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/

"I feel for teenage girls growing up from low income families not being able to afford the ‘essentials’ when their peers can afford to get more extravagant beauty treatments"

look what happened to leaving school disco - now a prom! I actually remember just for school disco, I wanted a new dress and badgered my parents for it - I feel ashamed now. In the end, they said they'd pay half and I had to fund the other half from pocket money, to a max budget of £40.

Now - I shudder to think what pressure people feel.

I love treatments - it’s relaxing. I have a hair cut and colour every six weeks, eyebrows shaped monthly, regular manicures - not keen on false or gel nails. I have facials and massages regularly - makes me feel great. DD often comes with me if she is home from Uni.

I had my eyelashes done once at a very reputable place, individual lashes, took about 2 hours to do. But they were SO scratchy and really irritated my eyes. I woke up the next morning with puffy baggy eyes (and I'd had a patch test which was fine). I ended up soaking them all off with baby oil and my natural lashes looked short, stubby and dreadful for months.
I now use Careprost (same as Latisse) to grow my natural lashes. I've been using it for about a year. My lashes are amazingly long and dark now, and with mascara on the look like they could be false they are so long. I love that they are my own lashes and I don't have to worry about getting infills or that horrible scratchy feeling. I'm now on a maintenance dose which just means a quick swipe with the brush two days a week. It's pretty much my only extravagance as I do my own nails, pedicures, brows, skin care, and I have long hair so I just chop the ends off myself!

I also have rubbish sensitive skin and envy people who can pick up foundation, sunscreen and skincare in the supermarket or Boots without having to inspect the ingredients and epic price tag. THAT'S where the money goes for me... Haircare products too. Sigh.

Waxing £5
Hair colour and Brazilian blow dry £107 every 8 weeks
Cut every 8 weeks £45
Pedicure summer only £15 monthly
Eyebrows £7 every 12 weeks - slow growth

Ordinary people don’t though. At most they’ll do hair cuts/colour every now and then.

the fact that people are even looking at things like eyelashes makes me wonder how much I'm being judged.

oh well. not much I can do!

I get my eyebrows/top lip/face (PCOS - so jawline, chin, some of throat) waxed every 3 weeks - £25.

Hair cut/coloured every 6 weeks - £65. But my hair is very unruly and about 25% gray all over - I am 29, and never manage to cover all the gray myself with a box dye.

I consider both of the above necessities - especially waxing. My mental health is really affected when the PCOS hair overgrowth is in so I'd pay double if I had to just to get it under control. I will eventually splurge on laser hair removal but would still continue to get eyebrows done regularly.

I don't bother with my nails or toenails but will have a pedicure every now and then, usually once at the start of summer.

I'd consider getting my nails done on a regular basis.

I also very rarely wear makeup but use a lot of skin products, however I'd say no more than £100-150 a year on those.

oh, I am quite jealous of all the people who do lots of this stuff.

I am just CRAP at grooming :( it just does not work for me....

manicure or pedicure? Did it a few times, have crap thin nails, the varnish never dries, end up with golden-syrup type nails, they say it's because of my nails. Go home, remove golden syrup from nails (still not hard 2 hours later!). Tried different salons, never had my varnish dry ever. Always sticky and syrupy. How do people do this? How?

fake tan? It really stinks on me, real pong of wet biscuits, and my sheets are all stained after. Not sexy. At all. Then it gets patchy. ANd I always miss bit. And the stink is just too much.

eye brows? They just look odd when tampered with. Also, am allergic to dye...

hair dye? No thanks, as I said, I am allergic, will be going grey when nature decides (now)....

gel nails? Nice for a week, or two, then with removal my nails get removed too 6 week recovery period

Foundation? Would love to wear it, but i have hayfever and sneeze a lot, and every time I blow my nose half of it comes off

I manage: lip gloss or light lipstick (though my fine flyaway hair gets stuck to it) and mascara (though it clumps) and eye liner (nice wonky line, but better than nothing)

At 48 I ave started having mega uneven skin tone (melasma) and would love a make over, but not sure it's too late to start. And like I say, I sneeze a few times and it's game over

asta19 your post made me laugh. My DP is balding, has a bit of a beer belly, and would still be wearing band t-shirts he had at uni (he’s 42) if I let him. I think he would spontaneously combust if he set foot in a gym.

