As a woman, you definitely understand what I mean when I say that beauty doesn’t come cheap. From makeup to manicures to haircuts, maintaining your appearance can really put a dent in your budget.
In a 2013 report, it was found that a woman will spend approximately $15,000 on beauty products in her lifetime. That’s a staggering number considering beauty products and services aren’t something we necessarily need to survive (although I might disagree).
Even so, beauty is fun! Plus, it’s hard not to splurge on it every now and then. If you’re on a tight budget, here are five beauty tips to help you stay beautiful without breaking the bank.
1. Try It at Home
While I wouldn’t recommend trying to give yourself a haircut (although there are plenty of YouTube video tutorials available), there are plenty of other beauty regimens you can do yourself right from your own home.
For example, instead of spending $20 to $40 on a manicure, you can purchase salon quality products for a fraction of the price and do it yourself.
Additionally, you can make a spa night out of it with your girlfriends. Try out some DIY facial mask recipes, or give each other hair treatments. These are things you can do right from the comfort of your own home — and you won’t have to worry about how much to tip.
2. Find a Cosmetology School
Professional stylists, with years of experience, can cost an arm and a leg. But looking for someone who’s less experienced can save you a bit of money. If you don’t mind being a guinea-pig-of-sorts, seek out a cosmetology school.
Many schools are often looking for models to learn on, and in exchange offer services at discounted prices. These students are trained, and often have a supervisor looking over their shoulder, so there’s nothing to worry about.
3. Use a Groupon
Maybe you have a salon or spa that you love and go to religiously, but if you’re on a tight budget, you may have to try out a few other places. Give Groupon a try. They have lots and lots of discounted beauty services to choose from right in your neighborhood.
You may even find one you really like, and that costs less than your regular salon. Just remember to tip accordingly to the regular value, not the Groupon price.
4. Stick to the Drugstore
If you’ve ever walked into a pricey beauty boutique like Sephora, or down the beauty aisle at a department store, you know that these places can be a huge trap for your wallet. It’s hard to walk away without spending less than $50. When you’re on a tight budget, stick to the drugstore instead.
You can find really great quality beauty products for a fraction of the price. Keep in mind, many high-end and low-end beauty brands are owned by the same company, so at the end of it day it’s the same beauty masterminds formulating these products.
5. Cut Back on Regular Visits
A weekly manicure or a monthly haircut may work for your routine but not necessarily for your budget. Honestly, you really don’t need to go so often. Cut back on your visits and space them out accordingly, so you can go less but still keep your look fresh.
If you really do need a trim or color in between visits, go to a cheaper salon to get it done, or try to touch up your color by own using a drugstore box that matches your hair color.
Beauty isn’t cheap but that doesn’t mean you have to spend a chunk of your paycheck on it. Use these tips and be more conscious about what you really need and what beauty areas you should splurge on. This will help you save a pretty penny, while looking pretty too.
How do you save money on beauty products, salon visits, and other routines? What’s another tip you use when you have a tight budget?
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{ read the comments below or add one }
$15k over a lifetime also probably turns into over $50k if you count hair cut and beauty salon. Looking good can really add up and a few bucks saved here and there can be substantial over time.
A woman is not supposed to cut her hair, trim her nails or toenails, not wear makeup nor lipstick, nor plat her hair. And she is to cover her head with a hat or scarp at all times. 🙂
if there’s anything I learned about budgeting and smelling good, it’s always have “good smelling cologne” on deck so you’re always smelling good in someone’s nose during “travel.”
I have been going to the local cosmetology school and it has gone pretty well. I don’t get too complicated a haircut anyway so having students do it doesn’t scare me. The first time I was nervous but like you said they have a supervisor who fixed any mistakes. And it was much cheaper. Thanks for all the tips.
I do all my beauty treatments myself – cut my hair, dye it, do my own fingernails and toenails. I just buy the supplies at the drugstore. Like the previous poster, I spend less than $5 per month.
Okay, here it goes with the testimonials…since I was homeless as a teenager I went to the public library and checked out books on how to cut hair. I had long hair at the time, which was easy. I now have a short pixie cut, but I still cut it myself and save a ton of money. I know this is a bit extremist, but if you can become an expert at cutting your own hair, then it will turn out the way you want it to every time and you only have the sunk costs of buying the supplies. I similarly die my own hair, which is more common. The cheapest way to do this is to go to Sally’s and buy the hair dye and developer separately. Since I have short hair, I simply use a tablespoon of the dye and two tablespoons of the developer. It takes me three sessions to use all of the dye, and the developer comes in a big container so I imagine I only buy that twice a year or so. I’d guess I spend about $3 per month on dyeing and cutting my hair because of it.