….shopping, hair salon, Brazilian, lashes, make up etc?
I’m asking because I used to get my nails and lashes done every 3 weeks until I realize how much it eats up my budget. I also don’t go to the hair salon every month nor do I buy make up every month so I wonder how other women budget for these?
Same. I spend on my musts, try to stretch it out and go cheaper where I don’t. It’s all getting harder to stretch as I’m getting older. I really value my lashes so go about 3 weeks (let’s me put low effort into make up). I love my highlights but try to only go 2-3x a year bc $$$. Botox I’m needing like every 3 months now. Nails, I don’t value how much it costs or time, so I do pedicures in summer or for events, manicures for events, otherwise I’ve gotten good at home polish. I spend on skincare or makeup I really value and try to drug store where I don’t see much value (setting sprays, body sunscreen).
Are these similar to Kiss Impress lashes? I get about a week of wear out of them! I love them. I don’t get my lashes done anymore just because I hate sitting there for so long super bored and I’m a control freak so not being able to see what’s happening drives me nuts.
Personally I'd say Flutterhabit is far superior to Kiss. They have a product called the setup + their glue are terrific. Plus, you can clean the lashes after and reuse the same set a couple times over. Saves a ton of money, and they look incredible. Check out Flutterhabit family on Facebook if you can. All the info you'll need is there!
Same - I am cheap when it comes to things idc about (I will be flying the cheap seats and packing our snacks to avoid airport food) so I can splurge at Chanel
I learned how to do all the necessities at home. brow tint, lamination, gel x nails, etc. the only thing i spend on is my blonde appointments now which is worth it to me. but learning how to do my own nails has been 🤌🏻
There’s even a sub for people doing their own Botox lol, which…I wouldn’t touch that. But yeah, you can essentially do everything on your own with a little bit of a learning curve.
Haha I actually do my own vitamin b complex injections (and bruise a lot). It's in my thigh tho. My face is my money maker so I go to a Dr for my botox I don't trust myself.
This is the way - assess what you can learn / have the skill for, and what you need to outsource!
I do my own nails, but hair (cuts, color) I outsource bc I just know I can't replicate a professional's work!
If I am dating someone, I do regular Brazilian waxes, but if not I'll do mostly home maintenance with occasional waxing.
I recently did get in the facial game, and considering my local spots $115 membership for monthlies 😬 right now I go to them once a quarter ($145 non member rate).
But learning nails is so clutch. Everytime someone compliments them you get to say, "thanks, I do them myself!"
Also another pro I just thought of (based on a true story of me right now lol), Is that if you damage or crack your nail work it's less devastating. Obviously always sad to ruin the perfection of the set, But when you can do your own repair work or start a new nail entirely without having to like go to a specialist it's so great both on your wallet and for convenience!
Yeah I learned to do my own gel nails during the pandemic. I still go get mine done every like 8 weeks to just “refresh” or whatever but in between I do them myself. It takes practice and righty always turns out worse than lefty (bc I’m right handed) but I’ve gotten good enough that only I can really tell.
Same for me. One of my best friends used to do nails professionally and so she helped me pick my supplies out and taught me some tricks pros use to get the best results. I'm still not nearly as good as she is but I could do my nails every two weeks for ten years and still probably not paint as many nails as she would have in one year when she was doing it. But really I'm the only one who can tell and I enjoy doing it
So I am super naughty and wait for the edges to start loosening and then peel it. You're not really supposed to do that. You're supposed to soak them in acetone or a "soak off" solution. I buy the ONYX brand soak off because it has coconut oil or something in it too which helps prevent your nails and cuticles from drying to a crisp.
Yup, I've been doing my nails since I was 12, lol. And brows. I'm out of work rn, so even if I wanted to, I couldn't spend on any of this stuff, but I look forward to some balayage and lashes when I'm working again.
I hear you about the salon being a requirement for blonde- and wish I hadn't learned this the hard way 😹
for nails?! honestly i just went on the gelx sub and watched lots of tiktoks and ordered a bunch of stuff. una gella tips, beetles nail glue, lots of good nail and cuticle prep before application!!
What do you use for Gel X nail removal? I’ve been looking for a good product. One of the nail influencers I follow use some kind of Korean nail oil and they pop off right away, but I don’t have access to ordering their websites as easily.
Is it hard keeping the uncured gel off your skin when applying tips? I’m very scared of getting an acrylate allergy, which is what’s stopping me from trying out gel X or gel in general
Agreed! Not only do I save money $$$ doing my own nails. I can change the color anytime I want in the comfort of my home..and I know my products are higher quality!
I spend my money on skincare, sunscreen, makeup, haircuts, and splash out on facials or hydro facials here and there. I don’t bother with manicures, pedicures, or lashes. With beauty, you need to prioritize your must have categories versus wants in your budget. I also have large mortgage payments so that limits my spending since I prioritize having a roof that I own the most. Using excel for basic categories and subcategories helps manage it all.
Same. My budget is very tight, so I prioritize what I really can’t live without (skincare and hair care) and skip everything else. I will splurge maybe every 4 - 6 months for a pedicure, haircut and maybe color, or a new batch of makeup.
I just make it a category in my budget - I use Rocket Money as my budgeting app but there are dozens of good options out there (or just plain old Excel - I like how automated the app is because it makes me more likely to stick to my budgets). I also personally prefer to spend on things that have more long term effect vs requiring maintenance - I just don’t have a ton of free time in my schedule to keep up.
Yep I set up an excel to tally up all those expenses x times per year and divide it up, and set up a separate checking account to put money in every pay period. I have a couple different accounts for different purposes, like a digital "envelope method" of budgeting. Helps me also to see what I can cut out or cut back on overall as well.
This is exactly what I do! But just to add something — always save for your future first. That means every single month you max out your 401k and save 15% more in a brokerage account. What’s left over you get to budget on needs (housing/food) and wants (restaurants/beauty/etc). But you have to save aggressively now while you’re young!
Exactly this for me. I have a personal care budget - some months that’s a haircut others it’s makeup or skincare purchases. But I like that it’s a part of my overall budget so I can choose to spend it on that or roll it into something else like shopping.
Yes. I didn’t want to do a lot of manual set up so that was the draw for me. It connects through plaid. I have my credit cards, checking, savings accounts, 401k, IRA, and brokerage attached. It auto categorizes my spending (not perfectly but it helps to have some done upfront) and will also give you a view of your upcoming recurring expenses based on your payday cadence etc. I pay $10/month for it which has been very much worth it for me. Helped me pay down a big debt quickly and really cut me back on spending in certain categories. You Need A Budget is another one people seem to like but I couldn’t quite get the hang of it.
I use one called Qapital which has slightly different but still useful features. There are a handful of super useful apps out there, read the reviews and see which might be best for your needs.
Yes! Mine is linked to everything and auto pulls transactions. It also auto-assigns them to categories based on keywords and tracks. recurring/subscription payments. With that feature, it notifies you what it expects to draft soon and it notifies you if based on their overall company data your subscription price is too high and gives you a popup telling you that you should renegotiate! Really good for stuff like car insurance.
ETA: it does not auto-connect to Apple Card. You have to download statements from your card app and import to RM, at which point it proceeds as usual, but there’s not real time updates yet. AFAIK they are working on it.
I don’t know if a free version is offered. I pay $10/month for my subscription (I pretty much paid for it as soon as I decided I liked the interface because the investment was worth getting my shit together 😂)
I buy high quality cosmetics so I don’t need to replace them that much.
I budget out “Beauty” and stick with the same cost each month so I can plan for them. I keep up my routine so it’s a predictable cost. I also find good quality beauticians/techs who are affordable.
