Beauty on a Budget: How to get the best deals on all things beauty

As a girl, I love all things beauty related. As an advocate for my financial goals and budget… not so much. I was shocked after going through my bank statements for a year and seeing how much I’d spent on beauty related purchases. Did you know men and women spend on average $244 and $313 per month respectively on their appearances? There has to be a better way to enjoy these treatments and products, but still find a good deal!

I personally have managed to lower my spend on beauty purchases from an average of $500 each and every month, to now a spend of approximately $50 monthly. I’ve devised a few beauty tips that have allowed me to save an average of 90% on beauty, whilst still getting all of the products and treatments I desire. See how much you can save by adopting my beauty hacks below:

Facebook Groups

My favourite tip not many know about is using Facebook groups. You can join these groups for free treatments in your area (search “Free Beauty Treatments” followed by your city) such as hair colour and cuts, manicures, massages and more.

Play the waiting game

The hack I use most frequently is that I fill my online basket with the products I want, then close the tab and leave the site. If I’ve subscribed via emails to their company, I usually receive a discount via email encouraging me to complete my purchase

Amplify Savings

You can also use apps like Shopback, CashRewards and Honey for money back from your purchase or finding other discount codes. After a certain amount of time (usually 90 days) these applications will reward you with a percentage back of your spend, so you can make money from your purchase.

Utilise Subscription Shaving Services

Men spend most of their money on grooming products. A great way to become frugal in this area is to look into subscription based grooming products, for ease of delivery and cheaper high-quality products (one example is the Dollar Shave Club). If this isn’t your thing, why not switch to a safety razor? Multi blaze razors can lead to skin irritation, and this way you don’t need to worry about buying and throwing away plastic cartridges. They’re quite inexpensive and can be recycled too, so you can reduce your environmental impact.

Take Preventative Measures

Try and wear sunscreen and zinc when you’re out in the sun to keep your skin healthy and protected. You’ll spend less money on aloe vera and facial moisturisers if you take care of your skin. 

Volunteer your time as a model

Barbers and hairdressers in training are often looking for models to practice their skills, build their portfolio or try out new techniques. You can also offer to be a hair model for barber training for free haircuts also, to save you money when you are trimming your locks.

Sustainable Beauty  to save money & the environment

As important as it is to be frugal in the beauty space to me, I want to make sure I’m reducing my environmental impact at the same time. I do this by making coffee at home and using leftover grinds to make a great exfoliant or face mask by adding honey and essential oils. I also limit my packaging by purchasing shampoo and soap bars from Lush for zero waste. 

Try multi-use products

Another tip is to purchase multi-use products – think 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioners, moisturiser for face and body, or cleansing oils that take off your makeup and cleanse your skin at the same time. I also try and shop from brands that give back to the planet – for example Burt’s Bees produces more than 150 products all produced with natural ingredients and socially responsible business practices. They have the aim to become the greenest company in the world and of course, bringing the bees back.

Last but not least, consider what is important to you before you buy.

I like to look up the annual ethical fashion report. This reports labour rights and environmental management systems of companies in the fashion industry so I can decide where to spend my money, on which brands and products align with my values.  Ethics doesn’t just have to be about what’s inside a product, but also how a company protects worker’s rights in their supply chain. They grade companies on policies, transparency, auditing, worker empowerment and environmental management.

These are all small but meaningful decisions we can make that our environment will thank us for… and our wallets! Remember, beauty doesn’t  have to break the bank.

Disclaimer: The author is not a financial advisor and the information provided is general in nature and was prepared for information purposes only. This article should not be considered to constitute financial advice. Accordingly, reliance should not be placed on this article as the basis for making an investment, financial or other decision. This information does not take into account your investment objectives, particular needs or financial situation.