From everyday shampoo to trips to the salon, hair care can be an expensive part of your beauty routine. The market is saturated with products as well as salons offering new treatments and styles every day - it’s hard to see where money can be saved. However, looking good doesn’t have to cost a fortune with our money-saving tips!
Saving money at the salon
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From a quick trim to a significant change, a trip to the hairdresser is costly. Of course, you are paying a premium for the skills a professional has spent years developing, but there are ways to enjoy a haircut at a snip of the price.
Head to an out-of-town/city salon - Treating yourself to a new hairdo in the city centre will cost you more than the smaller hairdressers you might find in a small village or suburban area. This is generally because their overheads are cheaper, not a reflection on the stylist. Keep an eye out for some salons and barbers that offer ‘pay what you can afford’ days too as they are becoming increasingly popular.
Consider a salon apprentice or local college - Most salons have an apprentice that needs experience, you can save at least 50% off the full price of a cut. Some salons even have a day in the week where you can book a free trim with a learner. Your local beauty college often has days where they invite clients for a free or cut-price trim too.
Use a mobile hairdresser - When a mobile hairdresser comes to your home you will save money on travel and parking so that’s an advantage. But mobile hairdressers are usually cheaper too as they have little overheads.
Opt for a dry cut - If you need a fringe trim, why not pop in for a quick dry cut? You will save on the cost of a wash and blow dry. Some salons offer this service for free to regular clients - so always ask if it’s an option!
Downgrade the stylist - You may have noticed that your salon has different grade stylists, that usually go by fancy names like ‘Directer Stylist’. This usually means they have worked as a stylist for longer or they offer more services. Consider a lower-grade stylist like a ‘junior stylist’ they may have slightly less experience but do just as good a job.
Be time flexible - weekends and evening appointments can be more expensive. Check if your salon offers cheaper services on quiet days and times during the week.
Check voucher websites
There are plenty of salons that offer their services via Groupon and Wowcher. By purchasing a voucher via these sites you can treat yourself to some of the most expensive treatments for a bargain price. I spotted a voucher for 33% off a cut and highlights at a salon near me on Groupon for example.
Be your own stylist
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DIY has always been a way to save money, and that applies to doing your own hair. In fact, we have some super tips on the very subject from celebrity hairstylist - Michael Douglas. Michael says ‘the vast majority of people want hair with more volume, thicker hair, shiny hair, less hair and fewer flyaways - all of these are solved with a really good blow dry. Save money by learning how to blow dry your hair yourself. You need a decent bristle brush and a nozzle on your hairdryer.
Michael also talks about spending less money on products, he says ‘you don’t need to spend a lot of money on shampoo and conditioner. I can recommend OGX products, they have top-quality ingredients, sulphate-free surfactants, and are PH balanced. You can pick them up from places like Tesco and Boots and are often on a special 3 for 2 offer’.
Touch up your colour
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Using home colour kits can potentially save you hundreds of pounds. But there is a lot to consider if you don’t leave it to the professionals. They are trained in specific techniques like highlighting and balayage and they know how to mix specific colours.
If you decide that you would like to apply a block colour, a box dye would be the best option if you are at home - remember that following the patch test instructions is vital.
Colouring the roots is one of the most common reasons for visiting the salon, you could save money by doing this less often, this will save money over the year. Use interim cover-up products like Color Wow Root Cover-Up - this pocket-sized product allows you to brush on your desired colour between visits to the salon. It’s available in various colours from LookFantastic for £23.60 and will last up to a year when used regularly.
Save on products
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The world of haircare is vast, there are millions of products on the market that all promise results. It’s easy to assume that you need to spend a fortune, but you don’t. There are many products that deliver the same results without leaving a dent in your bank account.
We’ve looked at some comparisons, so you can decide where to spend and where to save to get you on your way to great hair on a budget.
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Spend or Save
Product
Spend
Save
Shampoo and Conditioner
Redken Volume Injection Shampoo and Conditioner duo £39.51 - LookFantastic
OGX Volume Shampoo and Conditioner £.6.99 each - Boots
Hairspray
L’Oreal Elnet Strong Hold Hairspray 400ml £7.50 Boots
Cien Power Hairspray Ultra Strong 400ml £1.50
Heat Protector Spray
Beauty Works Heat Protection Spray 250ml £11.99 Boots
TRESemme Care & Protect Heat Defence Spray £300ml £3.99 Boots
Hair Mousse
Redken Volume Mousse £18.52 Superdrug
Wella Shockwaves Volume Mousse £2.99 Superdrug
Hair straighteners
GHD Good Hair Straightners £179
John Lewis Hair Straightners £35
Hair Dryer
Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer £329
MD London BlOW Hair Dryer £195
Make a solid investment
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Consider switching to a solid shampoo. Solid shampoo bars last longer than traditional liquid shampoos. The rise in environmental awareness has meant there is now a greater choice of shampoo bars on the market. Solid shampoo bars use less packaging and last 2 to 3 times longer. According to Kind2, they last around 60 to 80 washes!
Hi, I’m SJ. I’m the Beauty Editor and PR Executive here at MyVoucherCodes. As a qualified make-up artist, I've been able to share my knowledge on all things beauty and skincare with our readers so they not only look good and feel great, but save money. As a mum of three, I understand the challenges that families face, and making budgets go further is something I feel passionately about. My research and recommendations help families of all sizes shop better allowing them to enjoy the little luxuries in life. My work has been featured in many publications including The Sun, The Mirror, Netmums, and The Telegraph.
Outside of MyVoucherCodes, I'm a writer and interviewer for pop culture magazines like Buzz Magazine. I've chatted to celebrities such as Strictly's Johannes Redebeand poet Kae Tempest. It's certainly one of the best parts of my job. Over the years I've built a portfolio of work that shows the diversity of my writing, which gives me a breadth of knowledge and experience that I apply to my work every day.
