Heyyy everyone and happy Tuesday! As a college kid, I’m always looking for ways to save a buck in everything from beauty and clothes to eating out and buying textbooks. In the past few weeks I’ve demonstrated some frugal efforts at its finest in my beauty routines and now I’m here to share them with you! Let’s discuss:
1) Dye your hair at home!!!! – Back in the day, I would get my hair dyed and cut monthly. I was obsessed with keeping my hair as fabulously red as possible (I still am) and would eagerly shell out about seventy bucks per month at the salon to satisfy my needs. Once I started school, I knew that my hair dying habit had to die. I began to search Target and drug stores for the box color that would match the color I would get done at the salon the closest. Lucky for me, I found a perfect if not better match in Vidal Sassoon’s London Luxe collection. Their Runway Red box color is literally the best thing that’s ever happened to me because now I pay a whopping eight dollars per month for salon quality color!
I went from spending over eight hundred dollars yearly to about ninety dollars thanks to using box color on my luscious locks. Every month I now look forward to my pampering time when I throw on a robe, apply my hair color, and watch the water turn red as I wash it out. There’s nothing better! And the sweet smell of savings and freshly dyed and washed hair ain’t too bad either!
Have makeup free days: In the past month, I’ve spent at least twelve days makeup free. These are the days when I’m working on school work from home, when I’m having girl time with my best friend, or hangouts with my boyfriend (because if he can handle my bad breath in the morning he can handle seeing me makeup free, damnit!). I used to do my makeup every day no matter what but then I realized that it’s kind of silly to do that when no one but your family is going to see you in it. Now I only apply my makeup on days that I know for a cold hard fact I’ll be going out and about running errands, to school, or date nights with my beau.
By not using my makeup every single day, I’ve been stretching out how long the product lasts. My black eyeliner, for example, usually needs replacing after one month but as November comes to a close, I still have a little less than half of it left. This has dwindled down my spending at Target significantly because I no longer have to go to the store to do my monthly stock ups. Yes, I’ll be buying the products eventually but if I decrease the amount of eyeliner I buy per year by three, that’s saving close to twenty dollars! And that doesn’t even include mascara, eye shadows, blushes, and whatever other products you might use! My makeup free days have been stretching my dollar for this month which means more moolah to spend on holiday shopping!
^^^ Thanks, Ryan. ❤
So there you have it, just a few of the ways that Lil Red is Ballin On A Budget! What are some of your money saving secrets? What box color do you swear by? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah
lifewithlilred 
I don’t wear makeup every day either ~~ I never have! My face likes to breathe lol. I will have to get a box of that dye! I’ve been wanting to go real red, but getting to a salon with a baby is kinda not happening lol. Thanks for the help!
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lol same! my skin feels so much better after taking a break from makeup every few days. and I can’t recommend that dye enough, it’s seriously the most fantastic color – much better than what I was getting at the salon! 🙂
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Yes, me too! 🙂 I didn’t pick the dye up yet, but definitely will within the next week or so. About how long does it last would you say? I’ve got some grays too (I’m 31) will it cover those? I’m excited!
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I color my hair every month because I’m kind of a freak about maintaining the color so I don’t know how long is lasts exactly! Haha, I also don’t wash my hair so by the time I’m ready to dye it it’s just for touching up my roots. I could imagine that it would take care of grays really nicely though even though I can’t believe you’re 31!! You’re definitely gonna have to let me know how it turns out!
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I wash my hair every day, or every other day- kind of depends on the weather lol. I can’t wait to see how it turns out!! Yea I’ll be 32 next month! Lmao!!!! Everyone thinks I’m 18 lol!!
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happy early birthday!!! 🙂
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Thanks! Lol! Time flies when you’re having fun, ha! I’ll be sure to do a post when I do my hair. Might have to have someone help me, not sure. Last time I dyed it I ended up with splatter on the wall and didn’t even realize! Lol
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This is terrific, very sensible! One really doesn’t need to spend a fortune of cosmetics – of course, it can be nice sometimes to afford some luxury.
My everyday make-up is this: mascara, eyebrow pencil, lip balm. Sometimes eye pencil, lip pencil (that’s awesome for coloring the lips too, with the lip balm) and when needed, a little lighter cream powder under my eyes. If I know I will be photographed, I would put on some powder shortly before. Actually that’s all what you can see here on this picture of mine, too.
It is great fun to play with make-up, if one doesn’t have anything better to do in life, but with the age, there might come other priorities: for example I prefer being kissable anytime when I am with my partner and don’t want him to taste lipstick instead of my lips 😉
One more thing: there are not many make-up brands where the products are good for the skin, so unless you choose a really good one, painting your face all the time will make your skin age faster – who wants that?
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lol OMG same – I only wear lipstick when I know for a fact I’m not gonna be with my beau because one kiss gives him a mouth full of my bright red lipstick! I consider myself very lucky because I’ve never had to wear foundation. I feel like to get a quality foundation you do have to break the bank a little bit. Other than my body shop splurges almost all of my makeup can be found at the local drugstore! #targetshopper4lyfe haha
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I remember 15 years ago…. That was my turning point. Also at uni and struggling to get through, I woke up one morning to take care of my hair that I took pride in. As I looked in the mirror I thought… Wtf…. All this effort….. For what? So I shaved it all off and haven’t looked back. Gives me more time for other things. Lol…. I know…. Bit hard for females but yeah… Just a suggestion 😂😈😛
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that’s so fabulous!! I used to have very long hair and once I cut it in high school i’ve never looked back. I love my hair short and it’s nice because I barely ever wash it! long hair is so much upkeep it’s insane!
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The vanity is what killed me.
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I have done my own hair for years. Products are so easy to use now.
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right?? I was so worried that I was going to do a not so hot job but my hair turns out so well with my color that the first time I did it and went to get my hair cut my stylist said that she didn’t remember dying my hair recently! score!
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Cool! I never really care about my hair, clothes, and never wear make up, so I can’t exactly relate, but it was interesting to see someone else’s perspective!
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oh my goodness I couldn’t imagine living my life completely makeup free! I don’t know how you do it!
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Hm, I can’t imagine wearing make up… xD
I guess I don’t think it’s necessary.
Also, I don’t care much about my looks. That’s probably just me. I know most girls do a lot.
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haha yeah, a lot of the female population is like that – me included!!
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True. xD
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