$325 well spent.
Last year I wrote a short essay on what it feels like when “budget beauty” starts to really hurt your bank account. In short, I explored why I thought it was no longer fruitful for me to have seven of the same lipsticks in varying shades of red that were all dupes for a higher priced lipstick when for the total of all seven, I probably might have purchased the higher priced thing by now.
A lot of my opinions in that essay still ring true. I do believe that investing in yourself is worth the time as well as waiting if you can’t pay for it at this very moment, however as a person who grew up in the far reaches of the Adirondacks with little money, I can’t say that I will ever necessarily feel great about spending money on anything, particularly myself, or my appeal products.
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When I look at my makeup collection, the highest priced product on it at the moment is my Clinique even much better Makeup. I purchased it on the recommendation of a Sephora employee, as well as I do love it as far as liquid makeup goes. I was searching for something that wouldn’t clog my pores, as well as that would cover my acne as well as redness. At $27, it’s not that costly compared to some items I’ve seen, however it’s much more than I had been used to spending.
When my skin began revolting due to adult acne, I started rethinking my skincare routine. I knew that I would have to spend much more money on creams, ointments, as well as moisturizers since my skin demanded quality as well as care. however this was the only area on which I relented. I still tried to discover the best deals, the most affordable brands for the best quality (which, don’t we all, at times?)
Currently, my skincare prices look something like this:
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Aczone Gel Prescription: around $45
Tretinoin Prescription: around $5
Retin-A Prescription: around $10
Moisturizer: $9
Cleanser $7
Total: $76 (Give or take a few dollars.)
Not bad, considering my prescriptions last me nearly 6 months, as well as the gigantic bottle of Neutrogena Cleanser I purchased a few months back is still going strong. These are prices I can offer with, since I feel that investing in my skincare is nearly a part of my health. I’m very cautious when it concerns sun care as well as putting on SPF. As a very pale girl, I slather on as much as I can, even when it’s cloudy out.
What gets me, however, are the items that I don’t have to spend money on, as well as the pressures that I’m bombarded with everyday when I even think about purchasing any type of kind of appeal item. That’s why I was sucked into the dupes for so long. Why get the quality when you can discover a less expensive version? (And that’s not to say some drugstore brands aren’t becoming much better quality.) however as someone who grew up with a strict budget plan as well as started purchasing many things for herself very early, discovering exactly how to budget plan for things I needed versus things I wanted was one of the lousiest lessons to learn, since it makes you feel awful.
About two weeks ago, when I had sufficient of my hair as well as chose it was time for a trim (my very first because summer), I headed to Union Square in nyc to attempt to get a walk-in visit at one of the much better chain salons, Dramatics NYC. They were, unfortunately, booked up. I took to Yelp as well as tried for the very first place that was open later as well as wasn’t visit only. I walked in, was quoted a price, as well as because my partner was paying for a chunk of it as a gift, I was alright with it. however then the person working at the reception desk asked me the question that made my frugal sensibilities tingle.
”Would you like a glass of wine?”
I’d been provided water or coffee at beauty salons before, however never wine.
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And let me be clear that when I get wine, it’s typically Barefoot or Yellowtail. I like a bottle that can last me a week if need be. Being provided that glass of red wine made me want to turn tail as well as run away out the door, since I knew this haircut/color was going to expense much more than the paycheck I’d made that week temping.
And it did. $325 later, as well as I still under-tipped since I didn’t have sufficient money on me. I panicked as well as ran, ashamed that I hadn’t done the proper research on the beauty salon I had chosen. I was horrified that I had not understood just exactly how much money my service would be, as well as that I had failed to recognize just exactly how snazzy a place I was going into. While I was pleased I had invested in myself, I couldn’t take pleasure in it. I went into a Duane Reade as well as nearly cried since not only had I put nearly $200 on my credit score card, however I had spent the rest of the the $200 from my partner on the remaining balance aswell as my paltry tips. exactly how might I have squandered that much money when I had been working so difficult to get my credit score card balance down? exactly how might I have spent that much of my boyfriend’s money? exactly how did my hair feel as well as look so amazing?
Because that’s the expense of things. Being conscious that I will spend an exorbitant amount, particularly in new York, for remarkable hair, as well as investing in yourself is not always a poor thing. This was my lesson. remarkable quality as well as care for yourself don’t come inexpensive (kind of like that old saying about tattoos), as well as this moment of calm after my storm of panic may have only lasted a few minutes, however it let me appreciate the kindness I had done for myself. I had taken a full day for myself, spent time with me, genuinely delighted in my own business while I got myself pampered. These moments are few as well as far between, as well as although I’m still embarrassed about my money miscalculations, I’m discovering to appreciate these self care moments as well as not throw them under the bus since of the price tag.