Hairspray Saver

Here's another tip that you can file under the heading of "no tip is too small." Continuing the theme from Wednesday's post, I offer you this little gem:

When using hairspray, spray it on your brush, not your hair. A little goes a long way with this method, and it also gives you just enough control without feeling stiff or sticky.

Cut Shampoo Costs In Half

Most of you have probably already figured this out by now, but there is an easy way to cut your shampoo costs in half: Don't shampoo every day! For a long time, my hair was very short, and I had to wash it every day. Now it is chin-length (yes, that picture is me). It wasn't until recently when I bought a flatiron and some styling products specifically for use with the flatiron (which, by the way, I only paid $27 for, not $40 as shown on the link) that I could skip washing my hair every day. It looks just as good (if not better) on the day after washing and flatironing it.

Trivial? Of course! But, over time, by washing my hair only half as often, I stand to save a decent amount of money, not only on shampoo, but on styling products, electricity used to dry and iron my hair, and last (but not least) time.

This is proof that no tip is too small to make it on this blog!!

A Great Beauty Value

Wow, two beauty posts in a row! Wow, two posts in a row! (I promise to try to do better.)

More than a year ago (14+ months, to be exact), I bought my first bottle of Smashbox's Photo Finish color correcting foundation primer. I have loved this product and used it every single day. I just bought my second bottle yesterday. Even at $38, this product is a huge bargain. I figure it is less than 9 cents per use. And, better yet, it works!

Getting More Mileage Out of Beauty Products

A couple of years ago for my birthday, my kids and hubby got me a gift certificate for a makeup lesson. Yes, I was 40-ish years old and never really knew how to do my own makeup. Sad. So, I went to a very nice spa, had a great lesson, and got turned onto the True line of mineral cosmetics. Very nice. Also very spendy, compared to the drugstore specials I had always used. At the time, I figured, it was worth trying if I could get consistent results. So, I bought some of their products and really liked the compact powder foundation.

When my first compact started to run low, though, I debated whether it was worth buying another one for $40. I decided to try e.l.f.'s mineral foundation. The price ($5) was right, but I never got the hang of using the loose powder (yes, I am cosmetically challenged!). So, I tucked it in the back of my bathroom cabinet and bit the bullet.

Fast forward to my recent layoff. Now I really didn't want to have to pay $40 for a compact any more frequently than I needed to. So, in a burst of inspiration, I decided to combine the two products. I shake out a little bit of the loose e.l.f. foundation into the compact, where I am able to blend the two products together on my makeup brush.

Not only am I now able to use the loose powder, it is definitely extending the life of the compact powder, and the two shades blend together very well. In fact, I think I get better coverage with the two.

More Little Choices

A Decision to DYE For
A few weeks ago, before I was laid off, I made an appointment at my hair salon for a partial foil. My gray was poking out worse than ever, and I had already saved the money out of my personal spending money (I've always paid for haircuts out of the family budget, but never felt I could justify spending $70 of family money for a color job). I considered not getting my hair colored, but decided in the end to do it. After all, I had saved the required money, and nothing makes me feel better about myself than a little pampering. Keeping one's self-esteem up is critical in a job-loss situation.

Plus, I knew that business at the salon had slowed considerably, and that my very talented stylist would appreciate the business. I probably will be letting my hair grow out for an extra week or two between cuts, so I figured getting the partial foil was the least I could do.

Brown Bagging?
This morning, my middle-schooler informed me that he was out of lunch money at school. Again, here's a little spending decision. And, again, I might have chosen the option that another unemployed person might not have chosen. But, I wrote him a check (which he promptly forgot and left on the kitchen table) to replenish his account. My kids are not sandwich-eaters. Packing lunches for them has always been an exercise in futility (and not an exercise in proper nutrition). Once they reached middle school, I quit trying altogether. Our school district's secondary school lunch program is absolutely phenomenal, with a wide range of very nutritious options that my boys actually like. I consider it to be $2.75 per day well spent; they get a far more nutritious meal than I could ever hope to cobble together.

In both of these decisions, the overall value was something I considered as much as the price. It is worth $70 to me to look in the mirror and not feel old and gray. It is worth $2.75 a day (per kid) to have my children properly nourished in school. Value is very much something to be considered.

e.l.f Makeup--Here's What I Got

My e.l.f. makeup finally arrived. Even though I opted for the cheapest shipping option, I thought it took a little long to get here (I ordered it August 28). But, look at what all I got for my $16.45! I am really excited about the eye makeup remover pads. I must confess that I am a total slacker in taking eye makeup off because it is so time-consuming. The only other drawback to having ordered from them was that now I get at least one e-mail a day from them. I guess I could opt out, but what if I miss another great deal? After I give these new products a whirl, I bet I will be ordering again (if their prices stay low).

e.l.f. Makeup for $1

I just got an e-mail from a friend who turned me on to a sale at http://www.eyeslipsface.com. Apparently, Nordstrom has bought the e.l.f. line and will be rebranding these products with their own label. As a result, they are selling off just about everything with the e.l.f. label for $1.00, plus standard shipping of $6.95. I don't know what their regular prices are, but I figure for eye makeup remover pads, eye liner, eye brushes, eyeshadow applicators, concealer, mascara, lip color, and lip balm, I got a pretty good deal. There is also a coupon code, CAROLINA, that gives you up to $7.50 off your order (if your order is under $15, you get 50% off; you get $7.50 off orders over $15.00).

I ordered a total of 17 items, applied my coupon code, and ended up paying $16.45 including shipping (no tax was applied).

If you need to add a few makeup basics to your kit, check it out (some items, like gift sets, and minerals, are slightly higher in price but still a good deal).

Make that Pedi L-A-S-T!

I love pedicures, especially professional ones. Not exactly a "frugal" thing to do, which is why I save a professional pedicure for a special treat, and only when I've saved up my spending money. My last pedi was a Mother's Day gift. So, when I pay good money for a pedicure, I want it to last. It's important to start out with a good quality pedicure. I have been very happy with InSpa, especially Rosey at the Factoria location (they have locations all over Western Washington and several in California). The best thing about InSpa is their strict NO tipping policy. That right there makes it a more frugal option.

I've found that putting a coat of clear topcoat on once a week keeps the polish fresh and unchipped. I think I went 6 weeks before my last pedicure started looking a little ragged (I even trimmed my nails and the polish didn't chip). It's important to be sure you get the exposed end of the nail when you do this.

Seems like kind of a silly thing for my first post, but there it is!