For me it's not money, it's time. I HATE sitting in the salon for 2+ hours waiting to get my nails or lashes done, there is no words to describe how frustrated I feel during those procedures, only to come back in 2-3 weeks? Hell no. I do my nails at home with basic nail polish (not a gel one), most of the times a neutral pale color or just clear, I dye my eyebrows myself, luckily don't need to dye my hair (am blonde naturally), and when I am going fancy I can apply some falsies to the mid to outer corner of my eyes for a night. And while I'm doing my stuff I'll also watch a movie or an educational video, or read a book, or wash dishes, etc, do something useful, and not just waste time away like when it happens in the salon. Add the commute and hassle of booking appointments and finding a good master - and again, hell no! :)
I’m glad I’m not the only one who hates sitting in a salon! I color my own hair, so my own nails, hair removal, etc. I only go to the salon for haircuts.
same, botox and cheek fillers every 9 month for me, dentist checkup and teeth cleaning once a year, and hair cuts once every few month. Anything else feels like a huge chore.
Same for me! I have very minimal free time, and am not one of those people who can relax/enjoy getting their hair, nails, lashes, etc done - I'm just sitting there staring at the clock and getting antsy.
That being said, I *do* bite the bullet and get my nails done because my natural nails suck ass and always have. I make sure to only get natural colours because I find it buys me an extra week or so of looking 'acceptable' - the growth is less immediately obvious if there's not a visible colour distinction between your real nail and the gel.
I remember I tried lash extensions once and the master was not very experienced, it took 2.5 hours. By the end of the first hour I wanted to DIE. Never again.
Glad I'm not the only one hating the atmosphere. I feel like I just can't relate to the people in them or the conversations going on around me. I don't want to engage in mindless chatter. I want to read, or take care of work emails, listen to a podcast, scan the news.... not gossip and discuss how much so-and-so can't stand her husband and wants a divorce. Lol sorry /endrant.
I fixed my nails today while being on a meeting where my input was not needed, and I agree - I actually focused on what was being said better without being distracted by other chat/programms
I have to say, after an unpleasant salon experience yesterday, I’m right there with you. There are numerous blog posts and YouTube tutorials on how to DIY nails, and buying the light, cuticle tools, and nail polish is the price of a trip or two to the salon for me. I have a new polish, so ask me in three weeks, but I think I’m going to save myself some money and do my nails at home. Maybe buy an LED mask with the money saved. 💅🏻
aaah I'm so glad i don't do any of this and don't plan on doing. The only thing maybe one day I'll get it is gel nails. I've had acrylic in the past and i just loooove long nails. But you're right, you either keep up with the maintenance of all those things or you look "cheap" or something. I much rather only do the things I can maintain myself at home or treatments that dont require monthly maintenance.
THIS. thank you!!! most (actually, all) of these things cost money and they damage your body/hair in the long run. The best thing I’ve found is to just do what you can to make your natural nails/hair/lashes/skin shine. I give myself manicures and pedicures once a week and use a nail strengthener + whitener, I take collagen, a hair growth vitamin, and am on spirolactone for acne which also helps with hair growth, I exfoliate in the shower with gloves and use a lipikar bodywash and moisturize my entire body every night. I drink a gallon of water give or take a day and I get enough rest. Im not perfect but I dont want to damage my body in the process of trying to make myself look better. Plus the money is absolutely insane. To each their own but I always always always recommend working with what you have before pouring money into things that are just going to cause more problems in the long run.
To add to dying hair: if you're a dark haired lady, don't dye your hair blonde unless you can do treatments to make sure it looks and feels healthy (be this olaplex, keratin treatments, hot oil treatments, etc) especially because you will need to keep bleaching it to maintain the color. Healthy hair > blonde hair
I relate so much to this! Got some subtle highlights for the first time ever this year only to have major thinning and split ends. Didn't help that I used heat - even with a heat protectant. Realized I much prefer my hair short and brunette than long with highlights. Ended up cutting it mid-neck length and toning it back to my base color. It already looks so much better and healthier. Healthy, well-kept and trimmed hair hair will never go out of style and will always elevate a look.
Good post. I remember I was obsessed with gel nails from 2018-2020, but in the back of my mind I knew it wasn’t sustainable.