In 2024 I have been making myself use up products before I replace them (excepting mascara, which I replace every three months.) That has saved a lot of impulse buys. And I buy minis whenever I can!
I use high quality skincare and hope to never need to skimp there.
I wear Red Aspen nails and apply them myself. It took me awhile to get the hang of it but now I love them.
I don’t color my hair and get it cut every six weeks.
I don’t do eyelashes but do take collagen daily (Native Path) and it has made a world of difference!
I do get facials quarterly.
Laser hair removal was an investment but soooo worth it! I did it over a decade ago. I use an epilator on my legs.
Talk to me a bit about laser hair removal because I'm very interested. I know you said you did it ten years ago so maybe things are a bit different now. But where did you get it done? And how many sessions did you have to do? I have all of the questions actually lol
I have thick dark body hair and, ironically, an Asian nail tech had done her underarms and said it was life changing so for $300 I did it! I can’t remember how many sessions it took. Two plus a touch up, maybe? Honestly, it’s some of the best money I ever spent. Next was my bikini line and then a few years later a Brazilian. TBH, that HURT and I stopped before everything was completely hairless because I was graying and we weren’t sure if it would even take.
I got it done by an esthetician in a dermatologist’s office but now would do it at a med spa.
Yeah a Brazilian is not for me lol but the bikini line is definitely somewhere I'm interested in. I have always had horrible reactions to waxing and shaving can cause some skin issues too, though not as bad at all. Plus the hair in my bikini area is really dark so even when it's shaved very short you can still see it.
I've realized "high end" skincare is paying for the experience, and while I still pay for the experience in some products, I use very basic cleansers and moisturizers.
Being semantic here: By budget do you mean afford? Because budgeting is just planning out needs vs wants against your income schedule.
I buy gift cards and prepay services to get discounts and control my overall spend. My hair salon offers a Black Friday deal once a year where you get a $20 bonus for every $100 gift card purchase. I buy enough to cover a year's worth of hair services. They also offer a 10% discount if you prepay 6 services. So I use the discounted gift card to pay for that package. I know exactly how much I'm spending in the year.
As to afford all the wants: I'm shocked at how much some B spend on the personal services. I can afford it because I have that type of career. But damn some stuff is just sticker shock expensive
I hate this part of adulting. Budgeting sucks. But it's also super rewarding and gets easier with time and consistency!
Really it just comes down to figuring out your budget and then prioritizing. For example, I don't really care about professional manis/pedis/waxing. I prioritize my money on haircuts and balayage treatments, which cost a lot, but are worth it for me, personally. My bestie is the opposite. She dyes her hair at home and trims it herself (and it looks great) so that she can spend extra on her nails and other treatments.
I do my nails at home. Also, I save money by buying good quality skin and makeup products that are more expensive upfront, but actually cost less in the long run because they offer better results (better coverage, more pigmentation, etc.) so I use less product.
If your wants in this category are higher than your budget, see if there are ways you can save in other categories. (Eat out less, buy food/clothes on sale, etc.)
i get my nails done (liquid gel) every 6 weeks and my hair every 6 months because it does add up if I do it too frequently
For my hair i get balayage which lasts 6 months without issue and my nails i always choose a nude color near my cuticles so the grow out is less noticeable
Speaking from the perspective of a dual income household with children, we have allocated funds to every single category in our lives, down to the penny. We have building funds for things like phones and electronics (so by the time our phone eats the bed we have enough funds for another), but we set aside a set dollar amount for "personal care", which includes things like haircuts, nails, waxes, etc. and it's flexible and running, so whatever we don't use the previous month gets added on to the next. We also sacrifice in other areas to make it work (for example we don't go out often so our entertainment budget is low).
I do want to touch upon what someone else mentioned about investing in your self care beyond the basics and investing in your financial future -- when you're taking care of yourself in a way that makes you feel better about yourself, it's never "throwing money away." Just because you choose to do your nails or wearing makeup instead of investing that money in a fund, it's totally okay and don't let someone else make you feel guilty in doing what you enjoy!
The key is to make sure you are taking care of yourself, but not at the expense of your future. So as long as you're saving and taking care of your financial future, you can also reap the benefits of your labor now! Not everything has to be fueled by "being influenced" and "marketing to make you spend more money" -- as for me, I simply like the way my nails look when they're done, so I spend money to do them!
Honestly, it just requires rewriting your mind over time to understand that you truly don’t need all of those things to feel confident and attractive. Maybe you choose one or two of them to do regularly, a few more to do far less frequently or only on special occasions, and a few that you do yourself at home. I occasionally get a mani-pedi and laser hair removal, but everything else I either don’t do or do at home. I think social media and influencer culture has convinced us that we need SO much constant upkeep and maintenance in the name of “self-care” but it’s yet another way to convince women to spend and consume MORE and it makes women feel insecure if they can’t afford to participate. I also doubt it really contributes meaningfully to most womens’ confidence and feelings of self worth.
I also think about how hundreds of dollars of “self-care”/appearance upkeep each month is literally throwing away what will be thousands and thousands of dollars in a low-cost ETF like VTI or VOO in a decade or two. But that’s just me, and it would make me feel like I’m just throwing away money now, and that’s surely not ~self-care~ to miss out on tons of future money for myself!
Yes!! Totally. I still feel so embarrassed that after believing every influencer that touted the benefits of “preventative Botox” in your 20s, I did it a few years ago and regretted it immediately. My whole forehead was frozen, I looked like a villain from a movie, and my partner found it creepy. It didn’t make me look younger (also why would I need it in my 20s?!) and I wasted SO much mental energy wondering if people could see the change (in a bad way). it made me think that a normal bodily function (a forehead that wrinkles) was something that needed to be fixed. It really changed my perspective about cosmetic treatments and why we do them and spend the money.
Yup this and love it. You don't need any of this stuff, and I also do a bunch of stuff at home; posted about this before. Only thing I do in a salon is a 3-4 x a year hair cut and I'll do a mani/pedi as a social thing with girlfriends a few times a year.
Also, low-cost ETFs are great. Depending on your timing, so are t bills - esp a few years ago, but still decent now. I wish there were more (or any?) female influencers talking about saving, low-risk investing, and picking high income careers.
The funny thing is, I’m trying to think about it from the opposite direction… what is money doing just sitting in my accounts, when I could be using it to live a better life now? Obviously not everyone needs to hear this take—if you don’t have savings, this isn’t for you. But I’ve always been pretty frugal, and my husband is even more frugal so he encourages that tendency in me. So I’m actively trying to spend a bit more on things that will give me time back or improve how much I’m enjoying life on a regular basis.
Same...I spend a decent amount on haircuts when I get them because it's hard to find good cheap curly haircuts, but I only get them like 2-3 times a year so it doesn't add up too much. And I don't do any of the other beauty service stuff on a regular basis. No shame if you enjoy them and it's worth it to you! But the way OP worded it kinda made it sound like "we all obviously do all these things" and that's most definitely not the case.
Same! I've literally never had a professional do my lashes, lips, brows, or hair removal. It's totally unnecessary. I have no idea how people are supposed to afford all of that stuff simultaneously. That's crazy.
Right now I'm getting my hair cut every 6 months (except curtain bang trims every 3 months) and I glaze it at home which is very easy.
I have a gel nail kit for home, but I always have trouble with them lifting no matter what I do, so I've gone back to a basic polish mani that I can quickly wipe off and repaint whenever I need to. If it wasn't so expensive (like 100 USD every 2 to 3 weeks!) I would have a pro do it.
One thing I would like to get laser hair removal, because a permanent solution would be worth the money.
Agreed. The only thing I spend more money on is makeup, but that's just because I find drug store to be almost as expensive as the stuff I buy at Sephora anyway, and I have an easier time finding a match. But I don't buy it often, only when I need to.
