Author: Victoria Vesovski

Whether you’re picking up your tried-and-true lipstick at the drugstore or just browsing for the perfect broad-spectrum SPF, you’ve probably crossed paths with L’Oréal.

The French beauty giant’s fingerprints are all over the makeup aisle — from budget buys to luxury staples. But what may have once been a harmless $10 splurge could soon make shoppers do a double take at the register.

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As part of President Trump’s ongoing trade war, the tariffs currently in place could have quite the impact on the beauty industry. On April 5th, most countries were hit with a baseline 10% tariff on goods entering the U.S., while imports from the European Union saw a 20% tariff — and Switzerland faces an even steeper 31%.

According to Cosmetics Design Europe, these kinds of trade moves could directly disrupt beauty brands that rely on global supply chains. L’Oréal, for example, still imports many of its most popular perfumes and skincare items from Europe — specifically France.

These shifting tariffs don’t just rattle companies like L’Oréal — they have the potential to shake up your beauty routine, too.

The tariff effect is more than just skin deep

L’Oréal is facing a tough call as tariffs loom over imported goods. Despite its sizable North American manufacturing footprint, many of the company’s bestsellers — like high-end skincare items and fancy fragrances — are still made in Europe. That puts the company squarely in the crosshairs of the 20% tariff on EU imports.

Nicolas Hieronimus, CEO of the French cosmetics brand, recently acknowledged that the U.S. market has proven to be tougher than L’Oréal expected heading into the year. Still, he told The Wall Street Journal that he expects the global beauty market to grow modestly around the lower end of the 4% to 4.5% range.

In 2024, L’Oréal reported solid, broad-based growth across its portfolio despite economic turbulence and shifting consumer habits. The company has a "multipolar model," which means L’Oréal isn’t overly reliant on any one market to keep business booming. Its stable of powerhouse brands — from budget favorites like CeraVe to luxury staples like Lancôme — allows the company to weather storms in one region while picking up momentum elsewhere.

Whether it’s your personal portfolio or a multinational brand, diversification is one of the ways to weather economic uncertainty. By spreading your assets — or your product offerings — across different sectors and regions, you’re not relying on a single stream of income to carry the load. That way, if one market takes a hit, the others can help balance the impact.

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American beauty on a budget

L’Oréal’s luxury fragrances — including YSL’s MYSLF and Valentino’s Born in Roma — helped the beauty company beat expectations in Europe during the first quarter of 2025. But across the Atlantic it’s a different story, as North American sales dropped 3.8% in Q1.

It’s not that Americans have stopped buying beauty products altogether — they’re just getting a lot more strategic about it. On the BeautyGuruChatter subreddit, shoppers echoed the same sentiment. In a thread reacting to a YouTube video about rising beauty prices, users shared how they’re coping: skipping salon visits to trim their own bangs, swapping professional manicures for DIY nail kits and dyeing their hair at home.

But not everyone in the U.S. is panicking. Thanks to an overflowing market — with brands at nearly every price point — beauty lovers can still find affordable options without sacrificing quality. The key is to shop smarter, not harder. Stick to a budget before heading to the drugstore or your local Ulta and look for multi-use products that stretch your dollar further.

To stay ahead of the price hikes, check the label before you buy, as U.S. made products might hold their value better in the months ahead. Buying in bundles or subscribing to auto-ship deals can also help lock in today’s prices before any tariff-driven spikes hit the shelves.

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This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.

Employment scams are nothing new — but they’re becoming more common, especially in the wake of mass layoffs from the Department of Government Efficiency.

With thousands of federal workers suddenly out of a job, scammers are seizing the opportunity. They often create fake job listings by mimicking legitimate employer websites, hoping to trick desperate job seekers into handing over sensitive personal and financial information.

According to the Federal Trade Commission, job and fake employment agency scams have nearly tripled since 2020. Americans lost $501 million to these schemes in 2024 — up from $90 million four years ago. The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center reports that victims of job scams lose nearly $3,000 on average.

If you’re currently job hunting, there are a few red flags worth knowing about — and avoiding them could save you serious money and a major headache.

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Keeping a look out

Job hunting has never been easy — between constantly updating your resume and rewriting cover letters, the process can already feel like a full-time job. But now, employment scams are adding another stressful layer to the search.

Even if you’re not actively hunting for a new job, sometimes a too-good-to-be-true offer lands right in your inbox. On the Job Scam Report podcast, Ashley Price-Horton, founder of CyberCareer Advancement, explained just how easy it is for scammers to zero in on vulnerable targets.

“It’s really easy to identify who was a federal employee who got laid off because they’ll usually put their end date and it’s very easy to target them for scams,” she said.

