Beauty Addicts: Start Saving Money ASAP With These Budget Tips

For women who understand that high prices at the beauty counter can absolutely translate to longer-lasting, more vibrant looks, the words “beauty” and “budget” do not belong in the same sentence. After all, a girl deserves a splurge somewhere in her life and if she can’t afford the newest It-bag, she can afford that new Tom Ford lipstick. Problem is, 10 Tom Ford tubes of lip color are still way less than a Birkin, so we’re tempted to buy each and every color, to the detriment of our wallet.

Is there a way to balance our love for high-end beauty and save a few bucks? Definitely. All you need is a few beauty hacking tips. You may not be at Sephora as often, but don’t worry, they’ll still send you your birthday discount. Here are the top tricks you can use at home to start saving money on your beauty starting…tomorrow. Or tonight, as the case may be.

Multitask Your Products

The most obvious is the lip stain that can double as a cheek stain. Or clear lip gloss you can use on your pucker and then brush on your brows to keep small hairs in place. The fact is, whatever you can dream up to do double duty with is fair game. As long as you’re not eating your beauty products, most are pretty much waiting to be multitasked and are safe to apply to each area of your face and hair.  

Skip Your Flowery Shaving Cream

Did you know you’re paying more for your girly shaving cream than men pay for theirs? Even though each promises a closer shave and softer skin? In fact, most men’s products are cheaper, from deodorant to disposable razors. So don’t be afraid to cross the gender aisle when you’re shopping for basic human hygiene products. Another tip? Hair conditioner can double as shaving cream in the shower. Dollar store, here you come.

Good to the Last Drop (and Then Some)

Americans have a bad habit of throwing away products that are only half used. Sometimes it’s as simple as turning the conditioner bottle upside down before your next shower. Or using a Q-tip to get out the last bits of concealer from the pot. For those last powdery bits of shadow, mix with a drop of oil and you’ll have liquid lid color.

Go for the Palette

Eyeshadow palettes are not just a holiday gift gimmick. They really do offer more value than buying individual or dual color compacts. Your best bet is to go with a neutral palette that offers basic browns, blacks and creams. They can be mixed and matched for day and night, and the lightest colors can be used as highlighters. Now that’s multitasking.

Skip the Salon Scrubs and Facials

Yes it feels good to be pampered, but it’s also expensive. And you can get the same results at home, really. Use natural sugar in your bathtub along with olive oil or coconut oil for exfoliating, softening results. A DIY strawberry mask will fight breakouts as it contains natural salicylic acid. There are no less than 100 (well, probably not less than 1000) natural-ingredient scrubs and facials you can find with a Google search that will take the place of spendy treatments.

Stop Abusing and Overusing

You’re using too much of your products at one time, most likely. Try cutting back on the amount of conditioner, shampoo, hairspray and lotion you use. See if you’re taking fewer trips to replace them. Not sure how much to use? Labels usually offer a suggestion. The standard size is a quarter-sized dollop. 

Give Yourself an Indulgence Limit

For us beauty addicts, we’ve got to wean ourselves off slowly. Just like a dieter will achieve more by allowing a roll every so often at dinner, you’ll control your spending over the long haul better if you give yourself a reasonable limit for your indulgences. Whether it’s a monthly dollar amount or a monthly number of products, set it, don’t go over it.

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