Women out there! How much do you spend on average for hair, makeup, nails, facials etc a month?

[Anonymous]

Wow, no one would ever peg me as totally put together and I prob average 150-180/month. Hair is a big part -- color every 6 weeks and cuts every 12. Are you guys dying your hair at home? Going gray?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wow, no one would ever peg me as totally put together and I prob average 150-180/month. Hair is a big part -- color every 6 weeks and cuts every 12. Are you guys dying your hair at home? Going gray?

I am getting more grays here and there. But I don't mind the look. It goes with my age, although I do add some color to it.

But I don't color the entire head, only highlights. I found it hard to maintain the whole head look. At the beginning of summer, I get highlights professionally. It blends nicely with the gray. Then I let it grow out a little before touching it up at home for the holidays.

[Anonymous]

Are there any Black women posting on this thread?

[Anonymous]

I get my hair done every 2 months or so by students for around $25. I'm content with my salt and pepper color. maybe once a year i'll do more of a spa day with facial/nails/etc. I do love a good pedicure but can't justify the expense, generally.

But I'm a government lawyer. Frumpy is our ethos and pathos.

[Anonymous]

$50. But I don't have gray hair yet. I assume once I start dying it will be pricey.

I have oily nail beds (sounds weird but must be genetic) and I can't keep nail polish on at all, so manis and pedis are a waste of money. My nails can peel polish in about 3 days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I get my hair done every 2 months or so by students for around $25. I'm content with my salt and pepper color. maybe once a year i'll do more of a spa day with facial/nails/etc. I do love a good pedicure but can't justify the expense, generally.

But I'm a government lawyer. Frumpy is our ethos and pathos.

bahaha so true. Government is where all the lawyer frumps go to die.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I get my hair done every 2 months or so by students for around $25. I'm content with my salt and pepper color. maybe once a year i'll do more of a spa day with facial/nails/etc. I do love a good pedicure but can't justify the expense, generally.

But I'm a government lawyer. Frumpy is our ethos and pathos.

bahaha so true. Government is where all the lawyer frumps go to die.

to LIVE! or so I like to think. my mind boggles a little at the idea that someone would drop the kind of time required on some of the above-described beauty regimes, never mind the money. who the heck has time for that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I get my hair done every 2 months or so by students for around $25. I'm content with my salt and pepper color. maybe once a year i'll do more of a spa day with facial/nails/etc. I do love a good pedicure but can't justify the expense, generally.

But I'm a government lawyer. Frumpy is our ethos and pathos.

bahaha so true. Government is where all the lawyer frumps go to die.

to LIVE! or so I like to think. my mind boggles a little at the idea that someone would drop the kind of time required on some of the above-described beauty regimes, never mind the money. who the heck has time for that.

You don't have to be frumpy! Why allow yourself to be frumpy? It's worth the time and money to invest in your appearance. It may even help with promotions at work. At my workplace (a large company), all of the women who want to advance invest in their appearance. They don't look overdone at all, but it is necessary to invest more in your appearance as you get older.

[Anonymous]

By my rough calculation, you spend about $3-4K/month on your appearance. Yowza.

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm the bi-coastal poster on the board. 2 weeks in DC. 2 weeks in LA. Here's my rundown...

Age: 34
Job: CEO of a Public Relations Firm

Self-Care Expenditures:
Haircut: $300 once a season
Color / Highlights: $240 - $740 once a season
Clothing: $0 - $300 per month (day to day attire is yoga pants / tanks; rent most of my event outfits from Rent The Runway and sometimes designers will dress me for free)
Shoes: $600 - $1500 once a month (I allow myself one shoe splurge a month)
Purses: Up to $3000 once a season for an "it" bag
Eyebrow Shaping: $50 once a month
Eyebrow Tint: $20 once a month
Painfree Bikini Wax: $75 once every 6 weeks or so
Makeup: $125 per application (I only wear makeup for events and have a MUA do it and this is what she charges)
Mani / Pedi's: $75 - $100 per month, depending on gel or not
Massages: $500 per month (I don't skimp on this, as my job is stressful, and I view it as a necessity to maintain my sanity)
Facials: $300 once a month
Microdermabrasion: $200 once a month
Skin Care Products: $0 (I am gifted plenty of free amazing products due to my job)
Gym Membership / Fitness Classes: $0 (I am also gifted these, so no out of pocket expense)
Fillers / Lips / Face: $0 (we have a plastic surgeon in the family who does this for free, as needed or wanted by me)

[b]

Wtf

I'm the PP. What is there to "WTF" about? It comes with the territory in terms of what I do professionally and what I enjoy personally. I have zero debt. I have a ton of money in savings that I do not touch and own investment properties. I'm very responsible and I live well beneath my means. But looks mean A LOT in my line of work and I enjoy taking care of myself.