That’s exactly what happened to a Washington state woman, whose identity was kept anonymous by The Washington Post. While browsing LinkedIn, she was approached by someone claiming to be “Edward Mueller” from a nonprofit offering her a remote transcriptionist job.

“Your skills and experience align perfectly with the requirements of this role,” the email read. It even included the promise of a $250 training bonus.

But the woman was quick to feel suspicious when — before she could start — she’d need to purchase expensive equipment and provide her banking information for payroll.

“Something didn’t seem right to me with the correspondence and hiring process,” she told The Washington Post.

The offer seemed rushed. She couldn’t find Mueller’s profile online. That was the red flag.

Read more: Want an extra $1,300,000 when you retire? Dave Ramsey says this 7-step plan ‘works every single time’ to kill debt, get rich in America — and that ‘anyone’ can do it

Spot the scam

Scammers have gotten alarmingly good at making fake job offers look legit — but there are still ways to outsmart them before you accidentally hand over your personal details.

Start by verifying the job listing. Search for the company on your own and contact them directly using information from their official website — not the phone number or email the supposed recruiter sends you. If something feels off, it probably is.

Another golden rule is you should never have to pay to get a job. If you’re asked to buy equipment or deposit a check upfront, that’s a major red flag. A common scam involves sending you a check for more than the equipment costs, then asking you to return the difference — either via gift card or bank transfer. The check might clear at first, but once it bounces, you’re on the hook for the full amount.

The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center told The Washington Post that legitimate employers only ask for payroll information after you’re officially hired — never during the initial hiring process. If someone’s pushing for it early, it’s time to walk away.

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This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.

Martha’s Vineyard may be best known as a summer escape — coffee shops with handwritten menus, boutiques selling $80 sun hats, summer romances and lobster rolls treated like currency.

But for 23-year-old Tyla Packish, it’s not a vacation destination, it’s home. She lives year-round in Oak Bluffs, her hometown on Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts.

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While the tourists pack up after Labor Day, Packish sticks around to work remotely through the off-season, when even the ice cream shops go into hibernation.

“I think one of the biggest myths about Martha’s Vineyard is that every single person that lives here is super wealthy and owns a mansion,” she told CNBC Make It. “But really it’s a bunch of normal people with rich people that visit sometimes.”

But even though she makes about $85,000 a year, she admits: “I wouldn’t be able to live on Martha’s Vineyard with my salary.”

Here’s how she’s been making island life work after the summer buzz fades away.

A side hustle helps make ends meet in high-cost areas

Packish pulls in a combined income of around $85,000 thanks to her $67,000 full-time ad agency job and an $18,000-a-year side hustle managing and consulting on social media for local businesses, something she started doing in college.

She’s one of almost 40% of Americans with a side hustle, according to a LendingTree survey. Of those, 61% report that they had to get a side gig to make ends meet.

On top of her side hustle, Parkish has another big advantage that helps her stay afloat in the high-cost community.

The 23-year-old has been living with her parents and is currently living rent-free in an apartment her father owns during off-season in Martha’s Vineyard.

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For those who live in a high-priced area but don’t have that kind of support, finding a roommate or relocating to a more affordable area — even temporarily — could be a smart financial move.

Budgeting for the short-term and long-term

Packish isn’t lounging her rent-free lifestyle away. Instead of spending her extra cash on indulgences, she’s building a financial cushion.

“I figured, why not start early?” she says. “And then when there are years where I’m learning how to pay rent and budget and things like that, I don’t have to worry about my retirement or saving.”

In February 2025 alone, Packish contributed $1,583 to a Roth 401(k) and Roth IRA. Last year, she maxed out her IRA at $7,000 and tucked away more than $10,000 into a 401(k).

That’s on top of covering her everyday costs — about $705 a month on discretionary spending like travel, home goods and the occasional eye exam plus around $551 on groceries and dining out.

This summer, she’ll be using some of her financial cushion to advance her career. In August, Packish is planning to move across the country to Los Angeles for her job.

If you’re looking to get your finances in order like Packish, the first step is choosing a budgeting method that feels sustainable.

The 50/30/20 rule. This method may work for people who like some structure with a side of flexibility. You divide your income into three buckets: 50% for essentials, 30% for lifestyle spending and the 20% for savings and debt repayment.

Zero-based budgeting. This approach will appeal to people who want full control over their cash and can work a spreadsheet. In zero-based budgeting, every dollar you earn is assigned a job — whether to pay down bills, build savings or treat yourself to a night out.

As Packish spreads her wings and heads west, she’s doing it with more than just a suitcase — she’s bringing a plan. One that’s built for change, but grounded in stability.

