When it comes to beauty, it is easy to rack up and surpass your budget in the pursuit of trying to look and feel your best. However, this feeling becomes short lived when you realize the impact your self care has had on your wallet. Luckily there are alternatives to the lavish options that will have you feeling like a million dollars, without having to spend that much. The recent Covid-19 pandemic caused a global restriction on people movement, this in turn saw social media flooded with pictures of banana bread attempts and DIY haircuts. Even if some were not as successful as others, it allowed for a shift in mindset and resulted in the unraveling of many hidden talents.

Here are some fun beauty hacks that will have both you and your finances looking their best.

At-home spa

Beauty starts from within and when you take care of your inner-self, your outer appearance shines through. So why not destress after a long week (or month, or year) with an at-home spa. Grab some candles from the Dollar Store, run a bubble bath or add a few drops of essential oils to your shower floor (not too much or you will slip), put on some relaxing tunes and just let your stress wash away.

If you want to step it up a notch you could also try a DIY sugar body scrub that can be made with ingredients in your kitchen or a guided meditation that will allow your imagination to whisk you away to your favorite destination.

At-home Dentistry

Aqua-flossing, teeth whitening, even teeth alignments can be done in the comfort of your own home. These options may require a slight splurge but are still significantly more affordable than having them done in-office. Invest in an aqua flosser that uses water pressure to provide an intense clean that goes beyond regular flossing. Blue-light treatments, whitening strips, even whitening toothpaste are all available in at-home kits to have your smile selfie ready.

If you wish to look into at-home teeth alignment you can find affordable clear aligners online and they work just as well as in-office aligners. You will remotely receive personalised dental specialist consultations, which makes it convenient as well. The clear aligners are discrete so you can still go about your routine without feeling conscious about wearing them. Smile Prep’s YouTube channel has some really insightful reviews by real people who have tried different brands of at-home aligners.

**Starting Candid Aligners** | Part 1 | Smile Comfortably Challenge Reviewsyoutu.be

Coupons, sales and discount days

If you want to spoil yourself with a day out, there is no reason why your purse has to quiver. Do a little bit of online digging and look for places that are running specials on beauty treatments. Some establishments offer discounts if you bring a friend, come in on a weekday or book appointments in advance. Join the mailing list of your favorite beauty stops to get notified of when they are running specials and get the latest deals in your mailbox. Sites like Groupon and LivingSocial have amazing deals on offer as well. Flip through magazines and keep an eye out for coupons that could get you further discounts on beauty products for at-home beauty days.

Thrift Shopping

Thrift stores are underrated gems with loads of unique and sometimes still new items. You might have to plough through the rails a bit more than you would at let’s say Bloomingdales, however for the price, it is totally worth it. There have been multiple cases of shoppers finding designer pieces for just a few dollars, who knows you might be one of the lucky ones, if not you are still likely to find something that catches your attention for a fraction of the price.

Final Thoughts

Self care and looking your best is such an important part of growing and building self confidence. Whilst celebrities may make it look effortless because they have the funds to splurge on exotic treatments and fancy designer labels, there is no reason why you can not achieve a similar result within a budget. Take the time out to look after yourself, destress and enjoy life, because nothing is more beautiful than a genuinely happy smile.