In the personal finance community, spending on fashion and beauty products is often written off as an unnecessary splurge. I understand that response. If you aren’t careful, your beauty routine could cost you hundreds of dollars each month to maintain! Luckily, with these frugal beauty hacks, you don’t need to feel guilty about treating yourself.
It’s no secret that when you look good, you feel good. There’s value in that! That’s why we’ve compiled this list of best frugal beauty hacks to help you look and feel good for less!
1. Get a low maintenance hair color
There is no better feeling than leaving the hair salon after a four-hour appointment starving, with the caffeine shakes, absolutely feeling your new hair color. It’s a sacred experience, and the ones who get it, get it.
But, those salon costs can quickly add up if you go too often. If you opt for a single process color, you’ll be left with a “hard root,” as your color grows out. While I personally don’t mind the look of a grown out root, I know tons of folks who feel the need to refresh their roots every 4-6 weeks. If you went to the hair salon every 6 weeks, keeping up your hair color could easily cost you around $750-1,000 each year! And that’s not including tips or haircuts, either!
Instead, one of my favorite frugal beauty hacks is to consider getting a low maintenance style, like a balayage or highlights. These styles look more natural when they grow out, and you can get away with getting them done about twice a year. Although the price of the individual appointments will be more expensive, you’ll save money (and time!) by going to the salon less often.
2. Buy reusable beauty products
If you do your makeup regularly, you know that the price of disposable makeup removers can really add up! At their cheapest, makeup wipes can cost around $5-7 for a pack of 25-30 wipes. Add cotton pads and swabs into the mix and you could be spending roughly $10 each month for a bunch of stuff that’s just going to end up in the trash.
Instead, consider purchasing reusable versions of these products. It’s better for the environment, and for around $20-30, you won’t need to buy these products again for years. For example, you can find a 5 pack of microfiber reusable makeup wipes on Amazon for just $8!
3. Buy more expensive clothing
Okay, hear me out. I know you didn’t expect to be told to spend more money in an article about frugal fashion and beauty hacks, but sometimes being frugal isn’t just about buying the cheapest option out there.
True frugalites take value into consideration, and your favorite fast fashion brands like Forever 21 and Shein aren’t really doing your wallet any favors. Sure, it might feel like you’re getting a deal when you find a cute pair of sneakers for $15, but if you can only wear them 10 times before the soles start falling off, your price per use is going to be very high.
Price per use is calculated by dividing the cost of an item by the number of times you use it. For our sneaker example, your $15 Forever 21 sneakers yield a price per use of $1.50 ($15 divided by 10 wears). However, if you opted for a $60 pair of New Balance sneakers, and wore them every day for 2 summers straight before trading them for a new pair, you’d have a price per use of ~32 cents. Going that route will ultimately save you money in the long run!
Basically, think in terms of quality – not quantity.
4. Try the viral heatless blowout
Confession. I’ve seen the Dyson Airwrap in action, and it’s magical. But is it worth $500? For me, the answer is no.
But that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a beautiful blowout look for less! A few months ago, this heatless sock blowout blew up on TikTok, and it can be done with just a few heatless curling rods and a pair of socks.
Disclaimer, this will obviously work better with certain hair texture, lengths and cuts. But if it does work for you, it could be one of the best frugal beauty hacks you’ll use for years. Personally, my hair is just a little too short, so be sure to let us know if it works well for you!
5. Skip out on Sephora
You don’t need to splurge on high end beauty products to look and feel your best.
Everytime I used to go into Sephora, I would leave having spent a MINIMUM of $50. So, I stopped going to Sephora, and instead started going to stores with drugstore and budget makeup brands, like Ulta Beauty.
I’m not going to be the one to claim that every high-end product has an equally good budget counterpart. But I would argue that most at least have a comparable option. Buying from budget brands like E.L.F., N.Y.X., and the Ordinary allows you to have fun with your makeup and skincare routines without breaking the bank. I personally can’t tell the difference between some of these low-cost products and some of the higher-end equivalents.