I’m attracted to him because he’s smart, kind, funny, and an amazing kisser. I assume he’s attracted to me for similar reasons, not because I always have painted nails and red lipstick.

I'm 50. Probably spent millions over the years but I think it's good value.

Iike PP, would also say I'm low maintenance in that the things I have done mean I'm ready for work and / or going out in less than 30 mins total.

I have:

Eyelash extensions - infills every 2-3 weeks £35
Hair trim every 8 weeks - £40
T section or half head highlight - 3 months - £50
Eyebrow shape same time as eyelashes - £5

I have my own UV lamp for gel nails which I do at home every 2 weeks - initial outlay for lamp, wipes, potion, nail gel, about £50 I suppose - no further payment save the odd £10 on a new colour

Love all of it, would feel sad without.

jaxhog a little salon has just opened near me that's half the price of the main ones and even better quality - I'm saving a fortune 🙌

I spend money on me because I can.
Hair £150 every 10 weeks
Nails every 10 days £23
Chiropodist every 6 weeks £35...I paint my own toenails
Facial every 4 weeks £60
Gym/personal trainer £75 a month
I am retired .

They clearly aren’t in the North East! I get gel nails done monthly on my fingers and toes. The lass comes to the house and does both for £20.
Brows, my friend has a salon and does wax and tint for £10 monthly.
I do my own tan when I go out.
Get my hair done every 3-4 months as it’s just a cut and blow dry (don’t need to dye my hair) that’s only £20.

I might get a facial once every few months, only when it’s on a half price offer for £20.

I think fake lashes always look crap so wouldn’t pay for them.

mathanxiety

**
Education for my children.
Rent.
Pension.

you do know that it's possible to spend money on grooming and on everything else?
I am saving every month for my kids to go to Uni, and for their first deposit.
I am paying my mortgage every month (which incidentally is higher to ensure my kids go to the right school)
I am paying into my pension

I need to spend some money to look the best I can, I look better with a decent hair colour and hair cut, and various bits and bobs. Some women might be lucky to be attractive naturally, I need a bit of help. Why shouldn't I spend some money on it?

Some women might be lucky to be attractive naturally, I need a bit of help. Why shouldn't I spend some money on it?

Because it’s subjective. Because looking attractive is a superficial quality. Because the money could be spent on something that benefits the short time you have on earth rather than divides society further.

I do care about my appearance but I barely ever spend anything- annual replacement of mascara. Also have eye pencil, lipstick and eyeshadow. I think I look younger than quite a lot of my peers, and suspect that not using face makeup might be part of the reason.

That said, I do like buying clothes, so it's horses for courses.

Apart from the eye watering costs on here, how do people find the time?

I don’t think I know anyone who has that sort of work done. Most people think I’m a haircut is an extravagance. If you want it fine but how do people find the time?

I spend £75 every 3 months on a hair cut and £100 every 4 months on colour.
I only really get pedicures in summer, so say 3 a year at £50 a time. I occasionally get a manicure at £30 a time.
I probably spend at least £500 a year on skincare. It really does add up and I don’t even get my brows or lashes done.

It doesn’t need to take long. I got my nails done tonight and it took 1 hour.

£30 for a cut and blowdry every 6 months.

I have had shellac done but as a treat rather than a regular thing.

My only monthly maintenance is a £35 sports massage to help with tight neck and back muscles.

It's not so much a financial thing as a CBA thing.

Apart from the eye watering costs on here, how do people find the time?

Cut and blow-dry every 4 weeks takes approx 1.5 hours. The odd blow dry takes 40 minutes.

Deluxe Manicure and Pedicure once a month - it takes an hour with 2 therapists.

Body scrub and massage - 2 hours once a month.

Eyebrows - Ive only had them done once and I think from now on it will take 3 hours out of a UK trip once a year.

Its hardly any time at all.

If there is a special occasion I will get the eyebrows/lashes tinted, nails (not fake) done and hair cut but am generally low maintenance.
I am slightly rethinking this though. I like the way I feel better and now I have a bit more money I'm thinking of treating myself more. Why not, I've struggled for years and now the kids are older and not so financially dependent... I can save most of it and have my treat.