28 Infuriating Examples Of The Pink Tax That Prove You Should Always Check Out The Men's Section First
The pink tax — we've all heard of it. Basically, women's products tend to be more expensive than men's products, even when the only difference is that they're "for women" — usually, that they're pink.
While this inequality might be easy to spot if you see two items side-by-side, most of the time we don't even realize that we're paying more, or that we could actually get a better, cheaper, or bigger version with the "men's" product. So when Reddit user Hopeless_Romantix06 asked r/AskWomen, "What's a men's version of a product that works as well as a women's just cheaper?" the answers were a treasure trove of information on what you should actually go to the men's section for.
Here are 28 things that are honestly just better if you buy the version "for men."
1."Men’s razors are cheaper and better."
Also, pro tip if you don't like the handle and find the women's versions smaller and more flexible: "A lot of brands are interchangeable so you can attach a men's blade to a women's handle."
2.And similarly..."For me, the electric trimmers. I bought a woman's specific one from target over 40 dollars and yes it was pretty, but it was awful and didn't work. Then I went to Ross and got a man's trimmer and [to] top it off I looked for the crusted reduced price one for 10 bucks."
"Vagina goals. Trimmed low AF."
3."Pants. I buy pants from the mens or even boys section and they're made so much better than women's."
"Men's sweats are amazing. ... And always cheaper. WalMart young men's section is top tier. So many outfits that can go masc or femme and super affordable for these wild times."
"Sweat pants. In the men’s section these are sold as reliably warm, loose fitting garments with pockets. In the women’s section who knows what motivates the seller to label a garment as 'sweat pants'; it’s a free for all out there."
"I’ve bought women’s sweatsuits that were about $100 for the set on sale and the waistband struggles to go around my butt and yet I look like I have no butt. Bought a men’s sweatsuit from WalMart for $25 for the set and I look like I have the ass of a freaking pro soccer player."
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4."Particularly jeans. The denim in men’s jeans tends to be sturdier than women’s."
"And the men’s jeans have real pockets! Women’s pants rarely have real pockets; it’s all for show not function which infuriates me. Good thing I can still fit into 14-year-old boy's pants!"
5."Belts. Larger sizing always available, and they're sturdy so long living, and cheaper."
"Men’s belts are leather and women’s belts are fake leather."
6."Work clothes. I work in the blue collar world and made the mistake of buying rain gear targeted at women — got soaked in one day, definitely not intended for doing actual work in wild rain/mud. Bought one my dad recommended from the men’s section and it’s held up significantly better. Actually keeps me dry and also was about $90 bucks cheaper."
"Work pants. If it weren't for the fit issue I'd wear men's work pants all the time — a good woman's pair are over 100$. You can get men's work pants at Costco for $30."
7.And in particular, work or gardening gloves.
Suggested by u/MercurysNova
"I used to help my dad harvest grapes when I was a kid and I got some cute pink gloves. I couldn't understand at the end of the day why my hands were purple from the grapes and hurting a lot and my cousin was fine until I used his gloves one day and my world changed — they are [made of] way better materials (they were literally the same brand and bought at the same store)."
"I do a lot of heavy work, and these are the differences [between men and women's gloves]:
Material thickness (for example, if you go leather, the leather in women's gloves is thinner and more easily penetrated).
Knuckle and fingertip protection (usually entirely absent in women's sizes).
Seam strength and quality of stitching — women's ones seem to be more likely to be glued.
Length of wrist protection.
That's assuming the same types are available in women's sizes, but that's not often the case in my experience. To be honest, my more common experience is just finding I don't have any options at all unless I want gardening gloves. You'll see a ton of gardening gloves in women's sizes that are literally just cotton gloves dipped in latex, right next to the men's ones at least being heavy weave material.Welcome to tetanusville!"
8."Hiking pants. Huge pockets and high waist. Wore my husbands and felt like I wasn’t going to moon the trail. No reason for low rise hiking pants with zero pockets!"
9."Workout shorts. Women's seem to mostly be very short or very tight with no pockets for some reason, while men are out there having the most comfortable shorts. Seriously, try it!"
10."Rogaine. Minoxidil, the active ingredient, is the same in women's and men’s rogaine, but they charge significantly more for the women’s version. It’s the exact same thing as the men’s."
"Look at the percentage and it's exactly the same. The difference is that men can use it twice a day, but women use it once a day."
11."Hair pomade. Hair products in general, but the cheapest female pomade is thrice the price."
12."Deodorant, and why are their sticks bigger too?! Since I started using men's deodorant I've only had to buy two sticks in like the last year."
"SERIOUSLY! ME TOO! They cost less, are more effective, and you get WAY more product than women's deodorant. I was like, 'holy shit, I have been wasting money on shit products when men's stuff was RIGHT HERE the whole time!'
The brand I use is more effective than any women's antiperspirant/deodorant I've tried over the years. I sweat less and I never smell bad. And the scent I have is subtle and not overpowering, so I can still wear perfume and not smell weird (according to my friends). Never going back!"
"Old Spice 'Wolfthorn' deodorant smells AMAZING. I've got several of my friends using it now haha."
13."MEN'S SHAVING CREAM. You can find a container twice the size for half the price."
14."I’ve also noticed that men’s fragrance tends to last longer than women’s."
"Perfume vs. cologne. Guys can put on 2-3 sprays max, and they smell fresh all day. Meanwhile, I am about to put on about twice that amount, and I still doubt my perfume would last all day."