Plus, if you have a favorite expensive makeup product, you could always google the “best dupes” for it. I’ve found a ton of new frugal favorites this way!
6. Use vaseline for everything
Perhaps one of my favorite frugal beauty hacks is to start putting your Vaseline to work! Vaseline has so many versatile uses beyond just moisturizing. Here are a few more things this magical substance can do:
- Use a small amount as a base for your perfume. Your fragrance will last much longer!
- Use it to reduce the look of split ends
- Remove eye makeup without irritation
- Use on lips and eyelids for moisturization
- Use it with a spoolie as a clear eyebrow gel
- Apply to cheeks as a highlighter
- Use it to turn your powdered makeup into a cream texture
- Use to slick back flyaway hairs
Ps. Rather than name brand vaseline, try the cheaper Amazon Basics version. Same stuff!
7. Make your own face masks out of pantry ingredients
Spa nights are probably my favorite way to treat myself on a budget. You can do the same by making your own face masks out of pantry ingredients!
Some of the most skin-nourishing ingredients can be found in our kitchen. Instead of spending $5+ on a sheet mask, grab a mixing bowl and try out one of these DIY face mask recipes. You can also try making this simple lip scrub using coffee!
8. Focus on healthy eating
This next tip is less of a hack, and more of a lifestyle change that can save you money in more than just one category of your budget.
It’s no secret that what we eat can have a huge impact on our skin, as well as our overall health. Consuming high amounts of salt and sugar on a regular basis, like the amounts found in processed foods, sodas, and takeout, can cause breakouts, and health damage down the line.
Focusing on eating mainly healthy, whole foods, drinking more water, and cooking more at home will help you to glow from the inside out. It can help you to save on skincare, future healthcare costs, and your grocery budget. Because have you SEEN the price of a bag of chips??? 🥴
9. Start thrifting
If you want to look cute for less, one of the best frugal beauty hacks is to start thrifting. You can find some of your favorite brands, pre-loved for cheap, all while helping the environment!. Win-Win!
Thrifting is an art (or so I like to think). The more you do it, the easier you’ll be able to spot those awesome deals. The savings can be well worth doing the extra work. A study by CouponFollow estimates that thrift shoppers can expect to save an average of $150 a month, or $1,760 each year.
If you don’t have any cute thrift shops near you, you don’t need to sit out on all the thrifting fun. Try thrifting online using websites like Depop and Poshmark!
10. Buy clothes from overseas
Okay, this is literally my number one, top secret frugal fashion and beauty hack, straight from my brain, so I’m trusting you to keep this between you and me…
If you live in the U.S., like I do, you’re sitting on an awesome opportunity to get super cute clothes for less. Because Australia’s seasons are opposite of the U.S., you’ll be able to find clothes on clearance for your current season all year round from some of the cutest Aussie brands! Plus, the conversion rate for AUD to USD is currently around 67 cents for every US dollar, so your money can stretch even further when buying overseas.
Just make sure to sign up for emails from your favorite Aussie brands and make your purchases whenever they run a free shipping promotion! Then, cancel emails after you make your purchase to eliminate the temptation to overspend.
11. Cut open your makeup tubes
While some people may consider this as one of those frugal beauty hacks on the slightly cheap side, I do not support wasting any of your expensive makeup by simply throwing out your tubes or bottles when they start to run low on product.
Once you reach the end of your foundation, cut the tube open to reveal a ton of unused product. Use every last drop. Sure, it’s a little messy, but what a waste to throw away up to a month’s worth of product that you paid for. Just keep it in a resealable bag to keep it from drying out, and use up all of that makeup!
12. Buy shampoo and conditioner in bulk
Shampoo and conditioner can be some of the more expensive items in your beauty budget. However, you can save by purchasing these items, along with bodywash and other hygiene products in bulk. According to a Lendingtree study, bulk shopping can save consumers an average of around 27%!
Another idea: Check out your nearest Dollar Tree or Discount store. Often they buy massive amounts of overstocked high-end shampoos and conditioners and sell them for $1-2 a bottle.