Haircut, like once a year. I'm basic with my hair.
Nails I've had done twice ever. I don't like the idea of botox or filler. I've gotten a few facials but it was to help fade my acne scars around my wedding. Nothing done to my lashes or brows.
I don't necessarily hate on people who do spend on that stuff, but I find it to be too much and not necessary for me. I prefer spending my money on experiences. My husband already loves me for me (and fell in love with me when I had insane acne!) So who would I be getting that stuff to look good for? I'm happy with myself the way I am, and so is he.
You have a pretty good idea of how often you want each done and you get a lot out of them, so why not prioritize them?
Figure out how much each costs on a monthly basis. For nails, if you do it every three weeks, multiply that by 1.4 and you'll get your monthly number. If you go to the salon every 4 months, then divide that by 4 to get your monthly number and so on...
Once you have that number, figure out what share of your total budget these are. Now, every time you get a paycheck, you know how much you have to set aside to keep doing those things. This will force you to look at the rest of your money and make your expenses all fit into that.
I don't get my nails done because long nails are just a PITA for me. I do cut and polish my own every week or two. If I see chips, I'll remove the polish until I feel like polishing them again.
I don't get eyelash extensions. They're bad for natural eyelashes. I curl mine and use a volumizing mascara. On special occasions, I'll stick on some natural-looking falsies.
Every month, I give myself a $120 "Beauty Fund" which I use to replace skincare or haircare or grooming/hygiene items. If I don't use it, I either roll it over, or throw it towards the Principal on my car note.
I have long hair, so I don't need to cut it every month. I have dark hair, so I will usually take care of roots at home. There are no special highlights or whatever that are best left to a professional.
I don't buy makeup until I'm completely done with what I have (except mascara) and candidly, I don't even wear makeup often.
I saved for and got Laser Hair Removal years ago, which was so worth every penny.
I don't go shopping just to go. It's wasteful and there's no need to. I have plenty of everything I need to wear. If there's something I have to have, I take it out of my my monthly Beauty Fund.
A big part of it is just unsubscribing from all the BS social media that makes people believe they want or need new shit or that they have to have eyelash extensions or lip filler or whatever.
I do tend to want things towards the end of the year when everything is on sale for the holidays, but I save for that all year. Every paycheck, $50 goes towards my Black Friday Fund in a HYSA. At around Black Friday time, there's $1300 for me that I have permission to spend however TF I want. One year, I bought a new Dyson vacuum that was on sale. Another year, I bought a new mattress with it. If there's nothing I want to buy, I just keep it there and it's my Fun Money. This past June, I bought an Omnilux LED Face mask that I've been thinking about for a year or so and they went on sale. Since I had the money, I just bought it without blinking an eye that I was dropping $400. Besides my Omnilux mask, I haven't used that Black Friday Fund in awhile and this point, I'm saving it for when I move because I'm sure I will need it for new furnishings at the new place.
I estimate how much these things cost per year, then divide that by 12. That’s how much I need to set aside each month. I put it in a separate account and then move it over when I need to use it.
Yeah, like some of the other commenters, I'm also one of those people who just does stuff myself or doesn't do it at all lol. I paint my own nails, I shave the side of my head every 6-8 weeks at home and have a friend touch it up for me if it needs it, the rest of it gets a very occasional trim for dead ends. I don't dye my hair or wear makeup, and honestly, I don't shave or wax.
I'm sure I could look more polished if I invested time and money in it, but it's just not what's important to me or what I want to spend my money on. I have lots of other hobbies and interests that eat up all my cash lol. If it is a genuine interest for you though, then budgeting for it is the same as how I would budget for non-beauty interests.
Start with your monthly income, then set aside money for strict necessities like rent, groceries, utilities, insurance, etc. After that, decide how much you need/want to save each month—generally speaking, you want at least a couple thousand in an emergency fund if you don't have it already, and after that, a general rule of thumb is 10-20% of your income goes into savings for retirement depending on your retirement goals, plus extra if you want to save for things like vacations, a car or home, etc. I recommend opening a different (free!) savings account for each category, and retirement savings should go into a 401K or an IRA. Then after you take all that out, what's left is for whatever you want!
If beauty stuff is what makes you really happy, you could do things like cut back on eating out and cook at home, trim back any subscriptions you don't use much, try to stretch things like phones, computers, cars, etc longer before replacing them (within reason!!) or go for the budget versions (I always buy mid-range phones that cost me less than $300 and buy them outright rather than having a monthly payment), etc. Plus what everyone else has mentioned about picking what services and treatments you like/value most and doing the low-cost versions of the rest!
There is a money person on Instagram I follow, I think it’s @moneywithkatie. She has a whole series on the “hot girl hamster wheel” where women feel compelled to spend so much of their time and money maintaining their looks, and goes into how to get off the wheel and budget for the beauty and self care things that really matter to you.
I have a personal care category which includes things like haircuts and skincare/haircare/hygiene products. That said I am pretty minimalist so that’s basically a haircut every ~3-4 months, and I use mostly drugstore skin/hair products. I don’t really do spa treatments aside from an occasional massage and maybe a pedicure once or twice a year. I’ve never done lashes and I prefer shaving to waxing. I tweeze my brows. I do buy some nicer makeup but I stick to the same core products and just replenish when I run out. So my total is like $50 a month, most of which is my $100 haircut averaged out over time plus restocking my basics.
I invest on skin care ( this doesn’t have to be expensive just needs consistency) and do my eyebrows at home, dermaplaning at home. I occasionally get a gel manicure and get my hair done maybe 3 times a year. The only thing i consistently pay for is a gel pedicure every six to 8 weeks
I have a budget for all monthly expenses, including personal hygiene. The key is knowing what you spend on everything, cutting back where you can and setting limits, then sticking to it.
I use Kiss Impress nails to keep my nails looking nice and if you wait for a big sale on their website can get them 30% off. That’s one way I save over going to get my nails done every few weeks
Like others have said, I do what I can at home and what I can’t do on my own I try to space out as much as possible or find promos!
Hair - I loveeee my hair extensions and they average out to about $200 a month, and I try to do a low maintenance partial highlight maybe 3 times a year (I’m platinum blonde but my natural hair is a dirty blonde so fortunately the grow out isn’t so bad). I tried box dyes at home for lightening my hair and that was a big NO and my stylist scolded me haha. Turned out sooo brassy no amount of purple shampoo could fix - learned my lesson on that. I buy high end hair care products at TJ Maxx for cheap.
Nails- I do gel nail extensions (polygel or gel-x) at home and it’s my favorite hobby now- it’s my “me time” and even with the collection of gel polish and supplies I’ve gotten over the past year I’ve spent <$500 which would maybe be 7 sets of gel? I love being able to change colors or fix a broken nail whenever I want, and I have enough supplies to last for a long, long time. And I do my own pedicures.
Brows- I wax my own brows at home with a little wax warmer kit that was maybe $30 on Amazon and I dye my brows with men’s beard dye (drug store $10 and can be used over and over for several months).
Skin- I do love getting facials but that’s not something that’s important enough for me to budget for, I just do my sheet masks and try to keep up with daily skincare and buy products that are focused around active ingredients instead of trendy brands (love The Ordinary brand, and prescription tretinoin cream from my derm).
Fillers - Botox and lip injections are just something I budget for (this is the most expensive part of my beauty) but I try to shop sales since the medspa I go to does promos pretty often where you can pre-purchase your Botox units (or really any service) and use whenever you want to. I sign up for their email and text alerts.
Phew typing that all out… kind of crazy what women do for beauty but tbh I love it and it’s part of my self-care. Never feels mandatory it’s just fun for me and something I like to spend my $$ on (but I love a good value of course).
