Beauty blunders

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Beauty products and gadgets caused an average of £153 worth of damage in UK households last year as more Brits turned to ‘DIY at-home’ treatments to cost save.

According to research by Sheilas' Wheels home insurance[2], the credit crunch has caused nearly a third (32 per cent) of Brits polled to increase the amount of time and money they spend on personal grooming or beauty treatments at home, rather than splashing out at professional salons or beauticians.  In fact, one in five (22 per cent) of those questioned spend over three hours a week pampering themselves at home - so it's no surprise that furniture and furnishings are getting tarnished in the 'DIY' process.

Almost three in ten (28 per cent) Brits surveyed admitted that their home or home furnishings have been damaged through a blunder with a beauty gadget or product.  Carpets appear to be the biggest victim of damage with a whopping 85 per cent of Brits, who have experienced beauty-related damages in the home, admitting to having their carpet spoiled by curling tongs, 73 per cent by hair dye and 72 per cent with nail varnish.  Over half (53 per cent) of those polled have had beds or bed linen ruined by fake tan.

Heated beauty gadgets pose the highest risk to homes and their contents - yet worryingly over two fifths (43 per cent) of UK homeowners have admitted to forgetting to turn off heated appliances after they had finished with them.  This mistake has caused nearly a third (31 per cent) of careless homeowners to be faced with ‘burn’ damage.

Sheilas' Wheels top ten beauty 'dangers':

  1. Nail varnish
  2. Hair dye
  3. Hair straighteners
  4. Mascara
  5. Foundation
  6. Fake tan
  7. Lipstick
  8. Hair dryer
  9. Curling tongs
  10. Perfume

Watch out for dishonest house guests too.  A fifth (20 per cent) of Brits surveyed admitted to causing damage with a beauty gadget or product in someone else's home and not owning up to it or even trying to cover it up. 

Jacky Brown at Sheilas' Wheels home insurance, commented: "To save the pennies, more of us are now using beauty gadgets, products and treatments at home rather than paying a professional.  But any DIY pampering sessions come with their risks.

Dyes, lotions and cosmetics can stain and many hair styling gadgets can reach extremely high temperatures and may cause considerable damage if left on accidentally.  That’s why having accidental damage cover added onto your home insurance can be invaluable - as beauty blunders become more commonplace."

Regional Differences
Households in the North East and North West of the country caused on average £172 worth of beauty damage last year.
Almost half (48 per cent) of Scots surveyed have had damage done to their home caused by nail varnish and over a quarter (27 per cent) with fake tan.  64 per cent said it did, or would have, cost up to £500 to repair or replace what was damaged.

The average cost of beauty damage to Welsh households in the last year was £167.

A fifth (21 per cent) of Londoners polled have tried to hide a beauty spillage in their home and actually made it worse, with almost one in ten (9 per cent) having caused damage in someone else’s home using a beauty gadget or product, and not owned up to it.

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Sheilas' Wheels press contacts:
Emma Lloyd, Assistant Communications Officer: 01737 641309
Asia Manzoor, Public Relations Officer: 01737 641305
Niki Bolton, Corporate Communications Manager: 01737 235070
Adrian Webb, Head of Corporate Communications: 01737 641000

Email: pr@sheilaswheels.com
Visit the official fansite for Sheilas’ Wheels: www.ilovesheilas.com
An ISDN line is available for radio interviews.

Notes to Editors:

  1. Total number of households in England and Wales is 21,660,475 - Office for National Statistics, Key Statistics KS18 Tenure, 2001 Census. 21,660,475 x 28 per cent (number of homeowners polled who have damaged their home with a beauty gadget or product) = 6,064,933. Average cost of damage in the last year = £153 x 6,064,933 = £927,934,749.
  2. Sheilas' Wheels used the independent online research company Opinium who surveyed 2,016 adults, from across the country aged 18 plus between Tuesday 7th April - Thursday 9th April 2009.

About Sheilas' Wheels:
Sheilas' Wheels was launched in October 2005 to offer women drivers cheaper car insurance and female targeted product enhancements. In February 2008, the brand moved beyond car insurance to also offer home insurance with product enhancements including alternative accommodation (buildings and contents cover) in the event of loss of utilities in the home (terms and conditions apply), new for old cover on clothes (contents cover) and family legal protection cover which also includes assistance in finding emergency registered childminders while the insured person is attending jury service, and legal representation for a customer’s child if they do not gain entry to the school of their choice (terms and conditions apply).

Sponsorship:
Sheilas' Wheels sponsors the ITV National and Channel 4 Weather bulletins: "The weather you can never choose, but Sheilas' Wheels is all good news!"