Everyone does it from time to time, though sometimes more often: haircuts, manicures, pedicures, waxing…even dudes have to take care of themselves. (Or at least we hope you are!) Surely, you’ve at least once looked at the bill at the end of said service and wanted to curl up into a ball and cry. If you’re going to the wrong salon or shop to get any beauty treatment done, you know how this feels. But never fear—there is a way out of the financially destructive beautification rut.
Haircuts
Face it, we all need them. Men in particular need them more often since their hair is shorter and grows faster than women’s. But for those ladies with cute pixie cuts, you’re probably heading to the salon every 4 weeks for a trim too. On average, a haircut for a woman can range anywhere from $15-45. For men, regardless of the length, it generally doesn’t go further than $20 without tip. Why the difference? Unfortunately, women usually get charged more because they are women and assumedly require more time. This however is not true. For any lady—or guy for that matter—that has been to a barbershop with another man knows that his barber will typically spend at least 30 minutes cutting, trimming and styling his hair to perfection. Women require a whole lot less when it comes to cutting. Generally women only want their ends and/or bangs trimmed and later blow-dried. The barber doesn’t have to do so much, but they still figure they can make a pretty penny off a loyal client. In order to find a good barber that gives you your money’s worth, research salons. Places that offer more than just haircuts and other hair treatments—such as nails, waxing and skin treatments—will usually have higher prices for everything. That’s how they make their money. A good place to look for a less expensive cut is by trying chain salons, like Famous Hair and Great Clips. The stylists can do everything a top-notch salon worker can, but for a whole lot less. Hey, no one can complain about a $14 unisex haircut!
Nails
Okay, so the average guy doesn’t really get his nails primped the way his lady does, but he’s still allowed to know where to get the best deal just in case he’s feeling a little…under-pampered. Following many of the same typical rules that hair salons do, nail places run up their prices because they can. Even the ones that use illegal chemicals and procedures in the salons get the business and the buck. However, for your wallet’s and health’s sake, take your time searching out the safest place to get your fingers and tootsies pampered properly. A lot of people may veer toward the Chinese-owned salons like Pretty Nail, Lucky Nail or Beautiful Nail because they can offer a $15 combo mani-pedi or a $20 acrylic tip job. But it’s uncommon that anyone asks why. Well, it’s because they are using unsafe chemicals, like MMA (methyl methacrylate) that actually destroy and ruin your nails and are significantly less expensive than the safe chemicals, which could run up a nail job to $60. The easiest way to know what’s going on your nails in one of these salons is by checking the price and recognizing the smell in the room. If the technicians are wearing masks and there’s a strong alcohol-like stench in the air, get away quick. More reputable salons will charge $35 or more for a nicer looking job (that also lasts longer) without the harmful chemicals.
Waxing
Plenty of women do it and more and more men are jumping on the wax train to get clean-looking eyebrows to avoid looking like sasquatches. This task can run everyone out of a fresh buck. A good waxing joint can charge $15 or more for eyebrow waxing alone. However, you are guaranteed to get a clean wax, trim, razor and tweeze for this price. Waxing though is the one beauty treatment that doesn’t really require a lot of homework to find a good, safe place to get it done. And, $15 for eyebrow waxing is expensive for no good reason. On average, you shouldn’t pay more than $10 for this. If the technician working on you doesn’t do the job the way you like it, always ask for them to do or not do something you prefer. But eyebrows aren’t the only hairy parts of your body to pay attention to. Women in particular may even choose to get bikini waxes, arms, underarms, legs or sometimes their entire bodies waxed. These jobs are going to cost more due to the amount of wax used, the time spent and the fact that it isn’t your face that the worker has to touch. Expect to pay $30 or more to get any one of those parts fuzz-free. The best places to look for these services are higher-end salons and day spas. They will be clean and have good product to avoid infection and skin problems.
To maintain a good look and a fat wallet, spend your time instead of your money looking for a go-to place to have any of these services done. Know what you are paying for and ensure you’re getting your money’s worth. There’s always an inexpensive spot that does the same job as a pricey place, but don’t forget about the health factors!