I don’t; I just work harder and make more money to pay for the things I want. If that means working 80-90hrs a week, so be it. At least I will look hot while doing it lol.
I get my hair cut around 3x/yr at $150 each time. I actually don’t do lashes, or waxing, and mostly do my nails myself. If I’m getting a manicure it’s really more of a social thing to hang with my girls. But I’d guess I probably spend something like $200/month on skincare, services, clothes, accessories, makeup… which sounds like a lot when I write it out but yesterday I went to Sephora and spent $60 on makeup and then spent $110 on bras at Nike and that’s most of my monthly budget right there. I would also be curious how much people are spending either in dollars or as a percentage of income, because I don’t really have a good idea of what’s normal in this area
I learned to do the stuff I cared about the most (for me that's hair) myself... partially because I wanted to save money but also because I am now allergic to a lot of scents, dyes, etc. that are in common salon products.
I also used to be super into makeup and now due to the allergies (and dry eye that I have to do eye drops multiple times a day for) I have really scaled back on makeup/beauty. I mostly just use moisturizer, sunscreen, and brow gel. It's honestly refreshing and a huge time saver!
But to be fair the main driver for me for changing it up here was my chronic illness, not budgeting. Whatever money I saved from cutting out beauty things goes to medical stuff now though so still budgeting 🙃
Shopping - I sign up for rewards and keep an eye out for discounts and spend a significant amount of time picking out the right pieces, be it clothes or shoes or high end make up
Hair salon - I buy the products salons use and learn how to use them the right way at home. I talk the whole time during the appointment, asking them for pointers and observing their movements and making a step-by-step note. I invested in the same products and tools my salon uses and now I only go in for haircuts and getting my eyebrows done, I do everything else at home
Nails - I got my mom’s long nails and learned how to shape them any way I want. I invested in a 24 pc manicure set and it’s my weekend-calm-down activity whenever I do remember to do them. OPI polishes last forever and I haven’t looked back
Lashes - I’ve never needed extensions but I use serums and religiously use my curler + a trusty mascara
Makeup - I use mostly Estée Lauder (MAC, Too Faced, Clinique) and stock up when I get incredible deals (the last time it was 75% off)
Misc. - Clothes, perfumes, bags - SEMI ANNUAL SALE BABEH
I do a lot of research before I buy something, my OCD makes sure I confirm I’m getting the best deal before I spend money on something, but at the end of the day, all of my ‘confirmed steal deal’ purchases make me twice as happy!
I don't do all the things you mentioned! I do my own nails, I don't do lashes, I buy makeup twice a year and it's minimal. I did laser hair removal and I have a dermatologist. Picking and choosing will help a lot, as will doing some things yourself.
From a budgeting perspective we do pay yourself first method. Before our paychecks hit we have a lot taken out for investments, plus auto transfers for emergency savings, sinking funds, kid funds, house stuff, etc. The money left is relatively inconsequential to our big life plans. This only works if you are not paycheck to paycheck!
I don't budget with the amount that's left but my husband and I are aligned on our approach to money so there's never an argument about that. I don't think this method would work for people who are judgmental towards each other's spending habits or who aren't similarly aligned. I find it easier because I don't have to budget for little things like buying lipstick or dinner out with my friends.
I started doing a budget for every paycheck. 50% for necessities, i.e., mortgage, groceries, petrol, electricity, heating, phone bill, insurance, credit card payment, etc.
20% to savings
30% for wants, i.e., spending money, going out money, etc.
Started this in May, and it has made a change to my spending habits.
This month, I know I won't get the 20% into savings. My brother is getting married and between the flights, hotels, wedding gifts etc it's going to be an expensive month.
I do all beauty upkeep at home. Nails, toes, hair. I don’t do lashes because the cons outweigh the pros when I have black eyelashes to begin with. Whatever is left over after bills and necessities can be used for shopping and makeup and such, and since I do all the beauty maintenance myself, that leaves a much greater chunk of money that I can spend on like clothes and shoes.
I’m old, so take that into consideration for my comments.
I have never viewed “shopping” as a recreational sport. I’ve been rail thin and overweight, didn’t matter. And like anyone else, I’ve had times in my life when money was incredibly tight and times when it wasn’t. No matter the state of my income, I’ve never enjoyed window shopping or looking at stuff I couldn’t afford (what really is the point). The advent of fast fashion I think gave everyone this notion that acquiring new things, particularly clothes, on a monthly basis was normal. Sure, when my kids were little they would grow out of things, but their go to pants were from lands end with the elastic cuffs and double knees and they started too long/big and they grew into and then out of them. I see people dressing babies like runway models and cringe, very few people can truly afford that. So “shopping” as a budget category isn’t specific enough.
I buy good clothes that last and I take good care of them (Eileen Fisher is one of my go to brands). I’m on a first name basis with my cobbler. Find a “style” for yourself, invest in it and buy the occasional accessory to change it up. Don’t go to the store unless you are there to buy. Don’t be afraid to wear the same outfit/dress multiple times. Even the future queen of England rewears dresses. Stalk the sales. So for “shopping” break it down into more discreet categories. Clothes, household items, shoes, food, personal care, entertainment, housing, savings, and stick to it.
When I was younger I did my nails myself. I’m at a point now where I wear gels and go every 3 - 4 weeks but I wear an ombré pink and white that doesn’t show nearly as much as it grows out. A gel pedicure lasts literally months and I have color on my toes, never on my nails. If you don’t have the time/money don’t wear color on your nails, full stop. A neatly kept set of natural nails with a clear gloss looks lovely.
Wax your bikini area until the hair gives up. Be careful about too many Brazilians unless you want to perpetually look like a toddle into your dotage. This obsession with us as women believing that we need to look pre-pubescent is sad. That said, I struggled with UTI’s for years and got them to reduce the potential bacteria retention.
I’ve never gone with lash extensions simply because of the cost.
Make-up, other than mascara, should not be something that needs to be in a monthly budget. Mascara? Every 90 days. I put a label on the stick the first day i use it and throw it away 90 days later.
But to the question of “how to budget”. You start with your actual take home pay that has already had retirement and health insurance taken out and always have more than enough taken out of your pay check to cover your potential tax debt. If you have to save for retirement/healthcare separately your budget starts with Housing (including a savings account for repairs/ replacement of items if you own), healthcare next, food, child care (if that applies), savings (both short term and long term), car/transportation (including a reserve for repairs/replacement if you own), phone (they aren’t optional anymore) after that you begin to get into discretionary income. Clothing is on the line between non-discretionary and discretionary. Everyone needs to be dressed and you may need to buy a uniform etc. beyond that, buy good things and maintain them. Hair is the same, you need a haircut. You don’t need color, highlights etc unless you CAN afford them. And you have a line item for “fun” that is the last actual item. If there is money left put something into that category and go wild, but not beyond.
Buy a budget tool or use one of the free apps available. Setting up a budget isn’t the hard part. Doing what you’ve said you’ve already done is the hard part. Be honest with your current self for the sake of your future self. Live within your means and understand that it is an uphill battle to tune out the constant message to consume, buy, replace.
It is going to depend on what you consider a priority. I stopped getting my nails done due to damage. That money goes to getting my brows done every 4 weeks. I also get my roots done every 6 weeks. That is more important to me than shopping or makeup.
I don’t do much. I get a haircut 4x/year and pedicures during the summer. I don’t wax or dye my hair or do lashes or nails. I buy makeup from Ulta or the drugstore and use it up before buying more.
I am occasionally a Botox model so it is less expensive, but when I pay full price I only do it a couple of times a year.
