Brits are spending like the recession never ended. But while the purse strings have tightened when it comes to necessities like groceries, products that promise aesthetic perfection are enjoying huge growth. Why do skint 20-somethings feel the need to look good when times are hard?

Lightening lotions and potions account for 16% of the $80 billion Asian cosmetics industry. Nivea has launched a deodorant that keeps you fresh, while whitening and tightening underarms. But does this product address a real need? Or create a new complex for beauty-conscious women?

A common perception in China is that good looks get good jobs. Homegrown cosmetic surgeons have got a bad rep, and in 2014, 200,000 Chinese medical tourists travelled to South Korea in search of physical perfection. Can Yuemei prove it’s a trusted online marketplace for cosmetic ops in China, and will it give the industry a much needed reputational face-lift?

US cosmetic surgery chain Lifestyle Lift shut down earlier this month. The 14-year-old company had grown to control a major share of the facelift market, with 50 nationwide chains. So why is it on the brink of bankruptcy, and will other facelift chains meet a similar fate?