by Tiffany Hunter

Created on: August 31, 2009

There is something exciting about walking out of a high-end beauty boutique, purchase in hand. The pretty displays, fancy jars, and stylish bags can quickly coax even careful spenders out of their hard earned cash. Unfortunately, it's all a ruse. Unless you have very specific beauty needs, there is no reason you need to by expensive products. While some products do have better ingredients in bigger amounts, the best way to scrimp on your beauty budget is to find out which products are worth spending the cash on, and which ones you can buy for cheap. You can get all of your essential beauty needs on a very reasonable budget.

Skin Care

If Jennifer Aniston can spend $3 on a Neutrogena facial bar and be satisfied, so can you. To get a quality moisturizer on the cheap, buy a jar of vitamin E cream or a bottle of aloe; both are excellent for keeping your skin healthy. You will still need something with at least SPF 15 during the day. If vitamin E isn't working for mature skin, Oil of Olay's anti-aging creams are consistently ranked higher than ones that cost hundreds of dollars.

Hair Care

You can still visit fancy salons on a budget. Find out when they have training nights and get your hair cut by a trainee (guided by a professional) for a steep discount. If learning hands make you nervous, try visiting an expensive salon for major hair changes and a more affordable one for trims. Don't let the stylist talk you into their products; they probably earn a commission. Instead, ask if they can recommend a more affordable option. Try Aussie 3 Minute Miracle for a deep conditioner, or Mane and Tail (it's in the pet section but it is amazing for people too!) to get a burst of hair-strengthening proteins.

Body Care

The easiest switch to make in body care is to purchase body bars instead of washes. Oil of Olay and Dove make soap bars that are equivalent to washes for a fraction of a cost. Use a loofah to get it lathered, and relish in the money you've saved! When it comes to hair removal, skip the salon. Tweeze your eyebrows and purchase an at-home waxing kit or a hair-removing cream. Use your conditioner in lieu of shaving cream to get silky smooth legs.

Make Up

If you wear make up, consider wearing it more sparingly to save money. When you make purchases, be discerning when it comes to what you need, and what you will actually use often. To save money on foundation, purchase it in a shade darker and mix with moisturizer to get a lighter, more natural coverage and save money at the same time. Or, skip the foundation and only use powder. Try storing nail polish and mascara in the fridge to make them last longer- just remember to throw away mascara by its best before date, usually three months of use. Get creative with your colors of lipstick, eye shadows and blushes. Blend colors together to get a different look and prevent boredom. You can even mix and match your favorite perfumes.

Day at the Spa

You can still pamper yourself while watching your money. Make your own hair and face masks or face and body scrubs by mixing and matching household items. Choose from a number of ingredients to create your own at-home-product: sea salt, cane sugar, baking soda, lemon, berries, banana, avocado, oatmeal, milk, plain yogurt, honey and olive oil are a few items to get you started. If it's good for you to eat, it's usually good for your hair and skin as well.

It is possible to stay on a budget while still looking beautiful. By staying out of boutiques, making your products last, and even doing some things at home, you'll stay out of debt without giving up the essentials. Plus, your skin will be glowing from the lack of stress and the world will want to know your secrets.

Learn more about this author, Tiffany Hunter.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.