CONSUMER FOCUS: The cost of personal care
Buy gas or get a haircut?
If you have to make that choice, there are ways to do both
National Public Radio aired a report last month titled, “Do Hairy Women Signal a Rough Economy?” In it, people surveyed said they were purposely slacking off on beauty upkeep in an attempt to shave a few bucks in expenses.
Apparently pedicures, hair coloring and even hair cuts are getting back-burnered by increased transportation and food costs. In fact, the National Cosmetology Association confirmed, 70 percent of women are spending less on beauty and grooming as bigger and bigger portions of their overall budget get funneled into gasoline and grocery expenses.
Consumers are increasingly putting off beauty maintenance, letting hair grow out longer between trips to the waxer, for example, or doing without beauty treatments altogether.
Still, the experts say you don’t have to throw in the spa towel just yet. Here are a few tips and tricks to stay stylish on a shoestring budget.
• Rather than going in for a full dye job to cover just a few gray hairs, try hair mascara (Rashell Masc-A-Gray, $6.39) or make your own.
Buy disposable mascara wands ($2.99 for 12) and an at-home box of hair dye. Since dye must be used once it is mixed, stir together only a portion of the dye solution and tightly cap the rest. Dip the wand in the dye to cover the gray, then leave on for the recommended time.
• Wash color-treated hair with color-protecting shampoo and try to skip one or two days between washes. Try Dove Advanced Color Therapy ($4.99). Your hair color will stay vibrant twice as long.
• Use a thermal heat spray on hair if you use a flat or curling iron.
“Yes, you’re paying a little more because you’re buying a product, but you’re saving money — and the health of your hair — in the long run,” said Renee Strazella, owner of the Bella Capelli salon at 199 Main St. in East Aurora.
• Most stylists don’t charge for consultations. This is a great way to get free, personalized hair care advice, and it’s a way to “audition” stylists without committing to a service.
• Deep conditioning treatments take almost no skill and can be done at home cheaply and easily. You can buy packets of conditioning masks for $1.99, which come with easy-to-follow directions.
• Know what you’re paying for. Some salons charge separately for things like shampooing, but others include it in the price of the haircut. Sometimes, skipping suds won’t save money.
• Ask for clarification when your stylist uses lingo you’re not familiar with. How do you know if you want to be “razored” or “stacked” if you don’t know what it means?
“Don’t be afraid to say, ‘What do you mean by that?’ ” said Michelle Gugino, salon manager at Master Cuts in the Boulevard Mall.
• Be specific when communicating what you want. Bring pictures as examples to make sure you’re on the same page. Remember, the word “short” may mean something completely different to your stylist than what you intend.
• Next time you see someone whose hair wows you, ask where they got it done. Stylists will tell you most of their long-term clients tracked them down through word of mouth. “You have no idea how many people come in and say things like, ‘I saw this girl with the cutest hair at the grocery store and she told me about you,’ ” said Strazella.
• Sick of dropping coin on a haircut every six weeks? Try a style that doesn’t need to be maintained as often. Gugino suggests a hairstyle with long layers — think Eva Mendes — or a classic bob in almost any length.
“A bob is going to grow out much more nicely. It will keep its shape and just grow into a longer and longer version of itself,” she said.
Strazella also suggests trying a sweeping bang, as short bangs need almost constant upkeep.
Remember: the shorter the cut, the sooner you will need to return to the salon. Stay away from anything too sculpted or blunt.
• Opt for a student stylist and get heavily discounted services.
You can ask for a “stylist in training” at just about any salon and score a discount if one is available. Students who have completed their training but need clinical hours conduct services under the watchful eye of an experienced instructor.
December and May are great times to ask, because that’s when most schools end their semesters and send students out into the world.
• Use baby oil rather than specially formulated hot oil treatments for hair. You’ll get the same result for a fraction of the price.
• If you’re just heading home to bed after a haircut, skip the blowout. Sure, it’s fun to see which style the haircutter will come up with, but is it worth the extra cash just to go home and sleep on it?
• Ask for military, student and senior citizen discounts if you qualify. Some salons offer discounted prices on slow days, such as Monday or Tuesday.
Steals on nails
• Create the perfect (cheap!) French manicure with the Sally Hansen 5-Minute French Manicure Pen Kit ($9.99). It comes with a two-in-one base and top coat, a nail color, a white felt-tipped polish “pen” (great for touch-ups) and guideline sticker stencils.
Enough for 50 applications, it’s like paying less than 20 cents per manicure or pedicure.
• Pick up a Tropical Shine Mini 4- Way Nail Buffer Block ($3.79 at Sally Beauty Supply) and follow the directions printed right on the file.
It’s the cheapest, easiest way to keep your nails healthy and pretty.
• Extend the life of your manicure by applying a clear top coat over the polish each day.
• Use a foot file ($1.79 to $9.99 at Sally Beauty Supply) on heels after the shower and apply shea butter to keep skin soft between pedicures.
• Check closeout retailers like Marshall’s and TJ Maxx for inexpensive, high-quality nail care kits and beauty tools.
More for your makeup
• e. l. f. has an entire line of cosmetics, nail care products and beauty tools selling for $1 per item at www.EyesLipsFace.com . When checking out orders of $15 or less, type CAROLINA into the coupon box and receive 50 percent off. • Makeup artists swear by Maybelline Great Lash mascara in the signature pink and green tube — reportedly the best-selling mascara ever. It has been around for decades and sells for less than $5 at just about every discount store.
• Drug store fave L’Oreal is owned by Parisian cosmetic-maker Lancome. Thousands of women swear the two are indistinguishable, outside of their $30 price difference.
• Use store brand baby shampoo as an inexpensive eye makeup remover. This is an especially good idea for those with sensitive eyes or who wear contact lenses.
• Wet ’n’ Wild lip and eyeliner can’t be beat. Most drug stores stock it as a staple, including Rite Aid, Walgreens and K-Mart. And it usually costs about 88 cents per pencil.
• Makeup artists secretly vow that drug store cosmetics are no different than the overpriced ones found at department store makeup counters. The exception? Don’t skimp on foundation. Because it is worn over the entire face, springing for higher quality, natural ingredients will help prevent acne.
• When looking for blush, bronzer or mineral-type foundations, choose pressed powders.
“They’re not as messy and will last much longer than loose powder because they don’t end up all over your bathroom counter or on your clothes,” said Strazella.
