Written October 2006
How far up the beauty aisle can these beautyheaven readers get with $50? See if they can satisfy their beauty cravings with bargain buys from the supermarket…
Hair
The shopper
Beth is a 30-year-old copywriter who spends far too much time and cash at the hairdresser. She usually goes to the salon every eight weeks for a colour and even more often to buy haircare products.
Collect a complete hair routine from the supermarket shelves without blowing a $50 budget.
The haul
Clairol Nice’n Easy in Natural Dark Brown, $11.99
Sunsilk Colour Lock Shampoo, $6.99
Sunsilk Colour Lock Conditioner, $6.99
Pantene Pro-V Brunette Expressions Glossing Serum, $14.99
VO5 Fade Defy Daily Colour Lock, $5.99
The total: $46.95
The debrief
“I’m used to spending that much on shampoo and conditioner alone, so this was a real bargain for me! I never usually go up the beauty care aisle in the supermarket, so I was pretty surprised by how much there was and how little most of it cost. Next time I’ll try the Pantene Brunette Expressions shampoo and conditioner. I’m afraid that my hairdresser will kill me for doing my own colour but the saving is worth it. And the VO5 hair treatment is so inexpensive that I won’t worry about using huge dollops of it regularly.”
Body
The shopper
Kelly, 24, is a P.A. saving for a trip to Europe at Christmas. She’s trying to save as much money as possible and wean herself off luxuries in preparation for weeks living out of a backpack.
The mission
In one stop at the local supermarket, find practical, wallet-friendly products to pamper the body (she’ll need it after long days on the tourist trail!).
The haul
Dove Fresh Touch Body Wash, $6.99
Dove Fresh Touch Body Lotion, $6.99
Nivea Deodorant Dry Roll On for Women, $3.30
Johnson’s Holiday Skin Body Lotion, $6.99
Gillette Daisy Plus razors, $5.99
Blackmores Vitamin D3, $11.95
The total: $42.21
The debrief
“This was easy! There were tonnes of shower gels and soap bars to choose from, but I chose Dove Fresh Touch because a clean and invigorated feeing is just what I’ll need when I’m travelling. The bottle for it is a bit big, but it’s very economical and I got the body lotion to match. I nearly bought theGarnier Body Repair Restoring Moisturiser for $8.99 too. I saved some money by getting a roll-on deodorant, which is smaller than a spray and you don’t have to worry about whether you can carry it on board a plane. I love that, for under $20, the Holiday Skin and Blackmores vitamins will keep me feeling and looking sun-kissed while I’m traipsing around in the snow! The only thing I don’t have is an exfoliant, but some body wash on a puff will fix that. Can I spend the change on chocolate now?”
Skin
The shopper
Mary, 44, is a part-time nurse and full-time mum. She admits to neglecting her face because she’s sure skincare will send her credit card into the red.
The mission
Spend $50 or less on a daily face care routine. Cover all the basics with a little anti-ageing skincare thrown in.
The haul
Dove Cleanser & Toner in One, $8.99
Nivea Visage Gentle Exfoliating Scrub, $8.30
L’Oreal Age Perfect Double Active, $29.95
The total: $47.24
The debrief
“I’m at the age when I know I should be doing more for my skin, but I have so many other expenses that skincare feels too much like a luxury. I’d imagined it would cost more than it did to cover the basics so I’m really impressed. I especially love the Dove cleanser/toner because it will save me time and is really cheap. It took me ages to choose an anti-ageing face moisturiser. I was so close to buying the Olay Total Effects moisturiser – my friend uses it and she looks so much younger than me! – but I like that my L’Oreal one illuminates the skin while it works on wrinkles. If my budget had stretched a little further, I would have liked to get an eye cream, but I’m pretty pleased with what I’ve got to start with.”
Make-up
The shopper
Amy, 22, is a student who often spends more on cosmetics than she does on textbooks. She buys so many lipsticks that the women her local department store know her by name!
The mission
Start a cosmetic kit from scratch. It needs to contain make-up she’d actually wear but can’t cost more than her weekly food bill!
The haul
Maybelline New York Dream Matte Mousse Foundation, $19.50
Rimmel London Special Eyes Duo Eyeshadow, $11.95
Rimmel London Infinite Colour Lipstick, $19.95
Maybelline Great Lash, $14.50
Maybelline Mousse Blush, $14.95
The total: $80.85
The debrief
“I know – I overspent! But that’s fine with me – I usually shell out that much on one lip colour. I had doubts that $50 would cover a complete kit, but it got me further than I expected. The foundation I chose is good because it’s like using a powder too, I can turn the eyeshadow into an eyeliner with a touch of water and a thin brush, and I’ve always used Great Lash – it’s the best. The lippie and blush sent me over, but I can’t do make-up without them. And the lip colour is great because it’s lipstick and gloss, so I can dress it up or down. I’m usually a sucker for glamorous packaging – I guess that’s where my money goes – but I’m pleased that I’ve got brands I know I’ll use.”
