Even though women over 50 are more likely to buy lipstick, research from Roy Morgan has found the make-up item is marketed “almost exclusively” to the younger demographic.

Mature women used to be the big buyers of shades, however in recent years the depletion of marketing to this demographic has coincided with a slip in purchases.

Direct selling company Avon has been hit the hardest, said Andrew Price, general manager of consumer products at Roy Morgan.

“One could say that by focusing on the youth market, lipstick brands are doing the necessary groundwork to establish a lifelong relationship with these customers – and indeed lipstick sales among young women under 25 have risen dramatically since 2011,” he said.

“Yet our data shows that young lipstick-buyers are much more likely than those aged 50+ to be swayed by advertising and recommendations by others (make-up artists or friends/family).

“But why would women aged 50+ be influenced by advertising when choosing which lipstick to buy? With Dolce & Gabbana’s Sophia Loren campaign being the obvious exception, older women might as well not exist in the lipstick universe.