“I could see myself maybe coming back here when I’m older, maybe to raise a family,” she says.

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This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.

It’s not every day a stranger insists on handing you a $20 bill you didn’t drop. But for Sarah — whose last name has been withheld, as reported by Fox LA — that’s exactly what happened on an ordinary Wednesday afternoon at a Ralphs grocery store in Van Nuys.

"He came much closer to me and was kind of pushing the $20 into my wallet," Sarah recalled. "I said, ‘No, I don’t think I did.’"

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At first, it could have been a strange but harmless mix-up. That is, until Sarah noticed the man was suddenly joined by a woman — both of them following her to her car, pressing the cash on her with unsettling persistence. What felt like an awkward moment quickly turned into a coordinated scam. When Sarah checked her wallet, her cash was intact, but her debit card was gone.

Within 30 minutes, the thieves had made multiple withdrawals from Sarah and her daughter, Jennifer’s bank account from a Chase branch.

Unfortunately, Sarah and Jennifer aren’t alone. Distraction scams have been popping up across the country. Here’s how to spot the red flags.

Be on the lookout

Distraction scams don’t come with flashing red lights, they come with kindness and confusion. These types of scams are built on flustering you just enough to make you vulnerable. This involves a stranger creating a diversion — like insisting you dropped a $20 bill — while an accomplice steals something like your wallet or debit card.

According to the Federal Trade Commission, Americans lost over $12.5 billion to fraud in 2024, a 25% increase from the year before. While that includes a mix of schemes, distraction scams are rising, especially in places we least expect it like grocery store lines.

"It’s a huge violation," Sarah said. "I feel like I’m looking over my shoulder everywhere I go. It’s just horrible."

Jennifer, Sarah’s daughter, filed a police report and shared the story online — and the responses came flooding in. Dozens of people chimed in with eerily similar experiences, revealing just how widespread the scam really is.

Read more: Want an extra $1,300,000 when you retire? Dave Ramsey says this 7-step plan ‘works every single time’ to kill debt, get rich in America — and that ‘anyone’ can do it

What you can do to protect yourself

For Jennifer, a teacher with a limited income, falling victim to a scam wasn’t just an inconvenience, it had immediate financial consequences. "My money is gone, and I had just gotten paid," she told Fox LA. As living expenses continue to rise, incidents like this can disrupt far more than a day’s routine.

And yet, that’s why scams like these are so effective, often appearing as benign interactions. “You need to understand the hallmarks of most scams: They contact you first, dangle some sort of bait in front of you and create a sense of urgency,” Jason Zirkle, training director at the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, told Nerd Wallet.

Remaining aware of your surroundings is key. Trusting your instincts, keeping personal belongings securely fastened and not hesitating to report suspicious behavior — whether to a store manager or law enforcement — can serve as your first line of defense.

And if you do find yourself in Sarah and Jennifer’s position, it’s important to take action. The first step is to contact your bank or card issuer immediately to freeze the account to prevent further transactions. Most banks offer 24/7 fraud hotlines and mobile app features to lock your card with just a tap. Next, file a fraud report with your financial institution so they can begin investigating the unauthorized charges. This also increases your chances of recovering any lost funds.

Be sure to file a police report as well, which not only helps authorities track patterns of criminal activity but may also be required by your bank for reimbursement.

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This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.

When St. Louis resident David Murray moved out of his apartment two months early, he thought he had done everything right — giving proper notice and settling his lease. Then came the shock: a $4,500 bill for two months’ rent plus penalties.

Murray was sure it had to be a mistake, but when his pristine 815 credit score dropped, he realized the situation was far more serious. His landlord had turned to a debt collector — not to harass or sue him, but to hit him where it hurt: his credit report.

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“I asked them to please take me to small-claims court, and they’ve never contacted me,” Murray told The Wall Street Journal.

Landlords are increasingly using credit reporting to collect unpaid rent. With credit scores influencing everything from loan approvals to housing applications, a single dispute can derail financial stability.

While credit agencies have tried to include on-time rental payments in scoring models, negative marks still appear with alarming speed — leaving many renters like Murray scrambling to repair the damage.

Calling to collect

Rental debt is now one of the top consumer complaints in debt collection, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Nationwide, renters owe an estimated $9 billion in back rent, with approximately 4.5 million households struggling to keep up with payments. While landlords have the right to collect unpaid rent, everyday renters like Murray — who followed the terms of his lease — often bear the brunt of aggressive debt-collection tactics.

Consumer advocates warn that landlords are using credit reports as a weapon, bypassing the legal system and leaving tenants with little recourse. In the past, rent disputes played out in small-claims court, where tenants could at least present their case.