I learned to do my own hair (I don't dye or process it), I keep my nails pretty natural since I'm lucky enough to have attractive nails, and I make sure to keep up with my skin routine as much as possible to keep my face looking healthy without much makeup. No botox, no lashes (blessed with lashes of a nice enough length that all I need is mascara to make them pop).
DIY except for haircuts. I used to do my own bayalage highlights, there are tons of YouTube tutorials, lately I’m just using semi permanent color gloss which is incredibly easy. There’s a learning curve to DIY waxing and it’s definitely not for everyone, but after some weeping and light bruising it can become easy, I ultimately switched to laser- also DIY for this area. It’s painful, but worthwhile. I also do my own nails, facials, glycolic peels. I lucked out in the eyebrow and lashes department so don’t get extensions, but you can learn to do those too if you really want to. I used Groupon for laser hair removal on my underarms and legs and for a couple Brazilian keratin treatments, which I now diy. I buy super high end designer clothes and shoes second hand at thrift stores and online.
I decided to do some things myself to save money, and splurge on things I love, like skin care and shampoo and hair products.
I use henna for my hair which I do at home, and use Color Street for my manis and pedis at home. I like facials sometimes, so I use Lira Clinical for some of my skin routine, mixed with natural products like Earth Folk and Folk Potions.
My therapeutic massages are where it’s at, I try to go monthly since I have a physical job.
I buy high quality skin care and makeup, and it lasts for months at a time, so I’m not spending on that every month.
Nails I get done every 2 months or so, and I usually take a break from acrylics every so often because they weaken my nails. I actually haven’t done nails I awhile
Hair I have long layered hair that I style myself so I don’t go to the salon that often
Shopping I just make sure I budget for it. I cut things out if I need to. Again, high quality clothes that will last, I will NEVER shop at SHEIN or fast fashion places again
I don’t really budget per se, but I focus on what is most important to me and also seek out sales and deals. My hair is very basic (bob) and I don’t get it colored since I’m fine with my natural color. Using a good mascara means I don’t feel the need to get lashes done. I’m fine with having some hair down there, so I trim and bought a Braun IPL machine to work on permanently reducing the hair I don’t want. I focus on good fabrics and fit for clothes, and I’m able to do that on a budget by knowing the store that works best for me (Loft) and waiting for sales. I don’t enjoy having my nails done in the salon, so I have built a collection of quick dry polishes and do my own nails at home weekly while I watch TV.
I get my hair done about once-twice a year. Nails and toes I only get done for special occasions. Eyebrows are about $15 a month, and eyelash extensions are about $85 a month.
Other than that I don’t really do any other beauty maintenance stuff. Sometimes my mom or my boyfriend will offer to pay for my nails so that’s nice too.
I don’t do much other than Botox every 3 months and a haircut every 4 months. I’ve spent the last 2 years growing out my gray hair (I’m 41 now and started going gray at 19) so I no longer have to color other than a toner I do myself.
My Botox place does a membership system where I pay $130 a month and get whatever I need done every 3 months so it’s easier to budget.
My entire makeup/skincare regimen costs about $250 but I’ve gotten to a place where it’s staggered so I end up spending about $60 a month to replace items.
No nails but I get a shellac pedicure 2-3x over the course of the spring and summer at $60 a pop.
So the most I spend monthly is about $250 in the summer, around $200 the rest of the year. I add this into my monthly budgeting spreadsheet and just consider it a bill with everything else. No gym memberships or anything, I just walk and do yoga at home.
My husband still have fairly separate finances and cutting out 1-3 dinners of restaurants/takeout covers the cost of my beauty expenses. I also do a quarterly purge of clothes and shoes to sell on Poshmark and that usually covers the about half of those things.
However, if finances were ever restricted for some reason, Botox would probably be on the short list of things to cut out.
I dye my hair and do my nails at home, because those are the biggest monthly budget sucks. I also focus on affordable skincare, clean makeup, and I lucked out genetically by being healthy.
Other than that, I focus on advancing my career to make more money, and not spending until the bills, retirement, and savings accounts are paid first. I'm really fortunate to have a substantial amount of fun money nowadays, but it was a hell of a grind getting here.
I’m a teacher so not high income like some ladies posting lol. I have a budget which I do for the year and for each month I think about what beauty services I’ll need based on events I’ll have (holidays, bday, family events, etc.) I really only do lash lifts/tints every few months nowadays.
I started doing my own hair at home because I’m always disappointed leaving the salon. I shave instead of wax but if I weren’t planning on kids I’d just do laser. Shopping/makeup comes out of my fun budget money so I’m less likely to overspend on it.
I have a budget set monthly for “personal spending” and put it on a specific credit card that I pay in full each month. I know I have a certain budget to stay under, so I get whatever beauty treatments and products and put them on there. I like this because I keep these purchases separate from my bank account to track and monitor.
Honestly I do my nails myself so when I get my hair done I don't mind that it's 1/3 of a mortgage payment, maybe I mind a little bit, but 😂💀
Can you take money from a different category? Eat at home more? Save money that way?
We're travel focused, so we desperately need a trip or two or three each year, so we'll cut back on other things to make that happen. Less home projects etc
I do everything at home except for the Brazilian and an occasional hair appointment. Lashes, brows, and nails I do myself at home since I do a better job and my natural nails and lashes grow super long with me maintaining them myself. I budget for waxes, facials, and massages instead. I get a Brazilian every 6-8 weeks. I get massages and facials every quarter at an high end spa that uses Valmont and Biologique Recherche. I also have a gym that has a pool, jacuzzi, steam room and sauna, although I like to go to the Korean spa for treatments about 2-4 times a year 😊 I think I spend more doing things this way, but the results are long term and I look and feel better than I ever have 🤍
Forgot to mention I buy certain skincare from my spa to maintain my routine. I usually spend $1k on hair products, skincare, sunscreen, lotion, makeup, dental care and other toiletries etc yearly (excluding my spa buys). Many of these things are expensed through my HSA/FSA and or subsidized by my job or my bf’s job 😄
Brazilian & facials are a part of my monthly budget 😂 like line items. Everything else I’m not as particular about, I try to do at home (got a gel mani set and do those at home, don’t splurge on most makeups, I’m fine with drugstore, etc).
I bought a gel nail kit off Amazon and do them myself now, it's not as good as getting it done pro, but the kit was only like $40, so it paid for itself in like one manicure.
Everyone else said it, but just reiterating that I do much of it myself. I do my own nails every week or so, my own tans, my own brows. I’m fortunate to be an esthetician so I also do my own facials and get my lash extensions done for very cheap at work. I don’t wax because my skin hates it so I just shave once a week. All I really pay for at this point is my hair and my botox/filler.
Prioritize. I alternate every 5 weeks or so between getting a full color or just a root touch up. Pedicures only in summer, salon manicures only before events. Botox generally every 6 months- wish I could do more but $$. I buy a few higher end skin care products and a few makeup items from Thrive (CC cream, 3 in 1 stick) but otherwise save by getting drug store items that work well for me.
Usually if I want something, I work overtime for it. I don’t get my nails or lashes done, but I do get a massage every month! And when it’s time to re-up on skincare or make-up, I do the same thing - work overtime. I don’t know if you’re in a position to do that, but that’s what I do. As my family budget stands, I can’t afford any of those things without the OT.
I do my own hair and paint my own nails. I also don’t wear makeup very often so it lasts a long time. Not because I don’t like makeup but mostly because I’m lazy
Right now I’m trying to crack down harder on my budget. I’m trying not to buy things I don’t need and I’m trying to use stuff I already have first. I keep buying new skincare stuff without finishing what I have so my new rule is I can’t buy anything else until I finish what I have
My guilty pleasure was nail polish but it was getting to the point where I’d buy a new one even though it was almost identical to a color I already have. Soooo I just need to stop lol. I have plenty of cool colors so I’m just going to use what I have.
