Personal care includes all types of things for grooming. Items include manicures, pedicures, massages, make-up (permanent), waxing, brows/lashes, and other products. Let’s take a look at how you can cut costs on each of these things.
MASSAGE…MANICURE…PEDICURE
Who doesn’t love getting a massage, manicure, or pedicure? They are luxuries, but definitely not necessities. You can spend $100+ for a massage, $35 for a manicure (not including the price if you have gel nails), and $40 for a pedicure. You can eliminate these costs altogether by deciding to give up these luxuries, doing them yourself (excluding the massage), or even having a friend/partner do them. If you are insistent on experiencing these luxuries, but would like to reduce costs, a recommendation would be to decrease the frequency in which you get these services. If you get manicures once a week, reduce the amount to once a month. You’re still getting the experience, but are reducing costs and saving on your bottom line. Also, avoid the high-priced spas to get these things done (unless it’s a rare treat). They tend to be 2-3 times the cost of what you would pay at a non-spa. For massages, a great hack is to find out if there is a school nearby where people are being trained. The cost will be a fraction of what you would normally pay. Even if there isn’t a school close to you, in booking a massage, ask if the costs vary by provider to try to choose someone who may be newer to the field that is charging lower than some others.
BROWS…LASHES
Eyebrows and eyelashes are all the rage right now. The bigger the better for the brows and lashes. Some choose to do these at home themselves with products and others choose to go to a salon or spa. The prices vary quite a bit. When you choose to do it yourself, products are cheaper overall as compared to having a professional do it. The downside is that you have to do it yourself, of course.
The cost of professional lash extensions can vary from $150-$500 (yes, that much). Then you also need refills typically every 2-3 weeks that should also cost $50-$1,000. That’s about $1,000-$2,500 per year spent on lashes. However, strictly financially speaking, when you can do something yourself, your expenses will be greatly reduced. There are the drugstore lashes that you can do yourself that are more reasonable. Additional options are lash serums that work to condition and treat your own lashes.
Microblading for your brows generally can range from $400-$800. It’s common to need at least two visits. Some alternatives to a spa or salon visit would be the basic eye brow pencil or there are also products similar to the lash serums for your brows. Again, if you’re going to purchase products in lieu of a salon visit, it’s important to always look for the money back guarantee, just in case the claims of success are not as good as they claim to be.
If you still want to frequent an establishment, ask friends for recommendations and start price comparing at that point. You can make these comparisons for both products or a professional to do it. Find items and/or professionals that are the most reasonable on your bank account and that actually work. Again, there’s no sense in paying less for something if it doesn’t work anyway. Why bother spending the money if it doesn’t give you the results you’re looking for. That would be a complete waste of money.
MAKEUP…SKINCARE
Similar to the other items, there are always deals to be found in this arena. Cosmetics is a BILLION-dollar industry and you can find products at every price point. The range varies greatly. You can purchase products and/or you can pay for someone else to do them for you. Professional facials and make-overs are very popular and a special treat. The good news is that you can typically do your own facials and make-up for a fraction of the cost. Don’t get me wrong, it’s nice to have someone else do it every now and then, and I get that. Maybe reserve that for special events or even one time a year. However, if you’re not making ends meet and struggling financially, I’d pass on someone else doing it for you for a while.
As I mentioned before, if you want to purchase these items, you want to get ones that work. Otherwise, you are just throwing away your money (even if it’s cheaper than the other options). Reach out to your friends that use products they love and work for them. It’s uncertain whether they will work for you or not, but it may be worth a try. There are many products out there that even come with a money back guarantee and that’s the best thing someone can hear—especially those trying to keep costs low. You have the ability to try items to see if you like them and if you don’t like them, you’re not out any money.
When you find products that work for you, you will want to spend less on those items. You could do this by using coupons, maximizing sales, looking for promos, and even sharing with friends. If there is a great deal on eye shadow, for example, you may not be able to use it all (or some of the shades are just not your color). A great hack is sharing some of those colors with your friend. A buy one, get 50% off is great for doing this. You both pick your colors that you like and then you split the cost of both items. Win for both of you. However, if you use a lot of eye shadow and will get through it quickly, keep it yourself. 😊 The important point is when you decide on the products you want, you want to maximize any deals that may appear. Depending on how frequently you use the products, you can stock up on sale items. For example, for some skincare products, you can refrigerate them to extend the life of the product. Once you decide to make the purchase, you want to be certain that you get the most out of those products. A great way to do this is by using your scissors. If you have packaging that resembles a tube, I would recommend cutting of the end and continuing to use the product inside. It is likely that you’re going to get 3-4 more uses out of it that way which will, in turn, extend the time before having to purchase another product reducing your expenses. Hint—this works for your toothpaste too.
You do have the option to get permanent makeup that could cost anywhere from $300-$2,000 depending on the areas and where you live. Touch ups can set you back another $100-$350. There is a convenience factor involved, but the finances may be a little wonky. Even though you can ditch your products, you have to determine if the amount of makeup would cost you more or less than the procedure. Since prices vary so much, make sure you do your personal evaluation before making your decision.