Landlords, however, see it differently. With small-claims judgments for unpaid rent no longer appearing on credit reports as of 2017, they argue that reporting tenants to credit bureaus like Experian, Equifax and TransUnion is one of the few ways to enforce accountability.

Read more: Want an extra $1,300,000 when you retire? Dave Ramsey says this 7-step plan ‘works every single time’ to kill debt, get rich in America — and that ‘anyone’ can do it

How it impacts renters

A damaged credit score can have long-term consequences for renters. Many major lenders, such as Citi and Bank of America, maintain strict criteria for determining loan eligibility.

“The practical effect of having a poor credit score is that your access to mainstream funding is limited or nonexistent,” John Ulzheimer, formerly of Fair Isaac Corporation (FICO) and Equifax, told CNBC Select.

This doesn’t just make securing a loan more difficult — it also affects the interest rates borrowers receive. For instance, a borrower with a 620 credit score might face an interest rate of approximately 4.8% on a $355,328 home, resulting in annual interest payments of about $17,056.

Meanwhile, a buyer with a score between 760 and 850 could secure a much lower 3.2% rate, bringing their annual interest down to roughly $11,370. Over time, this difference could add up to tens of thousands of dollars in additional costs. ​​Bad credit can also impact auto and homeowners insurance rates, as most U.S. states permit insurers to use credit-based scoring when determining premiums.

Murray’s daughter also learned this the hard way. After a landlord dispute in 2019 tanked her credit score, she struggled to find another apartment until Murray stepped in to settle the debt. When he faced a similar issue in 2022, he fought back — but despite providing evidence, his dispute was rejected.

His credit score still sits in the low 700s. For renters like Murray and his daughter, even a single disagreement can trigger a financial chain reaction — one that is rarely easy to undo.

What to read next

• Don’t have the cash to pay Uncle Sam in 2025? You may already be eligible for a ‘streamlined’ handshake with the IRS — here’s how it works and how it can potentially save you thousands
• Here are 5 ‘must have’ items that Americans (almost) always overpay for — and very quickly regret. How many are hurting you?
• Robert Kiyosaki warns of a ‘Greater Depression’ coming to the US — with millions of Americans going poor. But he says these 2 ‘easy-money’ assets will bring in great wealth. How to get in now

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.

It’s the last thing maternal advocates want to hear, but Senior Advisor to the President Elon Musk — the father of 14 — has repeatedly warned that declining birth rates around the world threaten civilization.

Yet under Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), billions in funding for maternal health care, research and community support programs have been cut, leaving health providers scrambling and expectant mothers without critical care.

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Sevonna Brown, a Brooklyn-based maternal health advocate and founder of Sanctuary Medicine, had to stop her work almost overnight after DOGE froze more than $2 million in federal funding tied to her initiative.

Echoing Brown’s sentiment is Emilie Rodriguez, co-founder of The Bridge Directory. She underscored the perceived hypocrisy.

“We can’t claim to care about birthrates while defunding the very systems that make pregnancy, birth and parenting safe,” she told Forbes.

While critics say Musk’s policies are removing the safety net from under the very people who are growing the next generation, it can be a more costly initiative in the long run.

Cuts without care

On April 1, thousands of employees at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) were laid off as part of a policy targeting 10,000 agency-wide jobs. The cuts hit agencies like the FDA, CDC and NIH — the same institutions responsible for overseeing everything from prenatal research to postpartum support.

One former employee told Politico she had carpooled into the office that morning, only to find herself locked out.

“We got completely blindsided this morning,” the staffer told Politico. “People were already on the way to the office when they found out.”

The Trump administration defended the measures, describing them as necessary steps towards streamlining an inefficient bureaucracy. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. emphasized that the goal is to eliminate redundant programs, which the HHS is expected to save $1.8 billion annually.

However, the cuts are being felt nationwide, with studies on maternal health being abandoned. Columbia University’s NY-CHAMP Center of Excellence program planned to enroll 600 participants for 2025, but was only able to fund 21. That was only after they secured private funding due to government funds being frozen. It’s too soon — and the sample size is too small — to tell how much of an impact the loss of funding will have on CHAMP’s studies.

Kennedy has acknowledged the importance of women’s health funding, stating that programs like the Women’s Health Initiative are crucial. In a sea change, the HHS said it won’t slash funding for the Women’s Health Initiative.

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The billion-dollar question

As DOGE cuts funding for maternal care, advocates argue the case for women’s health isn’t just moral — it’s economic.

A study by Women’s Health Access Matters found that $300 million in research across three major diseases could generate $13 billion in economic returns. Experts say government-backed research often lays the foundation for private-sector breakthroughs. Right now, that foundation is cracking.