(Also, I'm childless and single after a devastating miscarriage, so I'm only responsible for myself)

New poster. I want to know what you look like! Bet you're gorgeous. I'm all for upkeep

Thanks! I'm a dead ringer for Vanessa Marcil, who played Brenda Barrett on General Hospital. In another thread on DCUM, I shared a story about when she and I accidentally bumped into each other in Hawaii some years ago. We both did a double take because we couldn't believe the resemblance!

wow, I wish you were my mother or sister and you could come whip me into shape!

Haha, I had to learn much of it on my own due to a terrible relationship with my own mother growing up. If you need advice or a pen-pal motivator / buddy, honestly just say so, and I'll give you my email. It isn't easy and it was tough to always motivate myself or figure out who to go to, so I'm more than happy to share any info I can to make it easier on someone else. No need to go through the same mistakes I made!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:By my rough calculation, you spend about $3-4K/month on your appearance. Yowza.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm the bi-coastal poster on the board. 2 weeks in DC. 2 weeks in LA. Here's my rundown...

Age: 34
Job: CEO of a Public Relations Firm

Self-Care Expenditures:
Haircut: $300 once a season
Color / Highlights: $240 - $740 once a season
Clothing: $0 - $300 per month (day to day attire is yoga pants / tanks; rent most of my event outfits from Rent The Runway and sometimes designers will dress me for free)
Shoes: $600 - $1500 once a month (I allow myself one shoe splurge a month)
Purses: Up to $3000 once a season for an "it" bag
Eyebrow Shaping: $50 once a month
Eyebrow Tint: $20 once a month
Painfree Bikini Wax: $75 once every 6 weeks or so
Makeup: $125 per application (I only wear makeup for events and have a MUA do it and this is what she charges)
Mani / Pedi's: $75 - $100 per month, depending on gel or not
Massages: $500 per month (I don't skimp on this, as my job is stressful, and I view it as a necessity to maintain my sanity)
Facials: $300 once a month
Microdermabrasion: $200 once a month
Skin Care Products: $0 (I am gifted plenty of free amazing products due to my job)
Gym Membership / Fitness Classes: $0 (I am also gifted these, so no out of pocket expense)
Fillers / Lips / Face: $0 (we have a plastic surgeon in the family who does this for free, as needed or wanted by me)

[b]

Wtf

I'm the PP. What is there to "WTF" about? It comes with the territory in terms of what I do professionally and what I enjoy personally. I have zero debt. I have a ton of money in savings that I do not touch and own investment properties. I'm very responsible and I live well beneath my means. But looks mean A LOT in my line of work and I enjoy taking care of myself.

(Also, I'm childless and single after a devastating miscarriage, so I'm only responsible for myself)

New poster. I want to know what you look like! Bet you're gorgeous. I'm all for upkeep

Thanks! I'm a dead ringer for Vanessa Marcil, who played Brenda Barrett on General Hospital. In another thread on DCUM, I shared a story about when she and I accidentally bumped into each other in Hawaii some years ago. We both did a double take because we couldn't believe the resemblance!

wow, I wish you were my mother or sister and you could come whip me into shape!

Haha, I had to learn much of it on my own due to a terrible relationship with my own mother growing up. If you need advice or a pen-pal motivator / buddy, honestly just say so, and I'll give you my email. It isn't easy and it was tough to always motivate myself or figure out who to go to, so I'm more than happy to share any info I can to make it easier on someone else. No need to go through the same mistakes I made!

PR CEO PP — yes, roughly between that range if everything is on the high end, some months less. One of my big worries when I started in the field was whether or not I'd even be able to cover the necessities, let alone the luxuries. I've built up to this level of spending on myself, if that makes sense, but now that I do all if this, I don't know if I could ever not do it. It's an addictive habit.

[Anonymous]

Probably $2.50. I cut my own hair and buy cheap makeup.