Frugal Frump to Fab - 2015

indiepanda

I have to admit I have never tried to add up how much I spend on hair and beauty. More than I should I guess given the stockpile of products I am trying to use up, although compared to food where I often seem to buy more than I need and throw away, I don't feel quite so sheepish about my hair and beauty spend.

I go to the hairdresser about every 2 months for a cut and colour which costs about £110. My hairdresser is fantastic though, I always feel super-glamorous when I've been. I've tried loads of different shampoo and conditioner combinations - my hair is naturally wavy/curly and needs something pretty hydrating and my scalp seems to react to most things so I rarely use more than a bottle or two of shampoo before trying a different brand. Styling products are mainly Aveda - both their straightening and curly ranges are great.

I go for facials about every six weeks, Guinot hydradermie, they're really deep cleansing and hydrating too. I can't remember how much they cost but I always buy a course where you get a couple free. I guess they must be at least £50 each though.

I go for a deluxe pedicure about every couple of months - think that's about £30 a go. I do home ones in between. Very rarely bother going for a manicure as it's easy enough to do my own - I only put colour on for special events and usually take it off a day or two after as I need a more sober look for work.

I stick to razors for defuzzing - my skin is pale and the hair on my legs quite dark so I can't bear to wait until it's long enough to wax. I don't bother with fake tan very often, do it so infrequently I tend to mess up and go streaky. I have had it done in a salon, but the last time was for my sister's wedding, and that was in 2001.

I really love my beauty products. I don't go for the standard department store brands, I go for natural brands but I guess the more luxurious end. Most recent purchases are REN, Balance Me and Emma Hardie. (Her facial cleansing balm is amazing, I could spend hours smelling it!).

Make up I mainly buy Bare Minerals but I am so poor at getting round to putting it on it does tend to last quit a long while. I usually go to work without and wear for nights out. Nail products are mainly OPI, Essie and Leighton Denny. I have tried to cut back on buying new colours as I have so many it's hard not to duplicate.

I imagine by some people's standards I spend a fortune... To be honest if I could just get rid of the stockpile of old products I wouldn't feel too bad about it. I had too much of an eye for a bargain years ago where now I focus on getting things I really want, and it's so hard to persuade myself to use the old stuff when I have newer nicer stuff. However, the poor working class girl I grew up as finds the idea of throwing away something that hasn't gone off equally hard, and none of it is really worth trying to sell.

indiepanda

lollyfin wrote: »

Hi all hope I can join you
Ellsbel suggested I come over after I admitted on another thread that I am finally trying to have clothes that I love rather than oh that will do/covers the bumps

Welcome lollyfin.

I know what you mean about covering the bumps... I have been very good at putting off buying lovely things until I lose weight.... bear in mind I've been overweight for pushing twenty years that's a lot of years of reigning in the spend for a mythical tomorrow that may not come.

lollyfin

Hi indie I know what you mean it's about 15 years for me. I keep saying oh I will get nice stuff when I lose this 2 stone, not happened yet so I want the nice stuff now
I've also agreed to let my DD1 take me to the place she gets her makeup from after the new year....I've promised myself I will use up my stuff by them as I haven't got much at all

Rummer

Welcome Lollyfin, lovely to see you here

It is interesting seeing what you all spend on fabbing. I spend very little as I am generally quite low maintenance. However I have been looking increasingly grim so I am trying to make more of an effort.

Today I finally got a winter coat and boots that I am pleased with. However looking in so many changing room windows made me realise that I look like an extra from "The Walking Dead" and that saddened me. I don't know what it is that is standing in the way of me achieving the look and life style I want

maman

Rummer wrote: »

Today I finally got a winter coat and boots that I am pleased with. However looking in so many changing room windows made me realise that I look like an extra from "The Walking Dead" and that saddened me. I don't know what it is that is standing in the way of me achieving the look and life style I want

Enjoy your new buys rummer. Changing room mirrors are notoriously unflattering, I think it's the lighting, we've all had horror moments in there I'm sure.


