Every girl knows that it isn’t cheap being pretty. If you want to prep and preen yourself every single day, that comes with a massive price tag. There’s no doubt that makeup and cosmetics have one of the biggest markups ever. That is to say that they cost the consumer (i.e. you and me) way more than the retailer. When you buy a lipstick, for example, you’re often spending much more money on the brand than you are the actual product. What that means is that you can easily waste all your money on these things before you even know it! Yikes.
So, how can you cut the cost of your beauty regime? Well, there are a few little hacks that you might want to try for yourself. While these tips won’t stop you spending your cash on makeup products and the like, they might just mean that you spend a little less than you usually would. Enjoy!
1. Recycle your old makeup containers!
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If you’re something of a makeup addict, keeping up with the habit can be seriously expensive. We all know that big brand makeup comes with a rather hefty price tag, so what can you do to cut the cost here and there? Well, you may not know it, but MAC run a promotion where you can bring in your old makeup (must have 6) containers and get a free lipstick of your choice (saving you around £15!).
You should also know that companies, such as Stila, offer refillable containers. That means that once you’ve bought a product once, you can refill the container each time you need more. In the long run, that will save you a whole load of cash. It’s well worth asking what deals your fave store has. Often, companies don’t advertise these promotions and you have to ask if you want to know the deets.
Visit: MAC, Stila, LUSH, Aveda, Bare Minerals and Burt’s bee’s
2. Don’t over-wash your hair!
If you wash your locks every single day, you’re draining your bank account and ruining your hair. Here’s the thing: You really only need to wash your hair every two days or so. Any more than that will lead to it being dried out and looking seriously dull. No girl wants or needs that in her life. First of all, you need to make sure that you buy the large shampoo and conditioner bottles as ultimately this will save you cash in the long run. Secondly, you should limit yourself to washing your locks every couple of days or so.
It’s also worth realising that you only need to use a little shampoo and conditioner each time you wash your hair. Most of us ladies end up pouring out half the bottle before we get started, but that is a dumb move. Instead, you should make sure that you use just a tiny blob each time. It could really make all the difference.
3. Use coconut oil to condition your hair
While we’re on the subject of your hair, have you tried this fabulous beauty hack? Coconut oil is a brilliant and natural way of making sure that your hair looks glossy and shiny at all times. You can pick this stuff up for a couple of quid at any supermarket or chemist, and it’s way cheaper than buying those costly ‘deep treatment’ hair masks! Plus, as an added bonus, once you have a tub of this stuff, it will last you months and months. What could be better than that?
So, how do you use the stuff? Well, it’s actually pretty easy. You should rub a little solid oil in the palm of your hands before you begin. You will notice that as it heads up, it turns into liquid form. Then, you just need to smooth it through your hair. (Some girls like to just put it on their tips, but you can cover your whole head if you want!) Wrap your head in some clingfilm and leave it overnight. In the morning, make sure that you rinse thoroughly and wash your hair too! Voila!
Buy: Buy from Amazon
4. Blow-dry your eyelash curler
Don’t you dare be tempted to buy a heated eyelash curler. These things are very gimmicky and basically a giant waste of money. You can heat up your current (metal) eyelash curlers in seconds just by using your hairdryer. Make sure that you only blast the curlers for around 10 seconds at a time. (The last thing you want to do is make the mistake of overheating the curlers and hurting yourself.)
5. Revive dried up nail polish
Surprisingly, nail polish can be very expensive! If you go for some of the top brands, you can spend a whole lot of cash on this tiny, little product. So, it can be seriously upsetting when the stuff starts to run dry. If you’re not ready to let go of your beloved polish just yet, there’s an easy way that you can bring it back to life that won’t cost you a fortune.
All you need to do is grab yourself some nail varnish removers and pop a few little drops into the nail varnish. Screw the lid of the polish back on and give the whole thing a good old shake. The nail varnish remover will help to loosen the polish so that you can use it just one last time. This little tip takes about a minute to complete and might just save the day when you’re in desperate need of a home manicure but have zero cash to buy new nail polish!
6. Get your fringe trimmed (for free!)
Getting your hair styled is probably one of the most expensive things that us ladies have to pay for. If you happen to have a fringe, it can be oh-so-annoying when it starts to grow out! When the rest of your hair doesn’t need a trim, it makes absolutely zero sense to pay for a complete restyle. You may not realise it but many hairdressers will give you a free fringe trim between appointments. (So, if you use the same hairdressers all the time, you can pop in and ask them to trim your fringe when it needs doing.) That in itself should save you a whole load of money.
Of course, if that doesn’t work for you, you can always trim your fringe at home. (Beware: This can go VERY wrong unless you know what you’re doing!) Check out some YouTube videos about how to cut it before you do anything else. You may wish to enlist the help of a close friend or family member so that you don’t mess it up.
7. Use baby oil as makeup remover
Of course, if you cover your skin with makeup each day, you need to be 100% sure that you take it off properly before you sleep. Major brands can charge an absolute fortune for makeup remover when it’s really a very simple solution. To get around this issue, you need to stop buying remover from the makeup counter and opt for a cheaper and easier choice!
Baby oil will only cost you a couple of quid for a decent sized bottle, which means that it won’t exactly break the bank. Pour a little onto a cotton ball and use it to easily remove makeup, in particular eyeliner and mascara. Once you’ve finished the removal process, you should, of course, rinse your face. Bonus: The baby oil will also help to moisturise your skin!
Buy: Baby Oil at Boots | Buy Baby Oil at Amazon
8. Get a points card
If you spend a whole load of cash on makeup each month, here’s a quick way you can get some more deserved rewards for your money. Most chemists have points cards that you can sign up for. Much of the time, we’re just plain lazy when it comes to getting these things but we needn’t be. The truth of the matter is that having a card (and remembering to use it) can save you a whole load of your hard earned pennies in the long run. Each time you use your card, you gain points. You can turn those points into store credit once you have enough of them and spend them on the things you need, i.e. more makeup.
Hint: If you happen to have a Boots card, you should watch out for special promotions. Throughout these periods, you may be able to get double or even triple points. If you download the app too, you will find that you can get bonus points on particular items. More points equal more store credit!
Visit: Boots Card | Superdrug Card
9. Snag some samples
Since buying makeup is something of an investment, many brands will allow you to have a free sample of products before you buy them. What that means is that you can essentially try a whole load of different items for the grand sum of zero pounds. Genius, right? So, how can you get these freebies? Well, much of the time, all you need to do is ask. Many people don’t know this, but if you ask for a free sample at a makeup counter, the assistants are bound to give you one. Major brands such as Benefit and MAC will do this as standard, and so there’s no harm in being a little cheeky and asking!
Visit: We post most freebies on http://facebook.com/10ways
10. Get super cheap haircuts!
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No, we don’t mean that you need to go to a budget hairdressers. Some of the major hair salons actually have training schools where they teach their stylists the art of hairdressing. Of course, they always need people to practice on, which means that you could get a super cheap haircut! You should be aware that these cuts tend to take longer than your average hair appointment. You will want to set aside a few hours for your cut but it might just be worth it to save yourself a few quid!
For example, if you ‘model’ for Toni&Guy, you can have a cheap haircut (or even colour) in one of their high street stores. Yes, your hair will be done by a trainee, but it will be overseen by one of the salon’s stylists so it should still look fabulous.
Visit: Toni&Guy Models | Check local colleges that offer hairdresser courses | Gumtree | London Free Hair Cuts
