the buzz log

In a recession, people turn to comfort foods and longer skirts…but not make-up? Like journalists and electronic retail employees, the Avon Lady at first looks to become another endangered species in budget-conscious times.

The cosmetics company that relies on the face-to-unmade-face approach posted news that its quarterly profits have dropped by more than a third. That downer pales in comparison to  Estee Lauder's Monday report of a 70% decline in quarterly profits.

On the, er, face of it, that sounds like bad news. But, like in so many desperate situations, standards are lower in a bad economy. For one thing, Estee Lauder actually beat analyst expectations, and its announcement actually helped shares rise on all cosmetic companies.

For its part, Avon long understod the need for a make-over, and has been retooling its products to be more affordable. Even better, the company wants more ladies to go door to door, giving the ranks of the unemployed a sporting chance to make the world a prettier place. Or at least tone down those shiny spots.