Ways To Save On Grooming Expense - Part II

by Dr. Charlotte Gorman

Simply put, most people have to have at least a minimum amount of grooming. Some require more than others because of their particular jobs or contact with the public.

If not carefully controlled, the buying of grooming aids and services can take a large bite out of your budget. The suggestions below will help you keep you and your family properly groomed while keeping the expenses to a minimum.

1. Use a lip brush to get the remaining lipstick from down inside the tube. The lip brush will quickly pay for itself by enabling you to get additional lipstick. Since about one-fourth to one-third of the lipstick is down inside the tube, the use of the brush should cut your lipstick expenditures by approximately 25 to 33 percent. Over the years, you could save several hundred dollars.

2. Use petroleum jelly for cleaning makeup from your eyes and face. Petroleum jelly usually is much lower in price than facial cleansers.

3. Some stores which sell cosmetics will do a complete makeup job free of charge. If you are going to have to replace a makeup item which you have exhausted or if you would like to try a new inexpensive item, such as a lipstick or blush, why not take advantage of the expertise of the makeup demonstrator. Don't be pressured into buying every item that the demonstrator uses on your face, but don't go through the makeup session if you have no intention whatsoever of buying anything. The prices of the items normally are higher than comparable items at a discount store, for example, so watch yourself; or you could end up "paying" for the makeup session.

4. Shampoo and style your own hair and that of family members at home. Doing this at home is far cheaper than having it done at the beauty or barber shop.

5. Dye or color rinse your and family members' hair at home. Coloring hair will be much more expensive at the beauty salon or barber shop.

6. Unless your hair is in "bad" condition, don't let your beautician or barber put special conditioners on it or give it special oil treatments. You could save several dollars. Even if your hair does need special conditioners or treatments, give your hair this special care at home yourself and save the several dollars.

7. If you have the ability, cut your hair and family members' hair at home rather than go to the beauty shop or barber shop. You could save $10 to $25 or more per haircut.

8. If you can't cut your or family members' hair, perhaps you can at least trim your own and family members' hair between cuts by a professional. This will result in fewer visits to the beauty shop or barber shop and less expense for you.

9. Give yourself and family members home permanents instead of getting them done at the beauty shop. Home perms will be much cheaper. Follow carefully the directions which come with the home permanents. If you can't give yourself perms, maybe a friend or family member could help.

10. Wash (roll, if necessary) and dry your own hair and that of your family at home, and just get a "comb-out" at the beauty salon. A "comb-out" will cost only a fraction of the price of the complete works.

11. Call the local cosmetology schools (beauty schools/colleges) or barber schools and volunteer to have your name placed on the list of people to serve as models on which the instructors can demonstrate hair cutting, perming, shampooing, conditioning, hair rolling, coloring, styling, and blow drying to students. Getting occasional free hair care decreases your outlay.

12. Get permanents, shampoos and sets, cuts, and other hair care at cosmetology schools (beauty schools/colleges) or barber schools. Their regular prices could easily save you from 50 to 85 percent of the prices at beauty salons and barber shops. Call for information and an appointment. Even though students will be doing the work, instructors will oversee their work. I have always been pleased with the quality of the work students have done on my hair.

13. Watch the newspaper for specials at cosmetology schools (beauty schools/colleges) and barber schools. For example, at a cosmetology school I once got a permanent on sale for $7.50 (one-half off the regular price) which also included a cut, shampoo, and set. There is a wide gap between $7.50 and what most beauty salons charge for a permanent.

14. Watch the newspaper for specials at beauty salons and barber shops. For example, one advertisement read, "Hair specials--permanents, shampoo and styling, cuts--2 for 1 on Thursdays in March. Bring a friend and split the cost." Another stated, "Permanents half-price for the month of January." Such specials could ease your financial burden for hair care.

15. If you have to resort to paying full price at a beauty salon or barber shop, then call eight to ten different ones. Ask what their prices are for particular items, such as permanents, cuts, shampoos and styling, conditioning, coloring, and "comb-outs." The prices normally vary a great deal among the different salons and barber shops.

16. Let your hair dry naturally, and save yourself the expense of buying a hair dryer and the electricity required to operate it.

Dr. Charlotte Gorman is an Extension Agent - Family & Consumer Sciences, Texas Cooperative Extension, Texas A & M University System. She is the author of The Frugal Mind, The Little Book of Living Frugal, and co-author of Speak for Yourself: A Handbook on Practical Public Speaking.