Five things a Spa Girl’s gotta have … on the cheap!
Between holiday parties and gift shopping, I’m feeling a bit broke. If you’re in the same boat and don’t want to max out your credit card on your must-have beauty splurges, here are a few products that will get you by (or even hooked) until January’s paycheck hits our accounts.
1. Philosophy’s Amazing Grace. My everyday fragrance of choice, I can’t get enough Grace. As a habitual over-user, the 2-ounce bottle, which retails for $42, lasts me about three weeks.
The savvy alternative: I now opt for the Amazing Grace Perfumed Body Spritz. It’s $25 for an 8-ounce bottle and you can still smell me from down the street with even fewer sprays than its perfume counterpart.
2. The Clarisonic. This skin-changing wonder digs deep to remove makeup, impurities and even fine lines from skin. Within just a few uses, I swear my skin had a glow and after using it for more than a year, I honestly have little to no breakouts. The downside: this magical brush retails for upwards of $100.
The savvy alternative: Olay Pro-X Advanced Cleansing System. Known on the street as the “Olay Brush,” this smaller brush doesn’t have quite the plush, luxury feel as the Clarisonic but for $29.99, it works.
3. Makeup Removing Wipes. You see these tempting little on-the-go packets everywhere from Sephora to Nordstrom to you local market. If you’re splurging on a brand name, you’re looking to spend around $25 per pack and even the “inexpensive” brands cost around $7.
The savvy alternative: Baby Wipes. They’re less than $2, come in large quantities and you can choose from different brands, scents, and so on. For something you use and throw away, I would rather splurge on a great nail polish or lipstick, not wipes.
4. The French Manicure. Seriously, how good does a Frenchie look with a sparkly holiday dress? It’s professional, put together and if you’re not totally loving your outfit, I promise it makes you feel prettier. But beware, you’re going to pay at least $20-$25 for a non-gel version, which means chips in 2 to 3 days.
The savvy alternative: Incoco French Nail Stickers. Even though you have to think ahead and order these online (you can find similar products at local drugstores), I swear by Incoco and order their French nail stickers in hoards. For $8.99 , you get a pack of stickers for all nails, and best of all, you get to choose the thickness of the line. You don’t have to settle for the traditional look either and can get glitter, colored and pattered tips. Incoco strips are easy to use and with one to two swipes of topcoat, you’re good to go for at least a week.
5. Sugar or Salt Scrubs. With all the self tanner I use, I indulge in a deep scrub at least one to two times per week. Even if you’re not into the faux glow, there’s almost nothing that makes your skin feel softer and glow brighter than a sugar or salt scrub. Depending on what brand you choose, many high-quality scrubs can range from about $30-$75.
The savvy alternative: Make your own! One of my faves is Orange Crush Body Peel. Browse all of our DIY beauty recipes here.
Got your own savvy beauty alternatives? Do tell by commenting below!
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