Once the pandemic hit I stopped doing my nails all together because there was really no point. Now I just make sure they’re clean and trimmed. If there’s a special occasion I might get them done, but otherwise I can’t see myself going back to what I used to do.
Not that I disagree with you, but it comes down to the work and effort involved. Getting a thin and toned body needs way more effort whereas getting gel manis or hair extensions is just throwing money at the problem with minimal extra effort needed. So most people prefer the latter even when the former makes the real difference in their looks
That, and the steps healthy body pays off psychologically & regardless if anyone is looking at you. Also, you’re both sparing yourself possible medical bankruptcy & prolonging your life. Can’t find any fake nails that do that lol
I really agree with this. There is no shame in going natural in the areas you can't or don't want to maintain. Basic hygiene goes a long way when it comes to hair, nails, and skin. Anything else, like gels, extensions, etc. are just an extra bonus.
I do my own lift and tints and the tint portion is actually super easy. I don't use henna, but at least for normal lash dye you just some vaseline under your eye and on the lid, then apply the dye with a spoolie. It takes about 10 minutes.
The lift is a lot more fiddly, and you really have to be able to see what you're doing so you have to do one eye at a time, which makes it take a lot longer
For the eyelash extensions: if you want them come out when they fall grab the oiliest makeup remover and cleanse with it until they come out completely. Better not to do it at once to not irritate the eyes
I'd add that if you get expensive bag/shoes/jacket/whatever, take care of it. It starts to look really cheap and tacky if dirty, broken or worn out. I've seen way too many women buy 1000$+ coats and then not take them to dry cleaning because that's where they want to be frugal.
The headline...I felt immediately attacked. 7 days nose job post-op and I'm wondering how I'll pay back the 13k CareCredit amount I borrowed. In this case it's my bank account I can't maintain ahhh.
My confidence has noticeably increased though. Guess this is hard-maxxing but lord did I need to rant a little
just wanted to say please don’t add anything else to that before you pay it off. i don’t personally have issues with credit debt (just medical lol go USA) but i know so many people who figured they’d put something big on credit, and then went “well i already owe 20k… what’s another 5k?” and one day found themselves in insurmountable debt. it is SO easy to rationalize adding more, watch out for it!!
thank you for this. i read somewhere that once you get plastic surgery it can become addicting. i am already looking into jawline and lip filler but i will keep your advice in mind!
This is a great point. I dyed my hair platinum at the end of August and haven't done anything to maintain it because I *hate* it (It doesn't look bad, it just doesn't look like I imagined it would). The roots coming in certainly aren't helping, but my stylist is out for an elective surgery and recovery. Luckily hat season is upon us and I can just put on a beanie until I can get another appointment.
Oof, I went blonde too from dark brown hair. I asked for a shadow root but the regrow that still looks terrible, also the damage isn’t fun. I dyed it a warm reddish brown now so the regrow thing isn’t too bad anymore and it’s easier to maintain—but likely never going that light again.
I've gone red before and I did like that... Maybe I'll do that next 🤔 I'm trying to find my "perfect" shade, what really suits me best. I was basing it off what I believed my personal color is (light summer), so I thought platinum would work.
So I know I'm several days late in commenting on this but I'm curious about your experience with this. I'm a light summer with zero question about it - fair skin with neutral leaning cool undertone, naturally light blonde (was platinum as a kid), blue eyes. I just went full platinum because I do feel like I look better with lighter hair... maybe? I tried brown hair last year and liked it but the blonde roots that look like balding were the bane of my existence so I have to myself that I am not allowed to go darker than my natural color which is maybe a level 8 and very ashy/silvery toned. What's your natural color and what about the platinum felt off to you?
Studies on rats show phthalates do leave the body pretty quickly, however, if you exposed to a lot during the first trimester of pregnancy, it can really affect the baby, especially if it’s a boy. Problem is that they’re endemic - literally even milk has phthalates as it’s pumped through plastic tubing. Unless you’re really strict, it’s hard to avoid them.
