7 money-saving hacks for beauty on a budget

As the cost of living continues to rise, many of us are looking at ways to make savings on a day-to-day basis.

When it comes to our beauty routines, there’s no shortage of pricey products and high-tech treatments to choose from, but the truth is, you don’t have to spend a fortune to look like a million dollars.

Here are seven money-saving beauty hacks to help you cut costs on skincare, hair, make-up and more…

1. Simplify your routine

If you’ve got a multi-step skincare regime and your bathroom shelves are crammed with half-empty products you bought thinking they would transform your complexion, the first thing to ask yourself is: do you really need all this?

The ‘skinimalism’ trend has seen consumers taking their daily routines back to basics, saving time – and money – in the process. When it comes down to it, all you really need to keep your skin healthy is cleanser, sunscreen (for morning), moisturiser (at night) and a serum targeted to your needs.

2. Do it yourself

According to researchers at Attest (askattest.com), DIY beauty has surged during the pandemic, with 85% of people carrying out pampering treatments at home.

By swapping regular salon appointments for DIY manicures, you could save hundreds of pounds a year. All you need is a high-quality nailcare set and long-lasting polish.

“The piece de resistance is your top coat,” says Kerry Hatton, make-up artist at Mii Cosmetics. “I always recommend our Shine + Shield Turbo Dry Top Coat, as the formula protects colour and provides extended wear, meaning your polish won’t fade in the sun. Use it to prolong your nail polish wear.”

Tweezerman Glass Manicure Set, £25

Mii Cosmetics Shine + Shield Turbo Dry Top Coat, £11

3. Don’t be fooled by high prices

Flashy ad campaigns and influencer endorsements might make you think that the most expensive skincare products are the best – but that’s not always the case.

In some cases, you’re paying a premium for the brand name, when really the most important element is the percentage of active ingredients. For example, you can get high-strength retinol (known for it’s wrinkle-reducing power) for less than a third of the price of high-end formulas with the same concentration.

When it comes to sun protection – which we should all be using daily – you can get SPF 30 day cream for less than £10, that’s just as effective as luxury moisturisers.

Avon Anew Renewal Protinol Power Serum, £22

YourGoodSkin SPF 30 Anti-Oxidant Day Cream, £6, (was £8), Boots

Revolution Skincare 0.2% Retinol Smoothing Serum, £9

4. Boost your brows

New research by Avon has found that one in 10 people have given up beauty products due to the cost-of-living crisis.

Another way of saving money is to swap make-up for longer lasting treatments. For example, tinting your eyebrows.

Sara Sordillo, Make-up Artist for Eylure, offers her top tips for perfect application: “Grab some Vaseline and apply it to areas around your brow you don’t want the tint to stick to. Brush the mixed tint through the brows, ensuring the brow hair is completely covered – brush up, down and left to right, to ensure each hair is coated.

“If you have lighter hair colour and lighter brows and want to keep the colour more natural, shorten the time the tint is on the brows, as you can always repeat the steps again to darken, but not to lighten.”

Eylure Dybrow Dark Brown, £7.50, Boots

5. Try a subscription service

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If you’re not prepared to ditch any of your beloved skincare products, subscription services like Beauty Pie and Skin + Me, which charge an annual or monthly fee, can save you money in the long-term, offering high-quality formulas at affordable prices.

If it’s the thrill of discovering new must-haves you’re after, try a monthly beauty delivery service such as Glossybox or Birchbox, where you’ll receive a curated edit of mini and/or full size beauty products. Each Glossybox, for example, is valued at more than £50, with subscriptions starting from £11.75 a month.

Glossybox July Dive into the Reef Edit, from £11.75/month

6. Stock up on refillables

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Not only are they better for the environment because they reduce plastic packaging, refillable beauty products can save you money, too.

With lots of big brands getting in on the sustainable beauty trend, there’s now a wide range of shampoos, conditioners, shower gels and soaps available, with great value for money refill pouches and stylish bottles to adorn your bathroom.

Pantene Repair & Protect Shampoo Refill Pouch For Damaged Hair, £4, Boots

Fiils Build Your Own Duo, £26

7. Dry shampoo your hair

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With household bills having gone up (and another rise likely in October), why not dry shampoo your hair more often, instead of lathering up in the shower, thereby saving money on your water and heating bills? If you have coloured hair, it can help the vibrancy last longer too, as the more you wash it, the quicker it fades.

Hair stylist Samantha Cusick says: “My go-to product is always my Batiste dry shampoo. I also love more textured, voluminous hair in the summer, so this gives me that too.”

Batiste Naturally Coconut Milk and Hemp Dry Shampoo, £4.25, Superdrug