“Women’s health research is not being invested in at the level of the private sector, " said Lindsey Miltenberger, the chief advocacy officer at the Society for Women’s Health Research. “Making sure that is prioritized in the federal government is really important for creating that foundational research that can then be picked up by the private sector and commercialized.”

Dr. Uma Reddy, who led the now-underfunded NY-CHAMP study, said her team’s interventions likely saved the government money by helping women avoid serious and costly health crises.

“We can address this,” Reddy told Politico. “We can improve maternal health by preventing these mental health conditions, complications … and improve families and children’s lives, and it’s cost-effective.”

What to read next

• Don’t have the cash to pay Uncle Sam in 2025? You may already be eligible for a ‘streamlined’ handshake with the IRS — here’s how it works and how it can potentially save you thousands
• Here are 5 ‘must have’ items that Americans (almost) always overpay for — and very quickly regret. How many are hurting you?
• Robert Kiyosaki warns of a ‘Greater Depression’ coming to the US — with millions of Americans going poor. But he says these 2 ‘easy-money’ assets will bring in great wealth. How to get in now

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.

Self-care for many Gen Zs used to mean shellac nails, oat milk lattes and a colourist on speed dial. But with prices rising and paychecks stretched, beauty routines are starting to look a lot more practical.

Searches for “press-on nails” are up 10% since February, while “blonde to brunette hair” has surged 17%, according to Google as reported by The Wall Street Journal — a signal that more women are choosing budget-friendly beauty over high-maintenance habits.

For Aeryn Briscoe, a 25-year-old digital marketing specialist in Chicago, that meant cutting Amazon Prime, canceling Netflix and swapping bi-weekly salon manicures for DIY polish. “Things feel a lot tighter now,” Briscoe told the Wall Street Journal.

Briscoe lives independently and manages her finances without help from her parents — a reality that makes non-essential spending feel like a luxury. But for her and many others, self-care is evolving. It’s no longer about splurging, it’s about making thoughtful, strategic choices with their money.

What the shift in spending habits means

The Canadian Survey of Consumer Expectations from the first-quarter of 2025 shows that the escalating trade conflict with the U.S. is damaging consumer sentiment.

Research from The Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan and Abacus Data found that women have less than $5,000 in savings. And this is likely why the shift in spending is showing up in closets and vanities alike.

“Women are the lion’s share of the apparel business,” Marshal Cohen, Circana’s chief retail-industry adviser said. “So when he sees women driving a downturn in apparel, he says, “that signals to me that there is a pullback in discretionary spending.”

That doesn’t mean style is being sacrificed — it’s simply being reimagined. Miranda McClellan, for instance, told the Wall Street Journal she’s turning to DIY solutions to stretch her budget. Rather than spending on a new pair of Nike sweatpants, she revived her faded ones at home using black fabric dye. The upgrade was cost-effective, sustainable and still on-trend.

The new playbook

When you’re facing down a budget crunch, even the most routine expenses can suddenly feel negotiable or downright unnecessary.

For Briscoe, therapy sessions were one of those costs. At $200 a session, weekly appointments quickly became unsustainable. So, she got creative and a little techy, turning to ChatGPT for mental health support. While it’s no substitute for professional therapy, the chatbot’s free daily message limit offers her a space to reflect and decompress without the financial strain.

Others are finding their own hacks. Stephanie Umeh realized her rideshare habit was draining her wallet. That’s when she introduced her own rule: “No more sober Ubers.” Unless safety or a time crunch demands otherwise, the subway’s her go-to. She’s also ditched pricey meal delivery apps.

According to Deliverect Canada, 54% of Canadians used Uber Eats in 2024, and 49% turned to DoorDash.

That many food delivery orders is not just a few lattes — that’s a vacation, a student loan payment or even a decent emergency fund.

If you’re looking to cut back, try setting your own cost rule. Choose a category — like takeout, beauty or ride shares — and ask: Is this essential, or can I replace it with something cheaper or less frequent? You don’t need to change your whole lifestyle, just find one habit to tweak and continue the momentum from there.

Sources

1. The Wall Street Journal: Young Women Are Starting to Recession-Proof Their Lives (April 12, 2025)

2. Bank of Canada: Canadian Survey of Consumer Expectations—First Quarter of 2025 (April 7, 2025)

3. Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan: New research from HOOPP and Abacus Data finds half of Canadian women have less than $5,000 in savings; most Canadians feel unprepared for retirement (June 20, 2024)

4. Deliverect Canada: The State of the Food Delivery Industry in Canada in 2025

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.