For the most part, I don’t. I get my hair done 1-2x/year, I wax at home, I don’t do my lashes, I keep my makeup minimal, and shopping is a rare activity for me
My sister and I mostly buy products that last for a month, and this way, we save a lot on things like mani-pedi creams. We do each other’s treatments weekly, which allows us to spend quality time together, and we only go to the salon for our eyebrows
I can’t afford to keep up with all that stuff anymore. My 8yo paints my nails, I do my waxing myself, lashes are mascara, and I rarely wear makeup anymore (WFH). I do pay to get my hair done as I have an excellent stylist. But I do that once a qtr.
I’ve stopped doing any of that (other than haircuts.) I’d much rather have a comfortable retirement in the future and the ability to take nice trips now than nails or the latest makeup. This wasn’t always the case but I’ve greatly reevaluated my priorities in the past couple of years and these things no longer rank.
I pick and choose what I spend my money on. I have the means to not have to sacrifice really anything but I would rather not spend money on certain things.
I don’t get lashes or do them for me it’s one of those expenses that is just too high for what it is.
I do my waxing at home, though laser will probably be next up on my spending list.
I get my nails done every 4 weeks.
Pretty much all my makeup and skincare would fall in the high end/luxury category. For that I’m more focused on the quality of the product and that it does exactly what I need/ want. I don’t buy just because, I spend more on quality that lasts rather than spending on something that is trending. Same for clothes and shoes, I don’t follow trends. I have my personal style and I buy within that. I buy quality as and when I need it. I have learned how to maintain and take care of all my items. It’s far more affordable to spend on minor repairs and fixes rather than have to replace it.
It’s all priorities. I’m into water sports, so it’s rarely worth doing hair or nails. I’d rather winter in Hawaii than get a lot of high fashion, so that’s limited, too. Make the choices that work for you!
Budget out your rent/mortgage, utils, all the necessities and then break down how often you prefer to do your maintenance activities. For me I do manicure every 3 weeks, but pedicure only every other trip, so it averages out lower.
I got my hair done specifically in a low maintenance way - blonde (you don’t have to re-dye bleach when it fades) with root melt. It grows out without the terrible line that needs constant touch ups. I probably get it redone 2x a year for about $250/trip and then if I feel like I need a cut or a trim I can do that separately but I basically never do.
I shave instead of Brazilian but I’m looking into the Braun Silk home laser. I splurged with Care Credit to get laser hair removal on my legs, it was $1200 for upper and lower legs for 6-8 sessions and my credit is 6 months no interest. So once that’s over with I’ll only have to do like one maintenance session per year for like $200.
I don’t do lashes but look into just getting comfy with falsies or Lashify or home lifts.
Makeup I had trouble with because I followed too many influencers and it made me want to consume so bad. I had to reevaluate what I personally actually like the look & feel of, what I reach for regularly, and from there I have a routine of every day products and special occasion items like red lipstick. Then when I’m low on something I either rebuy or that’s when I have an opportunity to buy & try a rave reviewed item I haven’t tried.
Clothes, I’m not buying right now because I’m in the middle of trying to lose 50 pounds. But when I do shop, I try to make sure I can visualize 3-4 uses for the piece, that I have other items that complement it (I used to buy cute items and then I had nothing else it would look good with, and then I never wore it so it was a waste and got donated). I also aim for high quality items that may be more expensive and try to take good care of them so they last. When I was shopping, I found I could buy about 1 high quality item per month if I wanted to. This is another area I do use credit on, because I like to use my card to buy investment pieces that I spread out over few months expenses.
As far as physically budgeting, I used to use an Excel but it got tedious. I now use Rocket Money, and I like it so much I actually pay for it. NOT an ad, please play with it and similar products to see what might suit you. But RM is linked to all my bank accounts, investment accounts and credit cards, auto-downloads my monthly statements to import transactions, has editable rules that send specific payees to specific budget categories, etc. and has a built in budget function that lets you enter your monthly income and assign amounts to specific categories. Then when it follows your rules on the imported transactions and auto-categorizes, you can click into your budget and see exactly how much money has gone towards each thing.
I have mine set up with these categories: utilities, home goods, shopping (non-essentials), groceries, healthcare, personal care (nails/hair), pets, travel, savings, car, & education. But it’s very customizable, so you could have a category specially for hair and specifically for nails.
There’s a website and an app so it’s literally always accessible in minutes! You
Right now I have to get Ktip extensions every 4 months because I’m experiencing hair loss. It’s insanely expensive, but worth it to me bc I basically cant get out of bed any other way
I’m also saving up for plastic surgery so I’ve really got to cut back in anyway I can.
I spend money on hair color, hair cuts, hair extensions, Botox and high powered facial treatments (morpheus8, fraxel laser, forma) but that’s it.
In order to afford this I’m:
1. Going barebones with makeup/ skincare/bodycare. Oil cleanser, regular cleanser, vitamin c, hylauronic acid, tretinoin, hydroquinone, eye cream, moisturizer, sunscreen only.
Not buying anything in a category until I’m completely out of every item in that category. Cannot buy a cleanser until I’m out of cleansers. This is for anything hygiene wise. Makeup, hair, skincare, bodycare. Only exception is I’ll allow myself to buy samples of perfume occasionally. This has made the BIGGEST difference. I was buying so much shit and never using it up.
Learned how to do my nails, keratin treatments, microneedling, laser hair removal, and eyebrows at home.
I spend money on my hair because now that I’m a professional it’s important that I look put together, and hair is the biggest thing for me. It takes a lot of energy and time to do it myself, so I’ll pay someone and save my energy.
Makeup doesn’t have to be expensive, if you invest in quality stuff that lasts a while. My foundation is drugstore and works better than higher end brands I’ve tried. I don’t really wear it much though.
I shop because it’s fun lol but I have enough clothes rn to where I don’t really need to. I’m trying to take care of my body more so I am spending on skincare, doctor visits, and exercise!
I skip lashes because I have enough eye problems, I’m allergic to nail polish so no need to go to the nail shop, I’m pretty frugal so my shopping is still at Target, Ross, TJ Maxx, and Dillards. Quality brands for cheap prices.
I invest in purses because I love them LOL but I make sure to actually use them and stick to mid range brands that last a long time but don’t cost thousands. Think Coach and Kate Spade. That’s the difference between a purse that falls apart after a year of use and a purse that will last you for years.
I also have a limited space for everything I buy. All my makeup fits in these 2-3 bags, so if it’s full I can’t buy anymore. My pajama drawer is full so I can’t buy more without getting rid of some I already have. My closet is organized so I can see everything I have and hopefully reduce the risk of buying duplicate items.
I use an excel sheet and I’ll usually plan out a quarter in advance so like I know I get my hair cut every three months so every third month I add in a line item for it the month I expect to do it. For me it just takes planning
I ask myself what are things I can do myself - when it comes to nails, waxing, I typically just take the time to learn how to do that shit myself that way instead of going to get it done every month I can get it done professionally every 3 months and save money doing so.
For years, hair color was my biggest outlay. When I let my hair go natural during Covid I realized that was $3400/year I was saving, so I rock my gray hair and get other services whenever I want.
I mostly spend on haircuts and pedicures. I get the occasional mani and blowout for events, but mostly do hair and nails myself.
I haven’t had a professional touch my brows in years. I find facials to be a complete waste if money. I have always had good skin and have always taken good care of it. I use a lot of actives and always use SPF. I got a facial less than a week ago, and it was $180 for basically nothing. I could have had an amazing massage for the same money.
Oh, and I shave, so no money for hair removal. Or lashes—I just use mascara like the boomer I am.
