What's the bare minimum you could spend on hair/skincare/makeup and still be happy with how you look?

[Anonymous]

I don't do extras like nails or hair dye. But I do get my brows threaded every month @ $20.

Hair is $240 per year for 2 cuts. (long, curly, usually in a bun)

Skin prescriptions - tacrolimus and tazorac (a retinol) come to about $100/yr (insurance + GoodRx coupon)

The most expensive cream I use is Olay for my neck/chest @ $100/yr (I always buy what's on sale, estimating 4 jars / year)

Lip tint with SPF is around $100/yr (I'm religious about sun protection)

Kiehls avocado eye cream, $120/yr

Everything else is drugstore, so maybe a few hundred total for sensitive-skin lotions; sunscreen; and hair gel.

[Anonymous]

I love hair, skin and makeup. IMO food and gym/yoga/spa memberships factor into my body care too. Here are my early averages.

Hair cuts/color 2-3x a year: 1-1.5k (with tips)

Gym/spa memberships: 3k

Skin care (creams/serums/masques/self tanner/moisturizers/salt scrubs/oils): 2k at least

Skin care treatments (facials/laser/dermabraision/LED therapy): 5k

Makeup: $500-$700 I like to replace everything yearly. I find with my skin care and diet, I don't wear a lot of makeup, but I like it to be good quality. I replace mascaras every 6 weeks. I like to wear a little makeup every day though. Even to the gym!

[Anonymous]

Oops forgot nail care too. I get pedis and manis year round, every 3-4 weeks. I only do natural polish on my nails, never dips or gels. Only clear or light nudes for manicures. Lasts much longer. So add in another $700.

[Anonymous]

I’m fairly low maintenance overall, but I’m fascinated by people who can get by with two haircuts a year. I need to go every 5-6 weeks to not look like a total mess. (And even then…) How do you wear your hair?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m fairly low maintenance overall, but I’m fascinated by people who can get by with two haircuts a year. I need to go every 5-6 weeks to not look like a total mess. (And even then…) How do you wear your hair?

What type of hair do you have?

Mine is naturally curly/wavy/frizzy/straight that doesn't "style" well. The best thing has been a great cut that enhances its natural texture and grows out well. I also often wear it pulled back into a bun. Two cuts a year is usually all I need, but if the layers aren't growing out well I'll go in for a third cut.

I spend more on my kid's hair! His is just like mine, but short so it is really obvious if the cut has gone wonky.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m fairly low maintenance overall, but I’m fascinated by people who can get by with two haircuts a year. I need to go every 5-6 weeks to not look like a total mess. (And even then…) How do you wear your hair?

I have very straight hair, fine - not a lot of hair and it is just past my shoulders. I can trim it myself. I usually do one cut to have it styled a year to keep it from looking too drab and yes that grows out. I often wear it up or pulled back. I am a pretty low maintenance person so not too concerned that it doesn't look perfectly styled. Also while I used to highlight it when young, age now highlights it naturally.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m fairly low maintenance overall, but I’m fascinated by people who can get by with two haircuts a year. I need to go every 5-6 weeks to not look like a total mess. (And even then…) How do you wear your hair?

Long layers and it's all about the stylist. When I spent less on my hair and went to less experienced people, I needed to cut it more frequently. Now it looks great when it grows out; I tease my stylist that she is so good she is going to work herself out of employment. I go every 5 months.

[Anonymous]

We need to know more about you, OP. How old are you? What's the natural state of your skin and hair? How often do you wear makeup,etc?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If your only big remaining beauty expense is makeup, you can easily get by with drugstore brands - they are constantly improving and many of them are dupes for name brands.

Search this topic on tik tok or insta and you’ll find someone who has a drugstore rec for every makeup category. Even the big beauty mags like Allure recommend some drugstore brands.

DP. I find color matching at the drug store difficult. Lots of experimentation which ultimately proves expensive.

[Anonymous]

If you don't wear makeup often shouldn't you have a nice stockpile that will last you for awhile?

I'd just choose one or two makeup items that are spendy that you keep. Like a foundation or eye liner. Go cheaper on the rest when you need to replace.

Skin care you can dial it back to CVS products. Cerave, La Roche Posay etc are just fine for wash, sunscreen, moisturizer, retinal and vit c.

I don't color my hair, but I get regular trims because my hair looks much better if I do. I go every 3-4months, but if I was really try to cut back I'd go every 5-6. Or I'd find someone cheaper to do it more regularly, but I love my stylist so I pay about $80 a cut.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If your only big remaining beauty expense is makeup, you can easily get by with drugstore brands - they are constantly improving and many of them are dupes for name brands.

Search this topic on tik tok or insta and you’ll find someone who has a drugstore rec for every makeup category. Even the big beauty mags like Allure recommend some drugstore brands.

DP. I find color matching at the drug store difficult. Lots of experimentation which ultimately proves expensive.

Sounds tacky, but most drugstores let you return cosmetics that don't work for you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Shouldn’t a tube of mascara you use 3 times a month last a long time?

I've read that mascara is one of the areas where the drugstore does okay.

I also have a mascara problem since they say you should only keep it a couple months because of bacteria, but I use it so rarely that means wasting so much. I wonder if there are washable brushes or something we can use to always be dipping in a clean brush. Or just smaller sized tubes.

Get a Sephora Favorites Lash Stash. A bunch of small tubes you can toss plus a coupon for a full size. It's a good deal. Normally I'd say go drugstore but their prices have skyrocketed I think it might be cheaper to do the Lash Stash and it's nice to toss the small tubes as soon as they statt to dry out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, how old are you? At 45 I'm spending more than I did 10 years ago. Started Botox and plan to continue. Need a really great colorist to do highlights who can kind of blend over the gray hair when they grow out and it's very expensive. Stuff that 10 years ago wouldn't have mattered, but at this age really makes a difference.

This is so true. I feel like beauty maintenance increases exponentially after 45!

[Anonymous]

I’m almost 50. All costs are averaged.
Haircut and color-$200/month
Skincare-$50/month
Makeup-$20/month
Botox-$100/month
Nails-$30/month
Gym-$125/month

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am never frugal with my looks. I will watch my money on anything except my looks.

Hair 300/ month
Ozempic 600/ month
IPL 2 times a year 900/yr
Botox 1000/yr
Products at sephora 100/month

that's so helpful!

This is about what i spend but add in fillers for about thousand. I only get limited fillers and they last a year.