French President Emmanuel Macron paid around $30,695 on makeup in his first three months leading France, the Associated Press reports.
The cost includes the salary of Macron’s personal stylist, who does his makeup and hair for television appearances, speeches, and travels with him overseas, according to the AP.
Macron wrote two checks to a stylist since becoming president in May, one for $11,875 and another one for $19,001, French newspaper Le Point revealedThursday.
Macron’s office said it’s difficult to find cheaper alternatives, but promised to keep the cosmetics expenditures low. A spokesperson for Macron’s administration said the stylist has to “get up early and fix the president’s hair every morning … and as many times during the day as necessary.”
For comparison, the average salary in France $3,511 a month, or $42,139 annually. Macron’s makeup bill is actually lower than his predecessor’s. Former French President Francois Hollande payed $35,627 for makeup on top of a $11,751 monthly salary, leading critics to decry what they called “shampoo socialism.”
Macron’s approval rating plummeted to 37 percent earlier this week, down from 57 percent at the start of his presidency, according to French polls.
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