We’re back with another themed week on the site: Beauty Week. This semester, Her Campus FSU has created themed weeks dedicated to exclusive content we believe all of our readers should have access to. Keep up on the site for the next few days as we tackle everything from the best beauty brands to follow to the much-debated brazilian. Trust us, you don’t want to miss this.
I could probably live in the aisles of Ulta and Sephora. My study breaks usually consist of searching through makeup and skincare tutorials on YouTube, but, even with research, choosing the right products can still be super overwhelming. The life of a college student basically screams living on a budget, so it can be challenging to find what areas you are willing to spend the big bucks, and what areas you can save to leave with heavier pockets. I’m all for finding dupes of popular and more expensive products, but I also totally vouch for cashing out on a good skincare routine. Here is my beauty philosophy breakdown of where to spend and save.
Courtesy: Ladies and Company
Spend: Hair Stylist. Any curly girl can attest to the fact that curly hair truly has a mind of its own. I have super thick and course hair, and I’ve fallen victim to cutting it while it’s soaking wet only to forget that my hair not only shrinks up when its fully dry, but it is actually twice as long when blown out. For day to day styling, I trust my own hands, but for a special event, trim or getting my hair straightened, I am all for shelling out the money to see a hair stylist. Every time I fly home for the holidays I make an appointment so that my hair stylist can tell me if I’ve been taking good care of my hair since my last visit. Not only are these women trained to work with different hair types (shout out to my natural hair stylists), but they can give you product recommendations as well as tell you the progress of your hair.
Save: Nails. My Essie collection is slightly enviable, so I’m the girl all my friends visit to borrow polish from. Manicured hands are a personal must for me, but paying for a biweekly mani can get pricey, especially for my ladies who dabble in gel or acrylics. My advice would be to invest in a great nail kit: one that includes nail clippers, nail file, buffer and a cuticle tool, so that you can freshen them up during the week. Take a study break and give yourself a mani to save that nail salon dough for a special event.
Courtesy: refinery29
Spend: Skincare. I’ve struggled with Acne since middle school, and since then my face has reached a sort of plateau, but I still get the occasional “monthly breakout” or irritation when my diet is a bit less than nutritious. If you struggle with breakouts, then I would recommend seeing a dermatologist so that they can prescribe an over-the-counter medication, but even if not, a great skincare routine is super important. Beauty stores like Sephora and Ulta carry a variety of skincare lines whether you have oily, combination or dry skin. I always look for water based products, ones with with salicylic acid, like Murad, when I’m suffering from a breakout, and/or one that has green tea for when my skin calms down. Oh, and don’t forget the sunscreen! I always make sure my moisturizer has SPF!
Courtesy: Beauty Health Tips
Spend: Brows. I’m definitely a supporter of the thick brow movement, and thanks to genetics I don’t have to do too much to them. Whether you tweeze, wax or thread, visiting an esthetician can prevent you from over plucking in the mirror- we’ve all done it. It’s difficult trusting someone new to handle your brows, but if it’s your first visit, bring a picture of a shape that you had previously liked, and be very specific. My three two keywords are: “natural, no arch and clean up.” I visit Violet Nails and Spa here in Tally, and they have a great handle on what I’m looking for, but I always want to make sure that I leave with the look that I want. Depending on the store and the method you are using for your brows, the price may range, but it’s all about finding what works for you.