Almost everyone goes through tight spots at some point or another where we need to pinch pennies in all areas of life, including hair care.
Getting your hair professionally cut and styled frequently can be expensive and those costs can really add up. Save yourself some money to use for bills and necessities by following these tips.
Saving at Home
The first place you can start cutting costs and putting more money in your pocket is right at home. Avoid buying designer or high-end brands of shampoo and conditioner. Cheaper brands such as Pantene, Garnier Nutrisse, and Herbal Essences work the same as the high-end brands and can save you a lot of money.
If your store carries value sized bottles of shampoo and conditioner, buy those. The final cost is less per ounce, and the bottles can be divided up if you are having to stock more than one bathroom. You could even save your old high-end bottles and pour the cheap stuff in them and no one, especially picky teenagers, would know the difference. Some brands even sell multi-packs of shampoo and conditioner. These will contain either two shampoos, two conditioners, or shampoo and a conditioner for the price of one. If you see these multi-packs, stock up.
When washing your hair, keep in mind that you only need to do it once. A single thorough shampoo is all it takes to get your hair completely clean. Soak your hair with water before conditioning so the conditioner will distribute easier throughout your hair and you useless. When you’re running low on shampoo or conditioner, add a little water and shake to get a few more uses out of it.
If you’re brave or you don’t have anywhere to go, you can skip a day or two of washing your hair. Wear dirty hair up or in a messy bun. Dirty hair also works best and holds better for certain types of hairstyles such as braids and messy looks.
If you’re a fan of hair products and use it regularly, you can commonly find the same types of products with the same ingredients for much cheaper than high-end brands. Try to go for styles that require little to no product, such as using a flat iron for straight hair instead of wearing a curly style that might require an adequate amount of gel, mousse, or hairspray.
A lot of beauty, cosmetic, and hair care manufacturers release coupons and sales throughout the year. If you’re savvy enough, you can really stack up on both high-end and cheaper products. You can take it a step further by using a credit card that offers cashback to make your purchases, allowing you to save money with or without coupons.
Saving at the Salon
Most women regularly get their hair cut and styled at salons. You do not have to spend large amounts of money to get a great haircut.
First, no matter how much you love your stylist, if you are paying too much for a simple haircut, ditch your stylist and find another one that charges less.
Instead of blow-drying your hair, let it air dry. Constant heat to the hair can cause split ends to develop faster, which causes you to have to go to the salon more often.
If you go to a salon that charges extra for a shampoo, wash your hair before you head to the salon to save money. If you aren’t going anywhere but home after the salon, or if you can just throw your hair up into a bun or ponytail, skip the style as well and just get the cut. By not getting other services you can save a considerable amount of money.
You can save money on the actual type of cut you get as well. You should get a haircut that is going to look well when it grows out and that doesn’t need constant trims and upkeep. Perfect styles that grow out well are straight across cuts and layers. If you have short hair, think about letting it grow out so it needs to be cut less. When cuts grow out well, then you don’t need to get your hair cut as often and can go to the salon every few months instead of every 4-6 weeks.
Inquire at local beauty and vocational schools that teach cosmetology. Often these schools offer really cheap or free haircuts that are provided by the students. If you can learn to cut your own hair, even simple cuts, that is all the better and can save you even more.
Go all-natural with your color and avoid salon colors. Or, you could purchase hair dye at drugstores and do it yourself. At-home hair dyes have the same outcome as salon dyes.
There are numerous ways to save money on your hair care without having to give up your great style and without making your hair appear cheap.