Cut back on your spending – but still look fab – with these fool-proof money-saving tips.
Cut back on your spending – but still look fab – with these fool-proof money-saving tips.
1.STOCK UP ON MULTI-TASKERS
Think sunscreens that double as colour-correctors, multipurpose oils that can be used on your face, hair and body, and, my personal fave, two-in-one lip-and-cheek colours. Besides saving you cash (buying multiple single-purpose products will cost so much more), they’ll take up less space on your dressing table or in your toiletry bag.
Stila Convertible Color 5-pan Palette in Sunset Serenade, $67.
Five hues you can use as lipsticks or blushers in one lightweight palette – so convenient. I love how pigmented and creamy the colours are.
Yves Saint Laurent Beaute Baby Doll Kiss & Blush, $50.
Boasting a mousse-gel texture that spreads like warm butter, this leaves a watercolour-like tint on the cheeks. On the lips, it can be built up to an opaque shade.
Clarins UV Plus Anti-pollution Day Screen Multi-protection SPF50/PA++++, $74.
This tinted sunscreen is available in three shades: neutral, pink and blue. The latter two give the illusion of brighter, clearer and more even-toned skin while protecting against environmental aggressors such as UV rays and pollution.
2.COLOUR SMART
Cutting down on expenses doesn’t mean you can’t stay trendy; you just have to pick the latest fads that work in your favour. For instance, the balayage hair trend. To get the balayage effect, a colourist will have to paint on highlights freehand on sections of your mane where the sun naturally hits. It’ll cost you roughly 20 percent more than a regular dye job, but your tresses will grow out without any harsh regrowth lines – which means you’ll save money in the long run as you’ll require fewer touch-ups compared to regular dye jobs.
3.ORGANISE A PERFUME SWOP
I fall in love with (and purchase) a new perfume almost every month and I have a completely full fragrance cupboard to prove it. Most of them never get used up; they just sit around until I decide to throw them out. My solution: organise a perfume swop with a group of friends, each of whom brings three “unwanted” bottles of fragrances. That way, everyone gets a “new” perfume for free and declutters their stash at the same time.
4.MAKE IT YOURSELF
If you love DIY projects, try making your own body scrubs. Two good reasons: the ingredients are probably already in your kitchen – think brown sugar and honey – and you can make the scrub in small batches, which means you don’t have to worry about a big expensive tub of body scrub expiring before you’re done with it.
5.NAIL IT
Double the life of your fancy salon manicure by swiping clear polish on the horizontal edge of your nails (the part where you clip them); this helps prevent chipping and lengthens the interval between appointments. Another tip: bring your own polish to the salon. This way, you can touch up any chips at home if you need to, instead of getting a brand-new manicure.
6.TRY A HIGH-LOW SKINCARE ROUTINE
The best way to go when you’re trying to slash your beauty budget: use a mix of high-end skincare products and those you can easily get at the drugstore. Invest in treatment products such as serums, masks and anti-ageing creams, and save on products such as cleansers and sunscreens. The rationale? Cleansers stay on your skin for only a minute or so, and well-formulated drugstore sunscreens will offer you the same protection as more expensive ones. Makeup artist Larry Yeo swears by Za True White Power Block UV ($13.90), a sweat-resistant sunscreen. Another tip from the top makeup artist: “Stop using cotton pads and use your palms to massage on toning lotions. This will reduce product wastage and environmental waste.”