Most of the time you seem dissatisfied with your diet so could it be that which is 'standing in the way'? You mentioned veggie/vegan a couple of days ago. Is that on principle or because you think it's healthier? I've set myself a few challenges in the past few years (with great support from people on these boards). First it was cutting back alcohol, then I moved on to a healthier diet to lose weight and finally fabbing myself. I didn't say that to boast but just to illustrate that it can be done if you have a goal and stick to it. And the great thing about these forums is that there's plenty of help and advice along the way:).

indiepanda

Rummer wrote: »

Welcome Lollyfin, lovely to see you here

It is interesting seeing what you all spend on fabbing. I spend very little as I am generally quite low maintenance. However I have been looking increasingly grim so I am trying to make more of an effort.

Today I finally got a winter coat and boots that I am pleased with. However looking in so many changing room windows made me realise that I look like an extra from "The Walking Dead" and that saddened me. I don't know what it is that is standing in the way of me achieving the look and life style I want

Good to hear you had some success with the shopping. If it's just changing room mirrors that make you look ill, do be aware a lot of them have very cruel lighting. The toilets where I work are similar - I look awful in those lights, every grey hair shows, the shadows under my eyes really stand out, and my skin looks dull. Yet when I see friends they comment how well I look and on my healthy complexion, and when I look in the naturally light mirrors at home, my skin looks fine so I don't think they are just being nice.

Was there ever a time when you did feel as if you had the look and life style you wanted? If so, is there anything you were doing then that you are not doing now that you could reintroduce to your lifestyle? Do you have a clear picture of what it is you do want?

I find it easy to get carried away by the notion of this perfect life that I should be living and then realise I have set the bar so high it's completely unrealistic and I give up almost immediately. I think for me it's about a) accepting you can't be perfectly healthy at all times unless you want to give up all social life (which would be damaging for the mental health) and b) being honest about what will work for you (e.g. no point planning to be up early exercising every day if you are naturally an owl who can't get to sleep early) and c) planning. I really fall down on the latter so that's my mission - to treat my health with the same level of seriousness I treat my work.

One piece of advice I would give is that if you've never had your colours done, it would be well worth considering. I can easily make myself look like one of the waking dead just by wearing the worst colours for me (e.g. black, fuchsia, pastel pink, pastel blue). Add in some cool toned foundation, a nice cool pink blush, pale pink lipstick, black eyeliner etc, and I'd look like I needed bed rest for a couple of months.

I know there's an expense in getting it done, and it can seem quite daunting changing your whole wardrobe if you turn out to have gravitated to all your worst colours, but you don't have to change all at once - they don't send someone around to bin all your wrong coloured clothes. An easy way to start to introduce the right colours is a nice scarf, and most of us wear those this time of year.

chanie

Indie, Rummer at work, we have a mirror in a lift that shows up all the blemishes on my face. I asked the Head of Facilities to change the lighting in the lift and he laughed at me!!!
I think we are all used to seeing perfect celebrities, who are airbrushed to perfection, but the reality is that they have blemishes too.

Indie I haven't had my colours done professionally, but I've read up on it (and done some online quizzes) and I've worked out I'm an autumn.

Thanks to all who commented on the beauty spends, its really interesting and I've realised that although £600 sounds like a lot, its not that much.

Lolly Ive pretty much replaced my wardrobe over the past 5 years or so and here are my tips:

Replace your wardrobe gradually - I made a few mistakes along the way, but I know why. I now know what I like and what suits me.

Dress for your lifestyle - I was attracted to high fashion, sparkly stuff but that's not my lifestyle. I've focussed on finding nice everyday stuff.

Fill your life with joyful things - this has been the most important lesson. I now buy clothes and beauty products that I really enjoy using. Today, I'm wearing a plain black jersey top, which in itself isn't anything special, but I know it suits me and looks good.

pirateyqueen

Can I ask whether you ladies tip at the hairdressers? I don't know whether you should or not? And if so how much and how do you do it? For example, I pay by card, could I ask them to add some on to my payment as a tip, or do I hand my stylist a fiver?

chanie

Piratey I tip 10%, normally rounded up to the nearest £1. I only get a cut/trip plus I wash my hair at home (I don't use sulphates on my hair), so my appointments are normally 1/2 hour.
My haircut costs about £15, so tip is normally £2.

Funnily enough, I don't ever tip Beauticians and I'm wondering whether I should, as they do a similar job!!!!

Floss

I don't tip my hairdresser but I buy her some fizz on her birthday and a gift at Christmas, which wild work out to be around £2-3 a time.