30 Ways to Save Money on Hair & Beauty

Image by Luigi Morante

Looking good all the time can be an expensive endeavour. If you have access to money management software like Money Dashboard you can see how much you're spending on ‘Personal Care' by logging in and finding that piece of the ‘Your Spending in the last 30 days‘ donut chart.

If that number is higher than you'd like, these money saving tips should help you bring that number down while still looking beautiful:

1. Don't book an appointment with the salon every time you need to dye your roots. Root touch-up kits are cheaper and take less than half an hour to apply. There are also at-home kits to help you do your own manicures and pedicures.
2. Conserve your foundation by wetting your makeup sponge before dipping it.
3. Hair in your eyes? Trim your own fringe in the mirror.
4. Cut makeup remover pads in half, they'll last twice as long.
5. To make hair colour last longer, wash your hair every other day instead of daily.
6. Vaseline can be used as an inexpensive lip balm, makeup remover, or to soften chapped heels.
7. Olive oil can be used as an inexpensive but effective alternative to skin moisturiser, and can also be used to calm frizzy hair.
8. Get more life out of your near-empty mascara bottle by standing it in warm water or heating it with a hair dryer.
9. Make your own exfoliating body scrub by mixing a cup of course sea salt and half a cup of baby oil and leaving it in a sealed jar for 24 hours. Stir, apply, and rinse off as required.
10. Ground coffee mixed with body lotion makes an inexpensive treatment for cellulite. Rub the mixture into your skin, leave for 30 minutes, and then wash it off.
11. Directly after holidays such as Christmas or Valentine's Day, gifts sets of makeup, perfume, and similar products can be found in the sales. Take advantage of the deals and stock up.
12. Forget expensive after-sun lotions, the antioxidants and tannic acid that calms sunburned skin can be found in black tea. Soak a washcloth in cool tea and apply to affected areas.
13. Use a lip brush to apply lipstick. Your stick will last longer as you are using it less, and it's easier to avoid over application.
14. Instead of expensive styling products, avoid frizzy hair by taking a pea-sized amount of unscented body butter and massage it into the ends of your hair.
15. Instead of spot creams, treat spots and blemishes with honey or dabs of pomegranate juice, and leave to sink into the skin.
16. Apply body lotion to damp skin after a bath or shower. You'll need less to cover you so the bottle will last longer.
17. Rinse your razor in cold water to keep the blades sharp for longer.
18. Tinted moisturiser with SPF can be used instead of foundation. Not only does it prevent blocked pores, it protects against sun damage.
19. Conditioner works just as well as shaving foam for your legs, and it's slightly cheaper.
20. Instead of visiting a day spa, or multiple salons all over town, get a group of friends together and organise a spa or pamper party. Therapists with multiple skills can be ordered online to come to your house, and you can split the cost between the group.
21. Blow-dry your hair thoroughly, separating it into sections to dry faster. This should decrease the need for additional product.
22. If you can find a make-up kit containing several items you want, compare the prices. It might be cheaper to get the set rather than the individual items, even if you're not using everything that comes with it.
23. See if there is a budget alternative to your favourite brand. Boots, Lloyds Pharmacy and Superdrug all sell own-brand products that are often cheaper.
24. Many well-known brands are cheaper from supermarkets than department store counters.
25. Travel-size shampoo and conditioners are cheap and convenient, but you'll be saving money by buying bigger bottles in bulk. You could even refill an empty mini shampoo from a bigger bottle if you're travelling.
26. Although it's more expensive, eau de parfum lasts longer than eau de toilette so it's much better value.
27. Look for trainee hair stylists and ‘be a model' adverts in salon windows. You'll get your hair styled, cut, or coloured for free, and the quality will be almost as good as a professional.
28. Don't spend money on fake tan, use a daily tanning moisturiser instead.
29. Laser tooth whitening can cost around £300 per session. Use whitening toothpaste daily to get the same results.
30. Having your waxing done for you might make it easier to tear those strips off, but you'll save money by buying a DIY waxing kit and doing it at home.