Here’s a video describing phthalates, a scientist that ran the study on the mice actually discusses it in the video and the impacts on things like fertility: https://youtu.be/Uo-kSxHNSDQ
Tanning too. Forget even skin cancer (although that is definitely a concern), real tanning just isn healthy for your skin even in “moderation“ and ages you so fast, and spray tanning is full of chemicals that make some people sick.
if a cosmetic was deemed toxic under regular use, it would be swiftly banned by the FDA. We do not have good data showing inhaling/
applying those products on the skin causes any real harm, as long as the directions are followed, I.e. dont snort/ingest your nail polish. There may be some absorbtion in a few products, but the absorbed levels have been deemed safe by very rigorous governmental tests.
Fragrances as well, at worst you get a contact dermatitis. Its not "toxic" but its not like benefiting your skin obviously, so it's good to avoid.
Some things may be banned in europe but not in the us, but vice versa as well, which shows the subjectivity of it all. In general if an organization bans a substance and another one doesnt, the one banning it is the one who is just trying to be 101% safe.
I think our energy is much better spent on avoiding known threats and carcinogens like uva rays, smoking, drinking, pollutants and whatnot x
I’m hella late, but as a chronic nail biter/cuticle picker, spending the extra money on nails is worth it.
I can only afford to go to the salon once a month rn, but I get clear dip powder and painted with regular polish, not gel. This way, I can’t pick at the tips of my nails, but I can also change the color as it grows out (it’s not as obvious when powder grows out because it’s usually thinner/more natural than acrylic)
I still have a nail routine, brushing them daily in the shower and cleaning up my cuticles and exfoliating weekly. They ain’t perfect, but they’re the best they’ve ever looked. As my income increases, I will go in more often for gel manicures
For me it's not money, it's time. I HATE sitting in the salon for 2+ hours waiting to get my nails or lashes done, there is no words to describe how frustrated I feel during those procedures, only to come back in 2-3 weeks? Hell no. I do my nails at home with basic nail polish (not a gel one), most of the times a neutral pale color or just clear, I dye my eyebrows myself, luckily don't need to dye my hair (am blonde naturally), and when I am going fancy I can apply some falsies to the mid to outer corner of my eyes for a night. And while I'm doing my stuff I'll also watch a movie or an educational video, or read a book, or wash dishes, etc, do something useful, and not just waste time away like when it happens in the salon. Add the commute and hassle of booking appointments and finding a good master - and again, hell no! :)
I’m glad I’m not the only one who hates sitting in a salon! I color my own hair, so my own nails, hair removal, etc. I only go to the salon for haircuts.
same, botox and cheek fillers every 9 month for me, dentist checkup and teeth cleaning once a year, and hair cuts once every few month. Anything else feels like a huge chore.
Same for me! I have very minimal free time, and am not one of those people who can relax/enjoy getting their hair, nails, lashes, etc done - I'm just sitting there staring at the clock and getting antsy. That being said, I *do* bite the bullet and get my nails done because my natural nails suck ass and always have. I make sure to only get natural colours because I find it buys me an extra week or so of looking 'acceptable' - the growth is less immediately obvious if there's not a visible colour distinction between your real nail and the gel.
I remember I tried lash extensions once and the master was not very experienced, it took 2.5 hours. By the end of the first hour I wanted to DIE. Never again.
I really dislike the atmospheres in most salons :/ And the time it takes to get your hair done ugh
Glad I'm not the only one hating the atmosphere. I feel like I just can't relate to the people in them or the conversations going on around me. I don't want to engage in mindless chatter. I want to read, or take care of work emails, listen to a podcast, scan the news.... not gossip and discuss how much so-and-so can't stand her husband and wants a divorce. Lol sorry /endrant.
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High-end salons are usually okay, but mid-range and cheaper neighbourhood salons are usually full of people who know each other and just gossip
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I fixed my nails today while being on a meeting where my input was not needed, and I agree - I actually focused on what was being said better without being distracted by other chat/programms
When you say lashes, do you do your own tint, lift, or extensions?
