8 smart money-saving hacks for beauty on a budget

These days, the price of pretty much everything is on the rise, from household bills to essential foods, budgeting has never been more important. All of us like a little bit of luxury in our lives when it comes to our beauty care, but with many of us experiencing money struggles, it seems like we can’t treat ourselves anymore. 

To help those on a budget, we’ve come up with 8 beauty hacks that mean you don’t have to miss out on your favourite beauty routine, but you also don’t have to spend a lot to keep it up. Check out our tips below that mean making small changes can save you some money!

Do it yourself

We all love heading to the nail shop to get a file and polish or gel extensions but they can be priced anywhere between €30 to €60, which is a lot to be spending if you like getting it done often. Instead, why not buy a good gel polish and practise your nail skills on yourself at home. 

It also works out more economical to buy your own lash and eyebrow tint to do yourself instead of going to the salon. 

Don’t hop on trends 

We all love browsing TikTok and Instagram to see the latest trendy skincare and haircare products, coming across many that we want to splurge on. Rather than buying a product that you wouldn’t normally use, such as an acid for your face or a clear eyebrow gel because your favourite influencer is promoting it, do some research on the product first. Check honest reviews online and take a second to think if you really need the product. 

Try samples

Many pharmacies offer samples of products if you ask. It’s always hard to know what shade of foundation or concealer to choose when there’s no testers in a shop, and there’s nothing worse than coming home only to discover you've bought a shade that is too light or dark for your skin tone!

Air dry

Energy bills are at an all time high and while we love feeling like we’ve had a fresh blow-dry every time we get out of the shower, give air drying a go. It’s better for your hair to not be constantly being exposed to heat anyway, so it’s a win-win.

Coconut oil

Hair masks are a favourite luxury of ours. Hopping out of the shower to put a hair mask in, light a candle and enjoy a good book sounds like heaven to us, but we’ll be the first to admit, we buy too many hair masks and don’t use them as much as we should. 

Rather than buying expensive hair masks that a lot of the time still have parabens and sulphates in, coconut oil is a great alternative. Your hair will be left shiny and smelling amazing, and coconut oil is much cheaper than any branded hair mask, just pick it up in your local supermarket and bask in the glorious tropical scent.  If you'd rather make your own hair masks, we have some recipes here.

Products with multiple uses

We love using multiples acids, serums, oils and creams on our faces because we see influencers doing it online with their 10-step routines, but honestly a lot of them aren’t necessary. 

Opt for moisturisers that include ingredients such as hyaluronic acid or plumping properties or a tint, so you don’t have to buy as many products in the future. Also, highlighter makes for a great eyeshadow, and lipstick dabbed on your cheeks as blush is a great way to finish off your make-up routine. 

Dry shampoo

If you have an electric shower, it is probably one of the most expensive money drainers in your home, similar to your tumble dryer. With that in mind, freshen up your hair with some dry shampoo to extend the amount of time between washes, saving you water and electricity. 

Make-up brushes

Many make-up artists believe it is better to apply your liquid products with a brush instead of a sponge, so less product is absorbed into the sponge. If you take this tip on board, you will probably be washing your make-up brushes more regularly than usual so instead of buying a make-up brush cleanser, did you know you can use hand soap or face wash to clean your brushes? Just put some warm water in your sink with a few drops of the soap or face wash and get cleaning!