Over the weekend, I spent time with my very classy and beautiful friend Robin. One of Robin's amazing qualities is her ability to look fantastic on a budget and find deals everywhere. So for this post, I am channeling her style-fu to give some handy tips to gals on how to look good on budget.
* Everyone has a right to a mani/pedi. Mani is a manicure (or making your hands/nails look good) while a pedi is a pedicure (or making your feet/toenails look good). While you can go out and get it done professionally, anyone can easily give themselves a cheap brush-off at home (even guys!).
First, find somewhere to soak your hands/feet. You can use your bathtub, a bowl, or snag an inexpensive foot spa (Walmart and Target have them for $20). To add an inexpensive and nice fragrance (as well as help soften hard callouses), try tossing in some orange peel. You can eat the orange while your feet soak! After letting your feet soak for about 10 minutes, use a callous shaver/pumice stone/or even a rough washcloth to soften your feet and get rid of the dry, dead skin on them. (FYI- If you use a callous shaver, please be careful! Use light, frequent strokes. You can seriously cut the bottom of your foot.) When your feet look nice and cherry red, apply a moisturizing lotion. It can be as simple as some lotion you got from your last hotel stay. You're all done! Ladies may then want to touch up or apply toenail polish after wiping the lotion off the nail bed.
Hands are much simpler- soak, dry, lotion, polish. After you do it a few times, you get much faster at it. You can also use things like sugar scrubs and the like to combine the smoothing and moisturizing step.
* Separates stretch your wardrobe! When shopping for clothes, opt for items that you can wear with multiple other items. Buy singles rather than outfits or outfits that have items that can be worn with other things. Patterns in easy-to-match colors, slacks in neutrals (black, khaki), and items you can wear with something dressy or blue jeans can help you look good without spending a fortune.
* Do some long-term budgeting. $8 blade razors can cost $51 a year in blade refills. Whereas an electric razor, whose blades maybe need refills once a year (and are only $10), may only cost a little bit more than the refill blades. See if there are more cost-effective (and less consuming) alternatives.
* Budget in your "must haves" and compromise. Compromise and trade off an impulse buy (and we all make them) for something that you consider a must-have (particular shampoo, spa treatment, etc). Wait an extra month to get your hair cut or go without an item for a month or two. You can fit most things into your budget if you plan ahead for them accordingly.
In addition, you can also find when things are on sale and stock up on them.
* Make your own specialty beauty products. Cucumbers on the eyes really do work! In addition, a quick internet search will give you literally hundreds of recipes for making your own beauty products at home.
* Have a "home spa day" with your friends. Get a group of your friends together, go over to someone's house, and make an afternoon out of home spa treatments.
Some of these tips may seem pretty simplistic and things anyone could figure out on their own, but maybe it will remind you that you can take care of yourself even when money is tight. When you look good, you feel good.
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