When it comes to your beauty routine, there’s nothing better than saving a bundle on the stuff that makes you look hot. That’s especially true if we’re talking about hair. Just consider all the luxe temptations: expensive haircuts, cute highlights, fancy shampoos and conditioners, oh and let’s not forget exotic blowouts. Fortunately, you can have all the above without robbing a bank. We tracked down inexpensive ways to save big bucks on your hair salon costs.
- Love your cut for longer
When choosing a hairstyle, consider a cut that will look even more gorgeous as it grows out, says stylist Antonio Prieto, owner of Antonio Prieto Salon in NYC. He recommends a midlength do with long, swingy layers that blend together. “The style is soft and romantic, even after weeks and weeks,” he notes. Short, choppy shags or pixie cuts, while equally sexy, tend to lose their shape quickly and require serious upkeep – think trims every three to four weeks.
2. Cheat on your stylist a little
Rather than bouncing between two or more salons to lower costs, visit a senior stylist for your major style change, and maintain trims with a junior stylist at the same salon. “Most juniors have been freshly trained and earned their position on the floor,” points out Jeffrey Dauksevich, owner of Umi Salon in Boston. “And in many cases, the junior title is a reflection of the salon’s pricing structure, not an indication of a hairdresser’s talent.”
3. Do it yourself
If your salon doesn’t offer complimentary touch-ups, you can save money (and travel time) with at-home trims, says Prieto. Ask your hairdresser to give you a quick tutorial next time you’re in (seriously, your hairdresser would much rather show you some pointers than have you butcher their work). That said, don’t get too scissor-happy. Stick to tiny tweaks, like dusting off split ends or pruning bangs.
4. Be careful with hot tools
The quickest way to cheapen a great cut? Beating it up with hair dryers, curling irons, and flatirons, says Prieto. “All that intense heat can damage the condition of your hair, making it brittle and frizzy,” he notes. So take a 24-hour break in between using styling tools, and never let a dryer’s hot nozzle touch your tips (that’s the fastest way to create split ends). Also, don’t assume that you have to sink large funds into luxe styling tools – see the sidebar on the previous page to find the best budget options at every price.
5. Take good care
The reason your hair feels so soft and silky after a salon cut is because it’s gotten all that attention. While you can’t have a stylist massage your head at home (fantastic as that sounds), you can do a scalp treatment to remove product buildup (just use a toothbrush dipped in baking soda to gently scrub your damp scalp in the shower). Or try a deep-conditioning mask to add shine.
6. Fake salon color
Considering how much you pay for color at the salon, you’d think they spiked their dyes with something *really* special. Well, the secret ingredients are just conditioners that impart a shiny glow, says Patrick Prinzo, a stylist at Tela hair salon in NYC. Look for them in at-home kits like Revlon Colorist Expert Color and Glaze System. And stick with a shade that’s one or two levels lighter than your natural hue. This way, the regrowth will be subtle, so you can go longer between color applications, says Dauksevich.
7. Protect and preserve
Investing in a new hue is only worth it if it sticks around, which means you’ll get more value out of the shade if you treat it right. “Avoid washing your hair for about 24 hours after coloring it,” says Prinzo. When it’s time to lather up, opt for a color-safe shampoo and conditioner that are UV protecting, and steer clear of clarifying or deep cleansing formulas, which can strip dye pigments. And in general, it’s best not to shampoo every day. “This can cause fading, so do it every other day if you really want to stretch out a new color,” notes Prinzo.
8. Cover up roots
Don’t hit the salon at the very first sign of roots. If you only have an inch or less of regrowth, mask it with a quick coloring kit. Pick a shade similar to the color you had done, and keep in mind that the point is not to match your color exactly but simply to make your roots less noticeable, says Prinzo.