Where should you find the best deals? Since we’re talking about a BILLION-dollar industry, products are sold almost everywhere—even Dollar Tree. Because of this fact, you have to be very careful with the quality and ingredients of the products that you’re purchasing. You don’t want to spend one dollar on anything that could damage your skin or have other adverse side effects. You can find both skincare and makeup in the grocery store, big box stores, warehouse clubs, specialty stores (ULTA, Sephora), the malls, and even online through your friends. There are numerous direct sales products that you’ll see on Facebook from the gal you went to high school with or even offered by your neighbor. They ARE legitimate products and shouldn’t be pushed aside without research. After choosing which products you want to purchase, it’s time to explore saving money on them. You can find coupons in the paper and online. Individual stores offer promos and specials frequently. You may even be able to get referral discounts. You want to search out every avenue you can to reduce costs so you will be “earning” money for your family.
Just to differentiate my verbiage of EARNING money versus SAVING money. If you are spending money on items that you’re only buying because they’re on sale but wouldn’t usually buy, you’re SAVING money. In my mind, you’re also still spending money and not being fiscally responsible. Do you need another pair of black flats just because they’re on sale??? Countering that, if you are spending less on items that you need to purchase anyway, then you’re EARNING money. The money not spent is the same as if you had made that $$ in income. The main difference is spending less on items that you already buy versus spending less on items just because it’s on sale or a good deal.
BODY HAIR
Shaving, waxing, and electrolysis are all ways that people are tackling the removal of body hair. Just like most of the items mentioned today, you can do these at home or professionally by someone else. There are also products and gadgets that you can use in your own home in lieu of making an appointment. Since you may be dealing with chemicals, make sure that you pay close attention to the ingredients and, as always, ask a friend for a recommendation.
Before you ditch your razors, let’s take a look at common waxing prices for your body. Another downside to waxing is that you have to let the hair grow out (about 2 weeks) to get the best results. An upside is that it will last 3-6 weeks.
· Eyebrows: $20
· Lip: $15
· Nose: $15
· Neck: $15-$25
· Sideburns: $20
· Full face: $30
· Underarms: $20
· Arms: $35
· Chest: $50
· Back: $50
· Legs (full): $50
· Legs (half): $35
· Bikini: $35
For shaving, you’re looking at both razors and shaving cream. Women get the short end of the stick on this front with pricing. I’m not sure who decided on the “pink” tax as I’ve heard it called, but the same products for women versus men tend to have higher prices. So, run far from the pink razors and the shaving creams made specifically for women. Or, at a bare minimum, scrutinize the prices for comparison per ounce. I haven’t bought female focused shaving products for years. As for the razors, I have a high quality one from Costco that has replaceable blades. It’s Gillette and has lasted for quite a long time. The initial cost (handle and refills) was more than just a random razor, but I’ve experienced long term savings in purchasing it. In addition, I purchased it on sale increasing the amount earned for my family.
Hair removal and electrolysis are also other options that people choose to do. Costs can add up quickly. You can do this at home or in a salon/spa. For simple hair removal (Remember Nair in the 80’s?), you can do this in your own bathroom. There are products that are even better than back in the 80’s that you can do yourself. Just be careful and follow the directions exactly. The cost savings between doing it yourself and at a salon can be huge. Electrolysis is something that can also be done at home, but to be honest, I don’t have extensive knowledge on success rates of these products. A typical session at a salon can run between $30 and $200 (quite a range). If you can find a product that has a money back guarantee, it may be worth a try to do it yourself if you’re up for it.
SUN-KISSED SKIN
For years people have been tanning outside, inside in beds and stand ups, using spray and sunless tanner. When we talk about saving money, we are going to skip discussing the bronzed look from the actual sun, since it’s free. Traditional tanning salons are not cheap and keep adding up over time. My recommendation is to stop them immediately for other options. **UV rays from the sun and tanning beds are proven to cause cancer, which include Basal Cell, Melanoma (most serious), and Squamous Cell. Beyond the topic of finances, I would recommend staying away from these options to get that sun-kissed skin due to the health risk.
Let’s now address spray tans and sunless tanners. Prices can vary a lot by location, but a single spray tan can cost $25-$50 per session. Your local Groupon may have some deals so don’t forget to check them out! www.Groupon.com The sunless tanners have prices that range from $10-$60 per bottle. We all know that having someone else do a spray tan for you is definitely easier. Unfortunately, as referenced in those prices I just mentioned, definitely not cheaper. You can potentially purchase one bottle of sunless tanner and get 5-10 times of full body coverage, giving you considerable savings as compared to going to a salon.
You may be thinking that even though it is the cheapest option, you have ZERO interest in being smelly and orange and it’s just not for you. The good news is that sunless tanner has evolved a lot over the years and they are better than they’ve ever been. Don’t get me wrong, you still have to make sure that you apply it correctly and don’t miss any spots, but you don’t get that orange look anymore. Also, many of the smells have been greatly reduced, if not eliminated altogether. This may be another trial-and-error situation. However, if you really enjoy a tanned physique, the effort will be worth it. Try to find items with a money back guarantee so you won’t lose your investment if it’s a bust.
Grooming and taking care of ourselves is part of our everyday life. It’s not always possible to just go without certain products. And there may even be items that you shouldn’t. You may struggle with acne or other skin issues where you don’t want to forego products. Even though many of these items like shampoo and razors may be a necessity, you can still look for AND FIND ways to reduce your costs. Always begin every search by asking a friend for recommendations and then comparing costs focusing on overall price reducing. Enjoy the discovery ride of new and exciting products.
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