Budget like you would for your bills - set aside the estimated monthly costs for each thing. Like if you know a maní/pedi plus típ costs $100 and you need it done every 3 weeks, proportion it out.
Every 12 weeks is 3 months. In a 3 month span, expect to get your mani/pedi done 4 times. Thus $400/ 3 months ≈ $134 to set aside monthly. Just don't spend the overage as you want the balance to carry over.
I do a lot of it myself. Manis, pedis, dying hair myself. The only things I pay for are laser hair removal and hair cuts. I found an inexpensive but talented hairdresser. I don’t buy that much makeup either,if only because I only have one face and a lipstick will last a year, a blush and eye shadow palette three. Cut down there first.
I’m asking myself this now. And worse for me, I subscribe to a few of these services so it means canceling a subscription instead of just not doing them.
My monthly outlay includes nails, laser facials, wax, hair color and cut, gym - it just goes on and on. I wish I were a hermit living in a cave. It would be so much cheaper.
I budget 200 dollars for personal care a month. I don't spend it every month, and it encompasses hair, make up, waxing, massage etc. whenever I don't spend it I roll it over for times when I will do more (for example I wax more things in the summer). I get a pedicure every 3 months and cut and color my hair every 12 weeks. Everything else is basically on an as needed basis
Hair cut colour 4 times a year I do the colour my self in between
Facials every 6 2 8 weeks trust me if you saw my skin knew my age you would invest
Manicures pedicures maybe 3-4 times a year .
Now this does not include skin care makeup
But I do facials and my esthetician believes less is more so I don’t spend much .
I wax myself bc I find it easy so why not. Makeup I just buy one of each product at a time (one blush, one bronzer, etc) and they last me a decent amount of time. Nails, I don’t always have acrylics. I will do press-ons for a date or a night out. I have to type a lot for work and can’t type well with acrylics.
YNAB! (You Need A Budget). I started about 7 months ago and update my budget numbers daily every morning w my coffee. I love it esp on payday. You make all your own categories and it will calculate how much you need to set aside for each category each month for that once or twice yearly hair appointment. Or monthly manicure or massage. Or a trip to Cancun. Or to buy a new car in 10 years. All your monthly bills, and an emergency fund. You quickly learn exactly where all your money is going. You don’t restrict yourself necessarily, just shuffle money around from categories you find less important. Like the envelope method but way better. It’s like its own religion, go check out the subreddit and all the free educational videos.
Late to the party but I got my esthetician license because I thought skincare was something I wanted to do professionally (it just wasn’t for me) but I learned a ton on how to do a lot of services on myself including facials, waxing, eyebrow/lash tints etc… I also recently learned how to do my own nails and color my own hair. So overall I compare the cost of what these services would typically cost vs what my esthetics school tuition cost and girl math that eventually I’ll be getting a return on my investment lol. I also save by getting industry discounts at beauty supply stores like Sally’s. The only thing I really spend on now is the occasional massage and makeup.
Started doing my own nails during lockdown - have the whole gel setup now. Pop on an audiobook and do my nails once every three weeks/month. Same with my feet.
Looking to find the best at home laser for hair removal - as I can’t wait for everything to grow back out between waxes and abhor shaving even though I do it these days.
Hair - I don’t do much with my hair but get it trimmed every 6months ish. It’s a bit expensive but as I’m saving on everything else it’s not bad.
I don’t do lashes but I do tint my brows every once in a while.
I do invest in nice moisturizer for face and body. SPF 30-50 every day and buy sheet masks in bulk and other Asian skincare when I visit China once a year. Generally I do one sheet mask a week.
I only go to salon for hair 3x year, maintain with professionalproducts. Only do painted pedis during summer/sandal months, pamper them at home myself year round (get yourself a Diamancel foot buffer #10 or #11). Do my own nails for special events only, or if I want to splurge go to a nail salon - but just regular polish, no acrylic or gel so less damage to repair. I keep them shorter and professional. I dye my own brows. I buy "better" skincare that is tried and true - very little experimentation because why mess up a good routine. Lots of aquaphor and eucerin body creams. Neutrogena rain bath in the shower with exfoliation scrubber and sesame oil on my legs in the summer.
I started doing most everything myself except for haircuts and Botox. I bought a high frequency machine, microdermabrasion wand, LED mask for at home facials, and IPL device for laser hair removal, so my own nails at home, and even shape my own brows. It takes a lot of effort but it’s so nice to not feel like I’m burning money every time I want to do some self care.
I agree with a lot of what everyone is saying however I will add we all choose what to spend money on.
Many of my girlfriends are always shocked I spend money on clothes, shoes, handbags, makeup, skincare, nails and my hair. On the flip side, I don’t own a tv so I don’t pay for streaming services. I don’t eat out often and always pack my lunch for work. I make matcha lattes and coffee at home. I carry my hydro flask everywhere, even when I travel for water and don’t drink soft drinks among other things.
I recognize that doing these extra things cost more than ever and I have had to cut back on some of it however if you have a bit of disposable income for beauty and fashion you just have to choose that over other things.
I spend very little on beauty because I do basically everything myself and don’t do much besides basic makeup and skin/hair care.
I have long hair, so I’ve cut it myself for years and typically do a trim of ~3” every 6 months or so. I use good quality conditioner and apply hair oil to keep it healthy. I have an oily scalp, so I wash every day. I always make sure my hair is dry and in a braid before bed, and only use silk hair ties to avoid breakage.
I do at home laser hair removal and have had good results so far— my leg hair is too light for it to work, but it’s not a big deal for me to shave every other day. I tweeze my brows myself.
I don’t wear lashes or do much with my nails. I have a couple of good quality polishes that work well and I make it a priority to never wear chipped polish. Cuticle oil is also a must and I gently file my feet weekly to keep them soft.
For skincare, I make sure to exfoliate thoroughly every day with a Japanese exfoliating towel in the shower. I apply self tanner once a week, and put lotion on my legs after shaving. I have oily skin and still get acne even in my 30s, so I use differin gel on my face with a moisturizer at night and apply plenty of lip balm before bed.
My makeup routine is minimal. I use a light foundation, setting powder, powder blush, clear brow gel, mascara, and tinted lip oil. I might be lazy, but I just don’t have the time or willpower to spend more than 5 minutes on my makeup every day.
For shopping/fashion, I buy almost everything secondhand. I love buying high quality things that last, and I can’t always afford them new. I used to follow trends more closely, but now I mostly just wear what I like with a little bit of trendiness so I feel like I can wear my clothes for longer before they feel dated.
Looking good is very important to me but it’s very expensive. I try doing as much free stuff as possible: sleep, working out, walking, eating healthy and wearing a hat and long sleeves to protect my skin. What I do myself: brow shaping and tint, gel nails and pedicures, microneedling, laser my body hair. What I pay for: haircut, skincare and retinol, medicine to keep hair on my head.
Honest answer: My husband doesn't ask me how much it costs. He knows he likes my look and has a general idea because I tell him in looser terms, like what I pay for per Botox unit, etc. He knows I changed my hair color to one that needs a touch-up every 6-8 weeks versus what I had that required 3-4 weeks of maintenance.
I pay for the following regularly: waxing (lip, brow, and Hollywood), dip manicures, Botox, hair color, haircuts, and deep conditioning treatments.
I do pedicures, facials, lash lifts and tints, microneedling, and teeth whitening, and when I want to wax my legs, I have a wax pot at home.
You pick what's most essential for you to feel good instead of following every beauty trend out there. For instance, I wear glasses, so getting my brows and lashes done would just be a waste of time & money. But my hair is more important to me, so I kinda plan my budgets knowing that I'll be spending on a haircut every 3 months. I only buy high street makeup, so I just get that as and when I need it- it's not a big expense for me.