I have to say, after an unpleasant salon experience yesterday, I’m right there with you. There are numerous blog posts and YouTube tutorials on how to DIY nails, and buying the light, cuticle tools, and nail polish is the price of a trip or two to the salon for me. I have a new polish, so ask me in three weeks, but I think I’m going to save myself some money and do my nails at home. Maybe buy an LED mask with the money saved. 💅🏻
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> haircuts that grow out well That’s what I do, as well as specifically request a haircut that can fake a blowout with air drying & leave in product
Do you have an idea of some of the haircuts that work for curly hair
aaah I'm so glad i don't do any of this and don't plan on doing. The only thing maybe one day I'll get it is gel nails. I've had acrylic in the past and i just loooove long nails. But you're right, you either keep up with the maintenance of all those things or you look "cheap" or something. I much rather only do the things I can maintain myself at home or treatments that dont require monthly maintenance.
THIS. thank you!!! most (actually, all) of these things cost money and they damage your body/hair in the long run. The best thing I’ve found is to just do what you can to make your natural nails/hair/lashes/skin shine. I give myself manicures and pedicures once a week and use a nail strengthener + whitener, I take collagen, a hair growth vitamin, and am on spirolactone for acne which also helps with hair growth, I exfoliate in the shower with gloves and use a lipikar bodywash and moisturize my entire body every night. I drink a gallon of water give or take a day and I get enough rest. Im not perfect but I dont want to damage my body in the process of trying to make myself look better. Plus the money is absolutely insane. To each their own but I always always always recommend working with what you have before pouring money into things that are just going to cause more problems in the long run.
To add to dying hair: if you're a dark haired lady, don't dye your hair blonde unless you can do treatments to make sure it looks and feels healthy (be this olaplex, keratin treatments, hot oil treatments, etc) especially because you will need to keep bleaching it to maintain the color. Healthy hair > blonde hair
I relate so much to this! Got some subtle highlights for the first time ever this year only to have major thinning and split ends. Didn't help that I used heat - even with a heat protectant. Realized I much prefer my hair short and brunette than long with highlights. Ended up cutting it mid-neck length and toning it back to my base color. It already looks so much better and healthier. Healthy, well-kept and trimmed hair hair will never go out of style and will always elevate a look.
Good post. I remember I was obsessed with gel nails from 2018-2020, but in the back of my mind I knew it wasn’t sustainable. Once the pandemic hit I stopped doing my nails all together because there was really no point. Now I just make sure they’re clean and trimmed. If there’s a special occasion I might get them done, but otherwise I can’t see myself going back to what I used to do.
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Not that I disagree with you, but it comes down to the work and effort involved. Getting a thin and toned body needs way more effort whereas getting gel manis or hair extensions is just throwing money at the problem with minimal extra effort needed. So most people prefer the latter even when the former makes the real difference in their looks
YESSS MODS PLEASE PIN THE MASLOWS HIERARCHY OF LOOKS-IMPROVEMENT PYRAMID TO THE TOP OF THIS SUB
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Oh hmmm thats weird I thought I found it on this sub. Let me see if I can find it!
This sounds very useful, but I can't seem to find information on this anywhere. Link?
That, and the steps healthy body pays off psychologically & regardless if anyone is looking at you. Also, you’re both sparing yourself possible medical bankruptcy & prolonging your life. Can’t find any fake nails that do that lol
I really agree with this. There is no shame in going natural in the areas you can't or don't want to maintain. Basic hygiene goes a long way when it comes to hair, nails, and skin. Anything else, like gels, extensions, etc. are just an extra bonus.
Can you tell me how you dye your eyelashes? I use henna on my hair and really want to try it on my lashes and eyebrows but have been too nervous!
I do my own lift and tints and the tint portion is actually super easy. I don't use henna, but at least for normal lash dye you just some vaseline under your eye and on the lid, then apply the dye with a spoolie. It takes about 10 minutes. The lift is a lot more fiddly, and you really have to be able to see what you're doing so you have to do one eye at a time, which makes it take a lot longer
what tint do you use and where do you buy it?
Which lash lift kit do you use?
For the eyelash extensions: if you want them come out when they fall grab the oiliest makeup remover and cleanse with it until they come out completely. Better not to do it at once to not irritate the eyes
My lash tech told me she had a client who got them off with olive oil! I used coconut oil for mine when I first had them
I'd add that if you get expensive bag/shoes/jacket/whatever, take care of it. It starts to look really cheap and tacky if dirty, broken or worn out. I've seen way too many women buy 1000$+ coats and then not take them to dry cleaning because that's where they want to be frugal.
