To be shocked how much "ordinary" people spend on grooming?

[Daygals]

Let's start by explaining that by ordinary, I mean people on average incomes living not unusual lives. What is normal might also be regional, I live in a world of fake tans and long fake lashes.

I am shockingly low maintenance but I thought I might make a bit of an effort for a special occasion and have my brows tidied and nails done, so I looked up some salons and price lists and this is where my shock comes from.

I had no idea these things are so expensive. The list I'm looking at is a fairly basis salon, nothing upmarket and includes things lots of people I know would consider "need" doing on a regular basis.

The prices are probably fair from the point of view of the therapist's time but I can't imagine spending this on myself on a regualar basis.

Eye lashes £40
HD Brows £20
Gel Nails £30
Pedicure £20
Hair cut £40
Hair colour £80

That's before waxing and and more luxury treatments like facials or anti-aging stuff.

I don't know how often it all needs doing (monthly?) but I know lots of people who are always "done" like this I can't fathom how it's even possible/

Eyebrow wax and tint where I go is £15 they are one of the top salons in my area. I go every 3 weeks. Depends where you are and what you like to have done but I wouldn’t do my own eyebrows

They seem pretty top end prices!

I suspect that's regional too Sirzy. There seems to be an inexhaustible market for nail bars and the like round here.

I think a lot of people learn how to do gel nails at home - you can buy all the kit online.
Mobile hairdressers which a lot of people use are way cheaper.
I've started going to a SuperCuts type place; they trim my longish hair for £17 and it looks exactly the same as when I pay £35 at a salon.

I had a colleague who was always moaning that she was skint.

Every month, she had acrylic nails, a pedicure, brows/lashes done, and more wax on her than a candle factory floor. Every fortnight, she was spray tanned. Every six weeks, her hair was cut and highlighted at a cost of £180 and she had hair extensions as as well (don't know how often or how much that was). She occasionally had fillers/botox.

She also spent £360 a month on a lease car and had 2 long-haul holidays a year.

She used to complain that she couldn't afford to leave home ...

YANBU. Never mind the cost, I can’t fathom that people think the manifestly false tan, eyebrows and eyelashes look attractive.

And don’t get me started on waxing....

Some things you can do at home, some things definitively need to be done by a professional. Non-invasive anti-aging treatments, facial and dental, are so worth it though, they take years of your face and really make a difference.
After that, it's a choice. Some people spend a fortune on grooming, but others spend a fortune on takeaways, on tv packages, on drinks when they go out regularly.

If you have the money, nothing wrong in spending it!

It's not just the money but the time. I couldn't be arsed to fit all the appointments into my life.

I'm pretty low maintenance, but I have nail extensions ,£20, hair coloured and styled at the hairdresser £60-80 both every four weeks. I also have micro-bladed eyebrows that cost £200 initially and 90 for a yearly top up. I consider it to be quite normal, not OTT.

Yes, that too Barbara. The one time I had a manicure, I thought it would never end

I mentioned this 'maintenance' on the pensions thread, and was surprised I wasn't flamed, but I expect there are women out there (and some men of the Essex variety, but more especially women), who have all of this but no considerable pension.

Being low maintenance saves me a fucking fortune.

I shave intermittently, get the odd haircut (and withstand the shame of the hairdresser whining about the frequency), and have about £30 odd quid worth of make up that I use infrequently. People don't recoil when they see me, and I have no money worries.

Internet, Facebook, always people advertise on there and come to your home, they are usually cheaper as they dont have the overheads salons have, mobile hairdressers too, much cheaper and they usually gave a fb business page where you can view previous treatments and reviews from clients

tillytoodles That is not low maintenance.

I know exactly what you mean OP. I think if you think this is all normal, then you spend it and moan about being skint.

I get a haircut once every three months. If I can be arsed. It's costs me £40.

I just couldn't be arsed doing all the other stuff. It would add nothing to my life but each to their own. Any new shop opening in town is now some sort of beauty place so there is clearly a market for it all and I'm clearly in the minority.

I don't understand getting eyebrows done.

I mean, do people just leave them for 2 weeks and 6 days and then go on the 3rd week (a pp timescale) for a whole brow tidy? I find I get individual regrowth that I have to pluck every few days. If I left it I'd have ridiculous looking brows.

As for the rest of it, I CBA day to day. Can't stand fake nails, they always look weird (like artificial grass looks weird compared to lawn). I might get a pedicure done before a holiday but I go to a home salon and it's about £30 for an hour long luxury one.

I spend about £60-£80 a year on haircuts. And that is it.

I'm very low maintenance as i only spend £40 on a haircut once every 3 months. Maybe a manicure or pedicure every 3 or 4 years.

Don't do makeup, perfume, waxing or hair treatments due to allergies.

Are you in Essex like me? 80% of people I know have lashes, nails, brows, tans done at all times and I do wonder where they get the money!

I'm pretty low maintenance, but I have nail extensions ,£20, hair coloured and styled at the hairdresser £60-80 both every four weeks. I also have micro-bladed eyebrows that cost £200 initially and 90 for a yearly top up. I consider it to be quite normal, not OTT.

I don't consider that low maintenance at all!

Being low maintenance saves me a fucking fortune.

good for you.
Living in a bedsit would save me a fucking fortune too. Actually, not having kids would save me an even bigger one. And the holidays, oh the holidays.

I like to look my best, I am more than happy to spend as much as I fancy for that. It's none of anyone's business.

My pension pot is doing just fine too.

But not everyone gets all of that done?
No one my age has false eyelashes or sharpie eye brows (not round these ere parts) , not everyone gets nails done.

I would have thought anyone in a customer facing role would probably get their hair cut every 6 weeks, whether they dye it or not is another matter.

Personally I dont like feeling like a bag of shit, therefore anything I buy with my money that makes me feel beter is down to my personal choice and afordability. Just like it's the choice for some to neck wine or chocolate or order pizza

I don't understand getting eyebrows done.

It gives them a much nicer shape. I get mine done every month to 6 weeks, the regrowth is fine, it's just a more defined shape when they get done again.

jennymanara I'm a widow with two grow up self sufficient children, I don't have a car or a mortgage. I live on my own and my other costs are minimal. I know people who spend their money on stuff that I don't see the point of. I don't consider it to be a lot of money, even though I'm not well off.