The Psychological Reason Some of Your Favourite Beauty Brands Are Named After Days of the Week

Monday Haircare, Monday Born, Sunday Riley, Sunday 2 Sunday, Saturday Skin, Summer Fridays — there are more than a handful of beauty brands named after the days of the week, and most of them have popped up in just the last few years. While we put a lot of thought into our location in the week — routinely using phrases like "Sunday Scaries," "Sunday Funday," "Monday Blues," and "Happy Hump Day" — the idea of naming a brand that sells makeup, hair, or skin-care products after that fact feels a bit more random. But is it?

The answer, according to psychologists, all comes back to relatability. Sunday is perhaps the most polarising day of the week. For some, it elicits feelings of anxiousness over the inevitable return of the workweek. For others, it's a much-needed day of pampering and laziness to reset and recharge.

"For a brand like Sunday Riley, perhaps they used that day of the week to subconsciously impart to customers that using their products was a time to pamper yourself or to counter the effects of stress for people who perceive Sundays in a negative way," Sanam Hafeez, PhD, NYC-based neuropsychologist and faculty member of Columbia University, told POPSUGAR.

Mondays, on the other hand, are what Dr. Hafeez calls "the most dreaded time of the week." The idea of naming a beauty brand after this particular day potentially stems from the idea of starting new. "Using a name like 'Monday Born' connotes renewal, rebirth, a chance to rebuild, progress not perfection," she said. "It becomes all about how the brand chooses to market and position themselves to counteract any negative connotation associated with the day of the week."

Naomi Torres-Mackie, PhD, psychologist at Lenox Hill Hospital and head of research at the Mental Health Coalition, added: "Connecting products with [Monday and Sunday] allows the customer to imagine how these days can be made better."

Another factor to consider is the organising effect that naming a brand after a particular day signals to your brain. "It gives you an immediate framework to imagine when and how exactly you could use this product," Dr. Torres-Mackie said. Dr. Hafeez added: "Consumers might be intrigued by something with the name Monday in it and look to see how this can make their life easier, faster, more economical."

At the very least, having the day of the week in a brand name can serve as a subliminal reminder of when to use that product — an especially helpful fact in a time when days tend to blur together like it has for so many people these last 15 months.