So the pundits say the recession is officially over. Sadly, however, your cash flow is a little low. But just because your budget is limited, it doesn’t mean your hair has to suffer. There are simple ways that you can easily fit haircuts, colors, and styling products that won’t break the bank. With these tips your hair you will be able to keep your curls fabulous while still staying within your budget!
Trim
If you need a haircut, or just a trim to hold you off until you have the cash flow for the next cut, don’t shy away from beauty schools. Yes I know, I know, you hear the words “beauty school” and the voice in your head lets out a shriek. Fear not, though—I thought the same thing when I first went to a beauty school to get my curls cut. In all actuality, though, these people are training to become your stylists in the future. I absolutely LOVE going to the Regency Beauty Institute here in Austin to get my hair cut.
I was a little skeptical at first, thinking, “Well, I don’t think they know how to cut curly hair” but I was DESPERATELY in need of a haircut. So I took my curly-haired friend Bianca with me to get her hair cut, also. We absolutely LOVED our cuts! When I first made our appointments, I asked for students who were learning to cut curly hair.
The school looked like a salon. Our stylists greeted us at the reception area, where we were led to the back to have our hair shampooed. Once you are in the chair, there is a consultation between you, your stylist and the head instructor. You explain what you want and what you’d like for your hair to do. The instructor asks your stylist what she thinks she should do with the cut, then the instructor either approves or provides guidance about what your stylist needs to do.
From there your stylist starts the cut; the instructor comes by from time to time to check how everything is going. Now, if there is something that you don’t like, the instructor will fix it for you. The process is lengthy, but that is to ensure that your cut will be exactly what you want. The great news about this is that because you are willing to let these students learn and practice with your hair, you don’t have to pay a high price for a cut or a trim.
As an extra bonus, they do salon pedicures and manicures for the school price— now that’s something I could get used to.
Here’s a this tip is for those of us who have bangs and trim them in between visits to the salon. You can learn to cut your own bangs. Yes, kind of scary—but with a good pair of shears or a razor to feather out your bangs (you can get a good pair from a beauty supply store for around $7″> and a couple of instructional videos, and you will become a expert of trimming your bangs in between cuts. First place I look when I want to get tips on how to cut my bangs, is ehow.com. This site offers instructional videos and directions on everything you may need to know how to do. I use this site quite often for tips on trimming my bangs. You can also look to YouTube for inspiration also. The trick when trimming your bangs in to do things slowly. When trimming your bangs, remember, you can always cut your hair shorter.
Color at Home
Color your hair in the comfort of your home. A salon coloring will seriously put a strain on your wallet, and if you’re not looking for anything dramatic, you can color your hair at home.
You may think you may not get salon quality color—wrong! A new hair color line called “Perfect 10” — you can buy it at almost any drugstore—has been reviewed to be one of the best at home colors on the market. This formula gives you salon quality at less than the salon price.
Adding some highlights? Well, since we have curly hair, we don’t have to worry about messing up highlights. As always, take your time. With our curly hair, highlights are not as risky as it is with straight hair. Grab thin pieces of random hair to where you would like to see your highlights. Work by sections, starting with the bottom sections and work your way up. If you don’t feel absolutely confident on highlighting your hair by yourself, check ehow.com to pick up some tips to boost your confidence.
Shop Smart
Products, you know you need them and there’s some quality products featured on CurlMart that are affordable and make your hair work for you. I like to use Elucence Moisture Benefits shampoo and Moisture Balancing Conditioner. They are affordable products made for curly hair. I like to then add some Curl Keeper. You can use a leave-in conditioner or a silk serum to tame frizziness. Then I use some Shine and Define from Oyin. This is a great coconut-scented definition cream that is a great deal for $11. For drying my hair, I splurged just a little and bought the Hand Dry Gloves, but these gloves are well worth the $22. The gloves are the best things I’ve ever used to dry my hair. The gloves tame my frizzies and leave my product intact and my curls defined.
So I’ve shared the 3 tips that have kept me on my financial course throughout my college years of surviving on ramen. These are three most important tips that anyone can use whether you’re on a budget or just trying to save up for that cute pair of shoes you just have to have! Hopefully these tips will save you some money and maybe even some grief—just enough to get you to the next holiday.