13. Trim your own hair
Back in the early 2000s, I used to cut my own hair with a razor to achieve what I thought was the perfect “scene” hair (IYKYK). I have since learned that sometimes it’s best to let your hairdresser handle the big chops.
But, that doesn’t mean that you can’t handle a little trim to touch your hair up in between haircuts. Trimming your own hair can help you go to the hairdresser less frequently, saving you tons of cash every year. Here are two simple tutorials that can help you to get started!
How to Trim Your Own Hair
How to Trim Your Bangs At Home
14. Use the “ice cube trick”
We love FREE frugal beauty hacks, and this is one of the best ones out there. Did you know that simply rubbing an ice cube on your face in the morning can improve circulation, can help your skincare to penetrate your skin deeper, reduce puffiness, and temporarily reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles? Best of all, it’s completely free!
Just wrap your ice cube in a cloth, paper towel, or ziplock bag before applying it to your face to avoid irritating your skin!
15. Turn your eyeshadow palette into dozens of colored eyeliners
In the past few years, we’ve seen a ton of graphic colored eyeliner looks trending, and I’m honestly obsessed with it. Who doesn’t want to add a fun pop of color to their everyday look?
But, buying a ton of individually colored eyeliners can seriously add up, with each eyeliner costing between $5-20. Luckily, you can DIY a colored graphic eyeliner look by grabbing an angle brush and your trusty contact solution. Simply add a few drops to your brush, then dip it in your favorite eyeshadow color. Boom- colored eyeliner!
16. Trade your acrylics for high quality, reusable press ons
For some people, their biweekly nail appointment is sacred. If that’s the case for you, I respect it! But you can’t deny that acrylic fills are getting increasingly costly, sitting at around $25-35 plus tip per appointment, depending on where you live.
If you love the look of having long nails, I suggest trying out high quality, reusable press on nails. You can get a few different designs to rotate throughout the year, nail glue, and remover for under $75. Then, as long as you take care of them, you should be able to reuse them multiple times. This will save you time and money!
17. DIY dry shampoo
We’ve all had those days when we’re low on time and can’t wash our hair before running out of the house, but it doesn’t mean that you need to deal with greasy hair all day.
While dry shampoo is a great option for reviving oily hair, a bottle of Batiste dry shampoo will set you back around $12. Instead, just run to your kitchen and grab some cornstarch! Cornstarch can be a great dry shampoo alternative when you need to refresh your roots in a pinch. Just sprinkle some on your scalp and brush through.
18. Dry your nails with ice water
I am impatient, which means that I have ruined almost every at home manicure I have ever given myself. If you’re like me, you might think that this means you have to splurge on one of those fancy nail dryers, but think again!
A super cool frugal beauty tip is to just dip your freshly manicured nails in ice water and leave them there for about 1-2 minutes. Pro tip for the extra clumsy like me- make a bowl of ice water before painting your nails. Then, let them air dry for about 1-2 minutes and your manicure should be set for the weekend.
19. Teach yourself to thread
If you love getting your eyebrows done, but don’t want to spend the extra $15-20 every two-three weeks, try learning how to thread your own eyebrows. It’s pretty simple, but it does take some practice. So maybe don’t try it out for the first time right before your wedding! You can also use it for hair removal on your upper lip or chin.
20. Invest in a good sunscreen
Perhaps the most underrated frugal beauty hack is to apply sunscreen every single day. While you could spend tons of cash on anti-aging beauty treatments, about 80% of our age related skin changes are caused by the sun’s UV rays. Obviously, we can’t just stay inside and avoid all sun exposure, but applying SPF 50, especially to your face, neck and cheek, can keep your skin looking its best!
The Bottom Line:
We all know that the truest form of beauty is what’s on the inside, but there’s no shame in wanting to spend a little bit of time and money on the outside to feel your best. Luckily, you don’t need to spend a fortune to pamper yourself, and leave your home feeling confident. Try these hacks to save money on your beauty routine, and be sure to leave your own favorite frugal beauty hacks in the comments below!
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