DIY Beauty Services | Wax, Facial, Spray Tan, Etc.

A month or so ago Cardi B had a story on Instagram talking about manicures.  She discussed how expensive it is to get hair and nails done these days, and how people underestimate the costs of it. I completely agree with her on this topic and basically everything else, so I thought I’d lay out how I keep costs down when it comes to maintaining myself. Besides saving time/money, I also really enjoy the self- care aspect of regularly doing my pamper routine/ beauty treatments. Honestly I’m not sure what else to call them- maintenance, upkeep, self care activities?

Most beauty treatments cost a lot and take up so much time. When you start regularly booking facials, spray tans, root touch ups, blow outs, manicures, etc., they are a huge expense.  I do not miss the days of sitting for 1.5 – 2 hours to get my nails done! Recently I had a facial because I had gotten a gift card, which felt amazing (wrote about it here), but it took about 2 hours of driving there and back, check in, and the experience.  Treating yourself to a professional salon service is great every once in awhile, but learning to execute most of my beauty treatments on my own has saved me time and money.

Hair

Dye /  I’ve talked about how I upkeep my roots in this post about hair dye.  If you’re going to a salon for regular highlights, I recommend asking for a smudged/ dark root to prolong the time between appointments. If you’re depositing color though, I truly vouch for a DIY touch up so you can have fresh roots whenever you want.

Blowout / If you have the budget to get a blowout every week, more power to you.  For me though, even if I had the money I can’t imagine always going to someone else to wash my hair.  When I go to the salon I don’t even let my girl wash or blow dry my hair as much as I love her. I go in with clean hair and head out as soon as the cut is done to save time.  There are some awesome blowout routine videos on Youtube. Using hot rollers gives that fluffy princess volume as well. I have a post on how I like to use hot rollers here. This mask makes my hair SO shiny.  I’ve also done a blog post on all my favorite leave in hair products as well. If anyone feels like treating me to a Dry Bar day though, I’m free ANYTIME.

Lashes / Unpopular opinion here, but I truly think most lash extensions are a bad option.  They’re damaging to natural lashes from what I’ve seen, constantly fall out, expensive, and only look nice when they’re fresh. If you need bold lashes on a vacation or even everyday basis, I think magnetics are the way to go when strip lashes aren’t ideal. I discovered them last year and have worn them at least weekly ever since, and my strip lash collection sadly hasn’t been getting much attention since.  They give the look of lash extensions, but better, and without damage. Here’s my post on tips and tricks of how to apply them. Magnetics are going to go mainstream pretty soon I think! I can’t wait for brands to come out with even more styles.

Brows / I love getting my brows waxed at Lunchbox Salon, but I haven’t gone back in about nine months or so.  I’ve embraced my bold brows, and just straighten up the rogue ones with tweezers or these razors.

I tint my brows at home with dye from Sally Beauty and have a post on that process here.

Skin

Facial / If you’re a skincare newbie, I think going to get a facial or speaking with a dermatologist to find out what active ingredients your skin needs is a great step.  Instead of buying the high end salon products though, search for those actives online to find just as effective affordable versions. For example, Drunk Elephant is an extremely hyped up skincare brand at Sephora that has good active ingredients in their products, but you can find the same actives from affordable brands like The Ordinary. I did a breakout of dupes in this post.  

If you want to feel like you’ve just gotten a facial, here’s my at home version for you:

1. Use an oil cleanser (this is what I use) first with dry hands, then wet to remove it.
2. Dampen a washcloth with piping hot water and let it steam up your face.  Remove all traces of makeup and cleanser with it. I like to re-wet it with hot water a couple times.  This also is a good physical exfoliation.
3. Peter Thomas Roth pumpkin enzyme mask – use according to the instructions for an amazing DIY microdermabrasion.
4. Apply face oil and moisturizer. Use two fingers instead of your whole hands to get into all nooks and crannies of your face and neck.

Wax / Razor bumps and stubble were a major struggle for me.  I was sick of always dealing being self conscious about this, especially around my bikini line, so I bought this wax warmer kit and took matters into my own hands. I love the results!  It keeps my skin smooth and hair free for much longer than shaving. Tip: do big sections with the hard wax.

Tan / I’ll do a spray tan every once in awhile for a special occasion or trip where I need to be in a swimsuit because some places are hard to reach.  On a regular basis though I’m a self-tanner through and through, and touch up at least once a week. The best product in my opinion is Fake Bake Flawless Darker. The color is ideal, it’s dark, and $17. This is my favorite mitt to apply every tanning lotion, foam, or spray with. I have more posts on the products I love for maintaining my self tan here.

Dermaplane / Use a steamy washcloth to wet face, then use these razors to shave all peach fuzz and dead skin away.  You’ll be amazed by how soft your skin feels and how well makeup lays on it. Follow up with a steamy washcloth again, and a physical or chemical exfoliant before the rest of your skincare.

More

Nails / I wish I could get back all the time and money that I spent getting my nails done. I pretty much had acrylics then gels from high school until after I graduated college. When I started budgeting and added up how often I went, it just didn’t make sense. Like who did I think I was justifying that for so long!? They only look perfect for about a week, then it’s just a waiting game of going back to the salon- basically applies to every category on this list. Giving myself a manicure and pedicure is super relaxing to me now. I swear by Essie’s base coat and the Essie Gel Couture Platinum top coat.  Sally Hansen makes some of my favorite polishes.

Teeth / Before using your whitening product of choice, brush teeth with just water. Fluoride in toothpaste creates a shield that makes it harder for the peroxide to do its job.  Crest Whitestrips are effective and I’ve been using them for years. I also use trays with Plus White gel  that I usually pick up at Walgreens. I have custom trays from smilebrilliant.com, but you can also get a football mouthguard and fit it to your teeth by boiling the mold in hot water according to instructions on the package. I like to use a whitening mouthwash for even better results.

All these are even better when you get to do them more often since there’s no waiting for an appointment.  Benefits of DIYing beauty treatments include being at home, no high price tag, saving time, and no driving to or sitting at a salon.

There’s no better pick me up like having an evening after work where I do a pamper night.  This will typically include a combo of the routines I talked about above. I’ll whiten my teeth, do a hair mask, dermaplane, fake tan, then apply skincare to feel refreshed for the rest of the week. Top it off with a glass of Natural Calm while reading before bed and that’s my idea of a productive evening.

Have a good weekend! I’ll be listening to lots of Cardi B and hot rolling my hair even though I have nowhere to go to show it off.

-Kim