Posts Tagged ‘budget beauty’
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7 lipsticks for the price of 1
I’m starting to wonder if up until now my expectations of a lipstick have been too low. Until recently, I was happy with a great colour, glossy shine and staying-power. I didn’t feel let down with just one shade, or wish my lipstick could save me valuable handbag space. Well, that was then. Things are different now – I’ve discovered the new hardworking SpectraColour by Avon. For pretty much the price of just one lipstick, I now have seven colours to choose from – it’s such a great idea I’m not sure why it’s taken so long!
The lipstick features a dark and light version of the shade. Twisting the dial at the bottom squeezes just the right amount of customised colour from the tube. Six colour options are available, including pink, nude, brown and lilac. Read full post
Posted in Beauty
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DIY eyelash tinting - the ultimate in beauty on a budget
Last week I talked about how my ongoing beauty maintenance (tinting and shaping my ultra-blonde lashes and brows every four to six weeks) is a constant drain on my wallet. I’ve already given my beloved (but rather pricey) beauty therapist the flick after calculating that I was shelling out £720 over a 12 month period. So I visited the London College of Beauty Therapy for a much cheaper series of treatments that would cost a total of £180 over a year - a massive saving of £540!
But now I’m starting to wonder … can I go cheaper? And the answer, of course, is a resoundingly yes! I’ve been researching some DIY treatments, and found a home eyelash and brow dye kit from Boots. The best part? It costs the grand total of £7.10, and there’s apparently enough product to last for 12 months. Potentially a saving of another £172.90.
So I put the kit to the test tonight to see if it (a) was relatively straight-forward and easy to apply and (b) stands up to professional salon standards. The verdict? Not half bad. Granted, it was another beauty “chore” and involved a bit of time on my part, but it was really nothing compared to the time taken to actually get to and from salons in London.
Applying the tint itself was really easy, but I had to enlist the help of my husband to really get the job done right. So I would recommend calling a friend if you want to try it at home. And the results were quite good. Admittedly, the dye itself isn’t as dark as my usual therapist, but I might try topping it up again tomorrow. Considering I’m saving a grand total of £712.90 per annum, I’m not really complaining! Next up? My brows.
Total spent: £7.10/annum
Cost of eyelash and brow tinting over 12 months: £720
Total saved: £712.90/annumPosted in Beauty
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Beauty on a budget: where to get the cheapest treatments in London [Part 2]
I’m back with groomed brows, dark lashes and baring only a slight resemblance to a Jim Henson muppet (only kidding.) Actually, my brows are probably a wee bit darker than desirable but I totally hold myself responsible as I requested that they leave the tint on for longer than usual. Anyway…
My experience at London College of Beauty Therapy’s salon was actually overwhelmingly – and surprisingly – positive. After checking in at reception, I was taken through to my own private treatment room within the dazzlingly white, chandelier-bedecked professional salon.
As I was having the “trio” of treatments: eyelash tint, eyebrow tint and eyebrow shape, I was allocated three separate therapists. One for each treatment. Just a tiny departure from the usual salon experience. And I had to sign a helluva lot of disclaimer forms. Which isn’t so unusual. And although it did take slightly longer than usual, I was too busy saving money to really care.
At the end of the day I really couldn’t fault the standard and quality of my treatments. In truth, I’ve paid a whole lot more for worse. The students were extremely conscientious and a supervisor checked in at the end of each treatment to ensure I was happy and each procedure was performed correctly. And I was asked to give each student a score. If only every beauty salon in London was as interested in customer feedback and satisfaction…
Total spent: £15
Cost of treatment at usual beauty salon: £60
Total saved: £45Posted in Bargains & Markets, Beauty
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Beauty on a budget: where to get the cheapest treatments in London
The sheer work (and hard-earnt cash) that goes into maintaining basic grooming is no mean feat. I’m fair-skinned with naturally very blonde hair, which means that my eyelashes and eyebrows frequently pale into featurelessness unless I do something about them. That means regular four-to-six weekly tinting and shaping sessions, which really burns a hole in one’s pocket when you look at total costs over a year.
I adore my regular beauty therapist. She has the hands of an angel and the skill of a master engineer. But she’s not exactly cheap. I try to rationalise that good grooming is a good investment, but this reasoning has become more difficult to justify since the recession hit my bank account.
She charges £20 for an eyelash tint, £15 for an eyebrow tint and £25 for brow shaping (with threading). This is a total of £60, which works out at an eye-watering £720 over a 12 month period. Ouch (and that’s not the threading talking). Time to reconsider my options.
I’ve heard some very good things about London’s line-up of beauty colleges, which open their salon doors to the public so their students can get some professional experience.I must confess that I don’t love the idea of a student using me as a guinea pig, especially when it comes to my face. I mean, eyebrow tinting in the hands of the inexperienced could very well mean that I walk out the door baring a very close resemblance to Ernie’s mate Bert. And we don’t want that, do we? Not unless I’m looking for a career on Sesame Street.
Still, I seriously can’t afford to keep paying £60 every four weeks, so I make a booking at London’s College of Beauty Therapy. Here, I can get the same treatment (eyelash and brow tint and shape) for a total of £15 – a massive saving of £45 (and £540 over 12 months). I’m assured that the students are experienced and supervised, and their “luxurious” salon looks utterly professional. Check in with me tomorrow to see how I go…
Posted in Beauty