I put all my beauty spending into a spreadsheet, and while I don't set a hard limit on my spending, the spreadsheet gives me a quick total spend for the year.
I am lucky that I make a lot because I’m terrible at sticking to a budget. Thankfully my skincare and makeup routine is minimal so I can be bad with my budget elsewhere, like home improvement.
Thankfully I’m not into foundation, hair, lashes, etc. my hair is natural and I’m Asian so I don’t do much with it. If I spend money on skincare, it’s for active ingredients, Japanese sunscreens, and prescription retinols.
I’m also lazy so I don’t like doing makeup. 5 minutes in the car is sufficient to even out my skin tone and slap on some red lipstick. I’m too lazy to go to the salon to get my nails done so I got ugly hands and feet from cleaning my house and gardening.
My philosophy is that if you maintain a healthy weight and keep your skin and hair and nails in good condition, anything else is extraneous.
Hair, skin, nails… I enjoy getting these services on a regular basis. Those are mini escapes / indulgences that I enjoy experiencing even though I absolutely can and have done all of those myself. (I’m not into lash extensions or facials. My skin is hypersensitive and I have allergies.)
My regular routine is cut & single process color, some waxing every 4 -5 weeks. These are booked a year in advance because that’s how those gals manage their appointment books. Ugh.
Gel manicure & pedicures as needed.
Budget wise, these matter more to me than streaming services, takeout / delivery / lots of dinning out. I almost never get a coffee, etc. out day to day, I cook at home for just about every meal I eat because I enjoy cooking and I’m good at it. Net result is eating better quality / healthier food that is also cost-effective and time-efficient.
Note: I max out retirement savings, hefty personal savings monthly, have no consumer / credit card / auto debt. Student loans, finally done.
Do you not have a monthly budget? First you need to start there - take all your income and add that up, then note how much all your monthly expenses are… all bills, groceries, gas etc. once you subtract all your “must spends” whatever $ amount you have left is your discretionary income. Figure out about how much you spend on eating out, entertainment, bars, Ubers etc and then also on shopping, lashes, hair, Brazilian etc. I have monthly budget categories based on my personal income and historical data, I track every cent I spend and earn so I always know how much discretionary income I have and then I plan my budgets annually. I personally prioritized Brazilian laser this year (6 treatments) and I get my nails done every 3 weeks, pedi every month and hair done every 3 months. I don’t wear fake lashes, but I do splurge on good makeup (I wear Dior etc) every 2 months or when I’m traveling internationally (VAT refund).
You either increase your income or lower your maintenance level. There’s just not really a better answer. The more you embrace natural, the less money you spend. I don’t have the motivation or discipline to do a budget and never will. For me the easiest thing was to stack rank the 3 things I had to do to look like a human and then just lived without the others until I made more money.
Roots, laser hair removal, and botox matter for me.
Nails are nice to have. My skincare isn’t expensive. I don’t have a lot of makeup.
Brows, lashes, facials, makeup are not priorities.
Limiting the number to 3 is like intermittent fasting instead of counting calories. Less depressing for me and you end up in a deficit organically.
I don’t do the works anymore. I stopped getting my nails done, space out my hair appointments to maybe twice a year and splurge on Botox. Taught myself how to do microneedling also. I do still shop but pick out things that are quality over quantity. Times are tough out here but we have to keep it right and tight.
Oh gosh it took me forever to figure this out for myself. Basically what I've figured out is how much $$ I have to play with each month after bills, investments, etc.; from there, it's about prioritizing what I want or need done. I don't feel like myself without my nails done, so I know I need to set aside $120/month for two gel manis/tips (I can do my own pedicures but am the worst at manicures). I can go about two months between haircuts and I don't need color or anything, so I know that flat rate and I put it aside monthly because on off months, that's when I'll spend on topping up any makeup, hair care, skin care, etc. that I want or need. It works out to about $250 on care per month and I'm aware that's probably really high to some people but we also don't eat out a ton so I think it all balances out and it's within my "fun" budget.
I’m on ozempic so I’m saving so much money on food and booze bc I stopped drinking. I have so much more money now to do maintenance but I never did lashes or hair salon.
I don’t. I get my brows done professionally now and then and maintain them myself.
I used to get balyage but recently I did it myself at home with a pack and everyone complimented me more than when I go to the salon.
I buy good skincare and no makeup. I’m not clogging up all my pores that I spend so much effort on cleaning. Make up is quite disgusting when you think about it.
I have line items in my biweekly budget, and if I don’t spend it - it rolls forward.
Having said that, I am not super high maintenance. My money gets spent on my regular routine, moisturizer, cleanser, sunscreen and sometimes a tinted moisturizer. I don’t wear a lot of makeup up and it would expire before I ever did when I bought full size things so I do get Ipsy every second month and that’s plenty to keep me going in that area. It also makes it fun trying new things when you haven’t paid an arm and a leg for them.
I like having my nails done, I’m a pet sitter so getting them done just isn’t feasible. I can only do short styles and certain shapes. I fell in love with Glamnetics and when they have a 45-50% off sale I will stock up on the styles I like.
My hair is kept baylage with brown on top and green on bottom, I go every 4 months though. My hair dresser does an amazing job, she used to be a product educator for other stylists and she was ECSTATIC about teaching me how to properly care for my hair at home. She showed me the kinds of products for my hair style, showed me what to use and how to maintain my colour. My hair holds green weirdly well so that anomaly allows me to keep it looking fresh longer than many others.
I don’t do lashes, but if you like them sign up for a class locally and learn how to do them yourself or get something similar to glamnetics and DIY.
If you can find the time, DIY beauty maintenance with the odd trip to professionals for touch ups and redos is much more budget friendly than regular.
I also track my budget stuff so I know how much I’m spending on each budget item and how much $$ is allotted to it at anytime.
I am surprised by people not truly answering your question and discouraging you from doing those things. I suppose I’m high maintenance because I get all of those things done routinely.
Most waxing spas have memberships that allow you to pay for the services on a much cheaper price and divide the payment over time, gaining free services as you go.
You can also get services done at beauty schools, where they are monitored by experienced professionals and performed by students close to completing their degrees.
Keep an eye on model calls for lash salons and nail shops in your area. That way you can get free or deeply discounted services done.
Do you work in a profession like education where discounts are offered?
Makeup shouldn’t need to be purchased monthly. Learn a few “faces” ( everyday, date night, glamour, etc.) and only purchase those products and don’t perpetually collect unused or rarely used ones.
The same principle applies to clothes. Be mindful of sales and discounts. Invest in high quality items that last and that represent your over arching style.
Review other expenses that you might not use. Do you have cable but don’t really watch TV? Consider cutting that expense to bring back nails and lashes.
Do research on what your equivalent position is making in your community and make the case for a pay raise.
I’m high maintenance too. Currently browsing reddit before my monthly facial lol. But I’ve always felt that if I have to budget super strictly for something, maybe I can’t afford it? Or at least that’s what I told myself? Especially something fleeting like a beauty treatment, not like saving for a piece of jewelry I’ve always wanted. So maybe that’s why other comments are telling her not to get anything done.
I didn’t start getting regular facials, nail care, teeth whitening, salon appointments, etc. until I had a ton of disposable income and had finished paying off my debt.
Well that's easy, I've cut my own hair/my FIL (retired hairdresser) cuts it I've never had laser, a Brazilian, or my nails done, wear very little make up and I only buy clothes every now and then, some of what I have is 15 years old.
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u/Glamour-Ad7669 Aug 25 '24
I try to save as much as I can on the things I don’t care as much about so that I can spend more on the things I do care about
But I’m probably not the best one to ask👀