kentucky Derby and mint juleps. The city is home to approximately four plastic surgeons per 100,000 citizens (in a town of more than 700,000), and spending on hair, makeup and skin care products and services tops $5.5 million, according to Information Resources, Inc., a Chicago-based company that tracks and analyzes consumer spending trends.

No. 9: Minneapolis, Minn.

When it's frostbite weather outside just about 85 percent of the year, it's no wonder these Minnesotans spend a lot of time and dough their looks. That kind of cold wreaks havoc on hair, skin and nails. At last count (in 2002, the latest Census data available), there were 1343 "personal care" businesses in the City of Lakes, more than a thousand of which were hair salons.

No. 8: Charleston, W.Va.

No, it's not a typo. We're basing this entry on one staggering fact alone: the city has more indoor tanning salons per person than any other city in the country -- about 33.7 per 100,000 people, according to a study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. That's more than New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego and Miami combined. And it's not like we're talking about a place like Anchorage, Alaska, where you get only a few hours of sunlight every day in the winter. They've clearly missed the memo about UV rays making your skin look like carry-on luggage.

7. San Diego, Calif.

You'd think the natural beauty and year-round splendor of sunny, southern California would keep the population looking good, but they spend a fortune on their faces (and on hair and skin). There are 5.2 plastic surgeons per 100,000 people, and San Diegans spend more than $3 million annually on hair coloring alone. They spend at least $900,000 on cosmetics, but thanks to potentially brutal sun exposure, a whopping $6.2 million on skin care.

6. Dallas, Texas

As the saying goes, everything is bigger (but not necessarily better) in Texas, and that includes dollars and businesses devoted to making people pretty. There were more than 1,500 salons (hair and nail) in 2002 (the most recent data available from the Census), and we're guessing those numbers have dramatically increased, as the population has.

5. Los Angeles

Of course you thought Silicone City would top the list of cities obsessed with looks -- and it does in some categories. There are 4.1 plastic surgeons per 100,000 people, and Angelenos spend nearly $50 million a year on cosmetics, hair products and skin care. California has more hair restoration surgeons than any other state, and we're betting they're heavily concentrated here. Number of personal care businesses? More than 3,700 -- second only to New York City.

4. Salt Lake City, Utah

Shocking but true: the home city of the Mormon church boasts more plastic surgeons than any other city in the U.S.: for every 100,000 people, there are six plastic surgeons. Compared to other cities, Salt Lake has fewer businesses devoted to the art of beautifying (344 by Census count) but the citizens spent only slightly less on services each year: $2.2 million on hair coloring, $2.5 million on cosmetics, and nearly $4.5 million on skincare.

3. San Francisco, CA

Despite the city's au natural patchouli-hippie history, San Francisco ranks third in vanity industries and spending. Citizens blow about $11 million a year on skincare, $5.2 million on hair products and $1.3 million on makeup, and there are 5.4 plastic surgeons per 100,000 people

2. Miami, Fla.

Miamians aren't the healthiest specimens according to Census statistics on smoking, drinking and exercise, but what they lack in natural assets they more than make up for in beauty products and services like manis and pedis, facials, hair treatments, makeup and plastic surgery. There are 5.2 board certified plastic surgeons for every 100,000 people (in a city of nearly 425,000). And the bare-it-all citizens spend more than $23 million annually on cosmetics, skin care and hair products.

1. New York City

Sure, there are only 4.1 plastic surgeons per 100,000 people in the New York City region (compared to Salt Lake City's six), but the Big Apple outspends every other city in nearly every category -- more than $21 million on hair coloring, $32.5 million on skin care, $5.5 million on makeup and nearly $530,000 on hair growth products. According to the Census Bureau, there were more than ten thousand personal care businesses (think: hair and nail salons, day spas) in 2002 (the most recent year available) -- nearly three times the number in any other city. The state of New York also has the second highest number of hair restoration surgeons, and chances are they're centralized around The City.

Now that you have read that... am I the only person who is shocked that Las Vegas is not on there? We live in a city of night clubs, strip clubs, gambling, sun bathing, and we are not in the top ten most vain cities? I mean, I guess I am kind of happy about this, but very surprised to say the least. I once met a lady who lived here in Vegas and had an amazing job as an executive. She was a little older and had a few children, and her body had really taken a turn for the worst. She took out a loan to have some plastic surgery done and after it was done, she took a second job to pay off the loan more quickly. Her second job was an exotic dancer. I guess this puts my question, what came first the stripper or the boob job, to rest. On a positive note, she probably didn't have to pay much interest on that investment.

Just a little info I thought I would share with you guys!

xoxox
Allyson Stagg
CEO of The Las Vegas Style Sirens
www.LVStyleSirens.com
LVStyleSirens@yahoo.com