Glow Without the Guilt: How to Pamper Yourself with Beauty Treatments on a Budget

1. Facials

You might be expecting to find DIY facial recipes to do at home with ingredients like lemon and honey here, but that's not what we're doing today. After learning more about skincare, I’ve realized that DIY remedies can often do more harm than good. Invest in a good mask from a trusted brand that you can use at home. I personally prefer this clay mask for my acne-prone skin which can be used weekly or this peel which should be used less often. Now, I'm not saying to try professional peels at home but find what works for you. You can also use a nourishing mask like this one if you do not have any specific skin concerns but want that 'glass skin'. You can definitely achieve good skin at home with a consistent and suitable routine. If you're looking for help with building a routine, be sure to check out my other post, How to Build a Skincare Routine.

2. Waxing

I know many of you might see this and immediately think, Hell No! And that's totally fine. Razors used to be my go-to, but I’ve come to appreciate the benefits of waxing. I’ve never been to a professional for a wax, and honestly, I’m not sure if I ever will. Once I decided to give waxing a try, I grabbed a kit, watched some YouTube tutorials, and started doing it myself. There’s definitely been some trial and error along the way, but it's been worth it.

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With budgeting becoming more important than ever in today’s economic climate, I've had to make some tough decisions about where to cut back. Beauty treatments were among the first expenses to go. Not only are they non-essential, but I think that we can all agree that they are becoming more expensive.

I’ve started doing more of my beauty treatments at home- from manicures to waxing. While I do miss being pampered by a professional, I enjoy saving by doing it myself. I also enjoy not having to spend time traveling to and from my appointment venues and worry about traffic and parking.

Here are some simple yet effective beauty treatments that will help you unwind, refresh and pamper yourself—all without draining your wallet.

3. Mani-Pedi

I used to absolutely love my mani-pedi appointments. They were so relaxing that I’d often fall asleep—oops! But over time, the costs started adding up and I began looking into doing it myself. I remember finding this YouTube video where she made a set of press-on nails look just like a real manicure and I was sold. I promised myself I wouldn’t spend money on salon visits anymore. Slowly, I invested in a lamp, some press-ons (I'm a square-tip girlie), and this UV light nail glue that I swear by. Now, whenever I need my nails done, I set aside about 40 minutes at home and take care of it myself.

4. Body Scrubs

Exfoliating your body regularly is a fantastic way to keep your skin smooth and glowing, and the best part is, you don’t need to spend $100 on a 30-minute Body Polish Treatment. You can easily do a scrub at home! You might need a little help, but don’t worry—I’ve got a hack that could work perfectly for reaching those hard to reach areas on your own. Keep reading! There are scrubs for every budget and I love using this affordable lavender epsom salt body scrub because I know that it gets the job done. When I run out, I have a simple hack: I mix white sugar with any available body wash in a jar to create an easy, at-home scrub. For the hard areas, like doing my back, I use an african net sponge to massage the scrub into that area. It'll take some practice but it works.

5. Brow Maintenance

Last summer, just before leaving for vacation, I had my first brow tinting session. It was a game changer. It saved me from having to fill in my brows every day and I didn’t have to worry about them smudging in the water. I even started looking into Permanent Makeup and was almost ready to splurge. But after giving it some thought, I realized sticking with brow tinting would be more affordable for now. While there are a lot of DIY Brow tinting kits on Amazon, I decided to go a simpler route and buy henna cones to add the full and shaped look to my brows that are tamed by using a regular tweezer. To get the henna to last, I prep the area with 70% Isopropyl Alcohol on a cotton pad beforehand.

Pampering yourself doesn’t have to be a costly endeavor. With a little creativity, you can treat yourself to luxurious beauty treatments using affordable ingredients and tools. Whether you’re indulging in a DIY facial, nourishing your hair, or enjoying a relaxing bath, taking the time to care for yourself is always worth the effort. So go ahead—pamper yourself, relax, and recharge. You deserve it!