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Beauty

10 Ways to Look Your Best for Under $5

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Whether it’s making use of DIY beauty routines or taking advantage of online discounts, these expert tips show that looking good doesn’t have to break the bank.

1. DIY Hair and Facemasks

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(Photo Credit: Getty Images)

Don’t fork out for expensive hair and face masks, instead, you can make your own with ingredients available at your local supermarket.

A great one to try is a banana hair mask. Simply blend bananas and honey together, and apply to your hair. The result? Well-nourished and smooth hair which smells delicious.

2. Visit beauty colleges.

Need a haircut but low on funds? Most local beauty colleges will offer everything from a cut and blow-dry to Swedish massages for under $5!. 

By supporting the college’s students, you can get the full salon treatment at trainee prices, which usually means around 75 percent cheaper. Some will even carry out the treatments free of charge.

3. Get free samples.

Lots of big beauty brands will give away free samples of products for testing or market research. Look out for offers via social media and sign up to mailing lists. Some will send you vouchers while others, mainly perfumes, will send small samples straight through your mailbox.

4. Recycle your old products for new replacements.

Once you’ve cut your foundation bottle in half and got everything out of it that you can, head back to the store with the empty packaging. 

Some companies encourage their customers to bring their old products into the store for them to recycle. In return, you can get new products. Be sure to check out your favorite make-up brands’ policies on this. You might be able to wangle some freebies as well as being kind to the environment.

5. Get free make-up consultations from beauty bars.

beauty

(Photo Credit: Getty Images)

If you need a makeover but can’t afford to splash out on a whole new set of cosmetics, try visiting your local department store’s beauty floor. 

Most big brands will offer free make-up consultations where a makeup artist will apply your makeup for you — a great hack for a night out.

6. Dye your hair at home.

Many hairdressers will charge a fortune for coloring your hair, so grab a kit from your local chemist and do it yourself. There are some excellent quality hair dye kits available, with lots offering no ammonia alternatives, all for $5 or under.

If you are a bit nervous about doing it yourself, get a friend who is good at doing their own hair to help you out.

7. Get free samples.

If your make-up bag could do with a much-needed boost then check out what magazine freebies are available. Lots of women’s mags give away mini mascaras, face creams, and nail varnishes every month, which are usually worth $30, but you can get for free with purchase. 

8. Host a pampering party.

Pampering parties with your friends are a great way to save money on expensive beauty treatments — you can all swap and share your favorite tips, products, and expertise.

9. Try store brand.

If you switch to store brand for products like cleansers and toners, the only difference you will spot is the price. 

Store brand beauty products usually contain very similar formulas to expensive ones and they also usually come in larger sizes, so will last longer than a tiny bottle of moisturizer.

10. Look out for discount codes and cashback deals.

Voucher code websites Groupon offer hundreds of daily deals on hair and beauty goodies. These might be discounts or even money off luxury spa breaks. 

Sometimes big beauty brands will offer their new product on cashback sites for new customers to try it out completely free. You just have to purchase it through the site they tell you to, wait for it to arrive, then claim for the cashback. Sign up to a few of these sites and keep an eye out.

This article originally appeared on our sister site, Yours.

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