15."Soap. I do not mind smelling like an evergreen tree, ditto for the aforementioned deodorant. It’s quite nice. Men don’t own coniferous trees."
"Personally shower gel. Most also double as back-up shampoo if desperate. I also just prefer the smell of mint or eucalyptus or whatever over flowers or strawberry."
16.And really just all "body care" items: "I like most men's body care items better. I tend to like bergamot, eucalyptus, cedar, amber, and the like for fragrances. Men's products tend to be larger in size for the money and the fragrances are stronger and last longer. Old Spice deodorant is elite and lasts forever."
"I found the same about men body care products. I always get deodorant and shower gel from men’s side because it just seems to smell nicer, last longer and the shower gel actually foams properly."
17."Even sunscreen from some brands. Most sunscreen breaks me out or just looks greasy on my already greasy skin. The Natio men's is perfect. I just pat dry once 20 mins after applying, and it stays perfect the rest of the day."
18."Underwear."
"Boxers are amazing. I like to shop in the little boys section. (Less baggy crotch area.)"
"I love boxer briefs. They're especially good for under skirts and dresses."
"I've been wearing them for a decade. No thigh rub, lots of breathable and cooling fabric options. Plus, the 'pouch' is a good spot to put your phone when carrying a glass of wine and your dinner plate from the kitchen to the couch."
19."Swim bottoms — I’m specifically thinking of speedo bottoms. As a water polo player we play a lot in bikinis made for sports like Jolyn, but a pair of jolyn bottoms go for $50 at a low, and typically cost much more. Mens speedos often have more design choices and fit the same (no weird sag or anything in the front) and cost half the price."
"Also board shorts. ... Got a sunburn on the tops of my thighs in Hawaii, wore my husbands extra shorts to the beach they were awesome! Bonus: don’t have to shave above the knee!"
20."Shoes, sneakers and trainers specifically. Just figure out your size in men’s (or even boys’) and you’ll always save at least $20. Basics as well like t shirts, hoodies, and zip ups. Cheaper, better fit, and better quality."
"I always check the boys sneaker section first, lol. I bought a pair of Nikes for $35 in boys. Went to check in the women’s section…$120. What a ripoff."
"Especially if you have wide feet!! Women's shoes are so freaking narrow!"
"Especially sport gear. I got little boy cleats for $40 instead of spending $120 on women’s cleats. Plus they’re wider for those of us with wide feet!"
21."Coats are also a great place to shop the boys section. I remember when peacoats were THE things. I went to Old Navy and the women's coats were $80 to $120, I got one from the boy's section for $35. The cut was boxier, but I liked it, and it had real pockets."
"My husband and I went to a North Face store looking for coats and each found the exact same style. His was men's and mine was women's. Mine was also $250 more expensive than his. We left and got Colombia coats that were the same style and price."
"The only trade off I've found is that the men's options have a shorter range of colors and longer sleeves than I need. But I can find a $25 winter coat that would cost three times as much from the women's section that is sturdy, warm and durable."
22.This goes for sweaters, too.
"I buy men's over sized woolen sweaters and wear them as fall jackets all the time because:
a) They are roomy and can fit a glorious scarf.
b) Men's sweaters come in beautiful shades of blues, greens, and umbers.
c) They last for years and years and years-whereas a woman's sweater from the same manufacturer will last one season if you're lucky.
d) They're warm.
e) Women's sweaters just don't fit right or you wash them once and they shrink...
f) Most importantly, they're cheaper. A woman's sweater — same manufacturer — twice the price."
23.And..."Hoodies. The ones my wife gets from the ladies section are always thin AF. They might as well be tank tops. I got her one from the men’s section 10 years ago — it was thicker and lined with that fake fleece blanket material. She loves and still has it to this day."
"This is on the list of reasons why girls wear their boyfriend's hoodies."
"Men's hoodies and sweaters are always thicker, warmer, and comfier. They also usually have inner pockets which is so helpful for actually holding onto stuff. I will never wear a women's hoodie again."
"My sister and I both passed some zip-up hoodies at kohls and thought they looked nice. Realized they're men's, tried them on anyway. Good luck getting it off me, I love that thing. It's so comfortable."
24."Graphic tees. The women's ones always are thin and clingy and fall apart after two washes and have really specific designs. Men's section has just random ones that are thicker, softer, and fit better. The designs are also less 'trendy' and are classic. Like a standard Blink 182 logo."
25.And t-shirts in general — "I bought a boys size 8XL on sale for like $6 and it normally was $19 or something like that, and it was the exact same size, fit, material and look as the women's size xs that on sale was $19 or more, and normally like close to $40."
"I live in Goodwill's men’s section. I’ve found like a billion cute simply southern T shirts and a wild amount of comfort color shirts (it’s like the best freaking tshirt brand ever if you’ve never had the joy of owning one)."
26."Anything you can look up under 'men’s tools.' Notice how if you look up 'women’s tools' it’s pepper spray, knives, eg stuff to keep women safe from men. If you look up 'men’s tools' it’s products to aid in daily life and/or repairs."
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27."I’m a 50 year old women and I buy dressing gowns in the teenage boy dept. Way cheaper, warmer and cooler (there’s some neat Jedi ones floating around)."
"And men's pajama pants are better too! Always have pockets and legs tend to be longer. Women's pajamas pants are always too short on me."