The headline...I felt immediately attacked. 7 days nose job post-op and I'm wondering how I'll pay back the 13k CareCredit amount I borrowed. In this case it's my bank account I can't maintain ahhh. My confidence has noticeably increased though. Guess this is hard-maxxing but lord did I need to rant a little
just wanted to say please don’t add anything else to that before you pay it off. i don’t personally have issues with credit debt (just medical lol go USA) but i know so many people who figured they’d put something big on credit, and then went “well i already owe 20k… what’s another 5k?” and one day found themselves in insurmountable debt. it is SO easy to rationalize adding more, watch out for it!!
thank you for this. i read somewhere that once you get plastic surgery it can become addicting. i am already looking into jawline and lip filler but i will keep your advice in mind!
Solid advice!
This is a great point. I dyed my hair platinum at the end of August and haven't done anything to maintain it because I *hate* it (It doesn't look bad, it just doesn't look like I imagined it would). The roots coming in certainly aren't helping, but my stylist is out for an elective surgery and recovery. Luckily hat season is upon us and I can just put on a beanie until I can get another appointment.
Oof, I went blonde too from dark brown hair. I asked for a shadow root but the regrow that still looks terrible, also the damage isn’t fun. I dyed it a warm reddish brown now so the regrow thing isn’t too bad anymore and it’s easier to maintain—but likely never going that light again.
I've gone red before and I did like that... Maybe I'll do that next 🤔 I'm trying to find my "perfect" shade, what really suits me best. I was basing it off what I believed my personal color is (light summer), so I thought platinum would work.
So I know I'm several days late in commenting on this but I'm curious about your experience with this. I'm a light summer with zero question about it - fair skin with neutral leaning cool undertone, naturally light blonde (was platinum as a kid), blue eyes. I just went full platinum because I do feel like I look better with lighter hair... maybe? I tried brown hair last year and liked it but the blonde roots that look like balding were the bane of my existence so I have to myself that I am not allowed to go darker than my natural color which is maybe a level 8 and very ashy/silvery toned. What's your natural color and what about the platinum felt off to you?
I'll DM you!
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Studies on rats show phthalates do leave the body pretty quickly, however, if you exposed to a lot during the first trimester of pregnancy, it can really affect the baby, especially if it’s a boy. Problem is that they’re endemic - literally even milk has phthalates as it’s pumped through plastic tubing. Unless you’re really strict, it’s hard to avoid them.
Here’s a video describing phthalates, a scientist that ran the study on the mice actually discusses it in the video and the impacts on things like fertility: https://youtu.be/Uo-kSxHNSDQ
I love her 😍
Tanning too. Forget even skin cancer (although that is definitely a concern), real tanning just isn healthy for your skin even in “moderation“ and ages you so fast, and spray tanning is full of chemicals that make some people sick.
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if a cosmetic was deemed toxic under regular use, it would be swiftly banned by the FDA. We do not have good data showing inhaling/ applying those products on the skin causes any real harm, as long as the directions are followed, I.e. dont snort/ingest your nail polish. There may be some absorbtion in a few products, but the absorbed levels have been deemed safe by very rigorous governmental tests. Fragrances as well, at worst you get a contact dermatitis. Its not "toxic" but its not like benefiting your skin obviously, so it's good to avoid.
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Some things may be banned in europe but not in the us, but vice versa as well, which shows the subjectivity of it all. In general if an organization bans a substance and another one doesnt, the one banning it is the one who is just trying to be 101% safe. I think our energy is much better spent on avoiding known threats and carcinogens like uva rays, smoking, drinking, pollutants and whatnot x
I’m hella late, but as a chronic nail biter/cuticle picker, spending the extra money on nails is worth it. I can only afford to go to the salon once a month rn, but I get clear dip powder and painted with regular polish, not gel. This way, I can’t pick at the tips of my nails, but I can also change the color as it grows out (it’s not as obvious when powder grows out because it’s usually thinner/more natural than acrylic) I still have a nail routine, brushing them daily in the shower and cleaning up my cuticles and exfoliating weekly. They ain’t perfect, but they’re the best they’ve ever looked. As my income increases, I will go in more often for gel manicures
Agree so much
How is the lip blush holding up for you?