When talking about my beauty regimen it’s always interesting to see how differently each woman spends on certain personal habits. Most women have a unique priority list when it comes to spending their money on themselves. Of course we’re all willing to spend whatever it takes when it comes to our children and significant others, but when it comes to ourselves, we have a very thought out, logical list of importance and the variation among us all is quite interesting! Here is a breakdown of my current beauty musts and what I’m willing to spend on versus where I’ll try to save.
Hair Color = Spend! When I was younger, hair color was never really a thing! Since Mommy Vaid was so against it for us, we never really got into it. Once I entered college and saw everyone doing “highlights” I jumped on the bandwagon too. For years I had been getting the usual highlights; however, with all these new color fads, I am completely digging the balayage technique right now. Since I get my hair colored probably once a year (except of course for roots thanks to my lovely whites) I definitely splurge on it. The difference between professionally coloring hair and out of the box is night and day for me.
Eyebrows – Save! I started threading my eyebrows back in high school. Those bushy eyebrows were just not cutting it anymore, so the week before my Sweet 16, I mustered up all the courage I had and went in for the kill. It was awfully painful and I remember it like it was yesterday. However, now I can’t stand if there are even a couple of hairs grown in. Being Indian and growing up in Edison, we knew that an eyebrow job shouldn’t cost more then $4 max, so when I saw the eyebrow places in the mall charging $10-$12 a pop, I was floored. There is no way I would spend more than $5 for eyebrow threading!
Blowouts – Save! I am insanely particular about my blowouts. I have crazy curly hair and like to wear it pin straight all the time. I prefer it to be blow dried straight without having to put a flat iron to it. Usually salons can never get that just right, so spending money on just a blowout is a waste for me. Even after a cut and blowout, I end up coming home, washing it out and blow drying it myself. I am just never happy with the salon blow out. I am perfectly happy doing that one on my own at home!
Hair Cut – Spend! Since childhood, I have always had long hair. It was long, curly, frizzy and dry – perfect combo huh? In college something came over me and I chopped it all off to a shoulder length bob cut! My inspiration was Nicole Richie at the time, so I got a choppy bob that I was obsessed with. With naturally curly hair, that was a challenge in itself and since then I have hated wearing my hair curly. I have, for the most part, kept it short since then, as it was just less drying time and hubby also likes it short. To get the perfect cut, I kept trekking over to NYC to a salon that I loved for years. Once I moved to Central Jersey, I realized that to have that quality of a haircut, I had to spend $$$ and I was willing, especially because it only happens twice a year!
Massages – Save (sometimes Spend)! I love a good massage! From working out and just being on the go all the time with the kids, my muscles (especially in the back and shoulders) tighten up and need some tough love to really relax. I am not a huge fan of those crazy expensive spas that charge you an arm and a leg to rub some oil all over your body. I really likes those places where they use intense pressure and really knead out those knots. Of course, the occasional spa experience is nice when on vacation, but locally, I like those tiny, hole in the wall massage places, where the women have all the strength in the world to really get in there and work your muscles.
Nails – Save! Like most women, I love getting my nails done (except for the part where you have to sit and wait for them to dry). It gives me a chance to have some “me time” and just relax. I know gel nail polish is what everyone is doing these days, but I just can’t get on that. I have tried it a couple of times but it leaves my nails thin and brittle, which I just can’t get past. I am still perfectly happy with my regular mani/pedis with my favorite colors. It gives me a nice cuticle clean and fresh base. Granted with the kids, I make it to the nail salon once every few months, and by day 3 they’re chipping as I wash the dishes, but for $25, I can’t complain!
Waxing – In between! I am definitely not a “do it at home on my own” kind of girl, as 1. I am lazy, 2. it’s too messy and 3. I can’t reach everywhere. There are some high end salons that cost a bomb to wax any part of your body, for certain areas of my body, I’ll spend the money. But for the regular areas like my arms and legs, I usually go to the same lady (who does it from home), which is reasonably priced and gets the job done. I am not into shaving or hair removal creams so a fresh wax is mandatory every few months (more often in the summer).
Facials – Save! By the grace of god, I have always been told and am fortunate enough to have been blessed with great skin. I guess it’s genetic (thanks mom and dad). I have in my life gotten maybe 2-3 facials and I am not a huge fan. I like my regular exfoliating treatment in the shower which does the job for me. The facials I have gotten were during events (my bridal party treated me to one, and we did Nina’s baby shower at a spa where I got my second), so I didn’t end up spending on those but when it comes down to it, I’d rather save and do it myself than break the bank.
I would love to hear where you spend and save when it comes to beauty in your regime. Stay tuned for Nina and Dipti’s beauty spending and saving secrets coming up on the blog.
