If you’ve been around here for a while, you know I’ve been reading Cupcakes & Cashmere for several years at this point. So when Emily recently shared a post on her beauty philosophy and where she splurges and saves, I was all ears. I love posts when people I trust decide to share their personal preferences on where they spend their hard earned dollars. I love trying new products, but what’s really worth trying is a different situation entirely.
Below are my personal preferences on where I splurge, and where I decide to save my hard-earned cash flow.
Save: Hair Color. I’m guessing that I’m in the minority when I say that I’ve rarely dyed or highlighted my hair. While I used to be committed to “Sun-In” during certain seasons, I now try to avoid chemicals in the already very dry conditions in Denver and Chicago winters. Depending on my activities for the day, such as if I’m going on a boat or having a beach-day, I will sometimes toss a little bit of lemon juice in my hair for good measure. However, most of the time, I stick with incredibly natural hair color, which I feel has helped to keep my hair strong and healthy across the years.
Save: Eyebrows. I’ve only gotten my eyebrows waxed a couple of times, but I’ve never liked the end result. Oftentimes, I find that the eyebrow professional goes a bit too thin for my liking or I feel like I look much too manicured. Instead, I much prefer to use my 10x mirror that was a gift from my mother (it’s a bit alarming the first time you look into it) and my handy set of sharp tweezers.
Spend: Hair Cuts. This likely isn’t the first time I’ve mentioned that I rarely get my hair cut. I tend to go at least 6 months between hair cuts, but typically longer (I think I’m going to go for 9 this time around.) When I do get my hair cut, I love it for about a week, but then I often find myself in what feels like a random in-between length. Because I’m a tried a true long-haired girl (I chopped it off for Locks of Love three times and don’t regret the deed, but do regret the length), I’d much prefer to let my hair grow and spend more on the rare hair cut, rather than the alternative.
Save: Blow Outs. I’ll be honest that I would love to get a blow out everyday. However, unfortunately, my hair is definitely not the type that you can wash once a week and forget about it. My preference for tough workouts and thin strands of hair mean that once every third day is the longest I can go without washing my hair – and that’s only if I’m willing to go top knot on day three. Because of my proclivity towards washing my locks, I just don’t feel it’s worth it to get blow outs except for the rare special occasion.
Spend: Waxing in general. My main focus on finding a place for waxing is to find a studio where I am comfortable and I feel like the risk of injury is low. Unfortunately, the only places that have brought me to that level of comfort are usually on the pricey side. But this has definitely been worth the splurge over the years!
Save: Nails. I used to be a nail biter, but I learned that, if I keep my nails fresh, I don’t mess with them! While I cannot figure out how to paint my nails with my left hand (jealous if you’re ambidextrous!), I keep my nails very clean and au natural. As long as they’re in tip-top shape, my nail biting habit tends to disappear.
Spend: Massages. True life… this is a big one for me. Anytime I’ve moved, I’ve gone on a massive search party until I can find an affordable massage therapist that ends up changing my life. I now get a massage close to once per month for maintenance and I swear it makes a huge difference. Less headaches, less back pain (from my not-so-great posture), and ultimately a lot more relaxed, happier Jessica. I’ve decided that, if I can swing it, a massage is definitely worth the price.
Save: Facials. I LOVE facials, though they are a rarity in my book. (Gasp!) Although I do expect that to change this year. I have not been able to figure out how to properly take care of my skin as I age, and I’ve been getting everything from dry skin on my chin, to pimples next to my nose. I need some professional help with this one… STAT!
Save: Spray Tans. While I rarely trust myself with breaking out the tanner, I also rarely get spray tans. On the rare occasion that I do (for special events where I know that the pictures will last a lifetime), I make sure to purchase a package of spray tans that does not expire. I’m still working through a package in Chicago that I bought well before we left the city, and I’ve refused to purchase more until that’s all used up. In the meantime, I love using St. Tropez from Sephora, as well as tanning face wipes to tide me over between bouts in the sun and trips to see a professional to get this pale skin some color.
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Where do you tend to splurge versus save in your beauty routine?
Create a great life!
