Need help changing over to budget skin care/make up and clothes!

[Onabudget2015]

Hi, this is my first post, I need some help with style and beauty! I have just finished my maternity leave after having twins and have decided to be a stay at home mum until they start school. Me and my husband have worked out after all our yearly expenses we will be left with £300 a month disposable income, so we will be using £100 a month on the twins clothes/swimming/ etc which leaves me and my husband with £100 each to spend as we please. The trouble is I am a beauty and clothes addict. I spend more than that a month on my hair.

Well so far so good, I have found a mobile hairdresser who has actually done a better job than the salon I normally go to, and I have worked out I only need to put aside £40 a month for highlights and a cut. So that leaves me with £60 for skin care, make up and clothes. Help! I currently use Estée Lauder skin care and make up, and clothes wise anything from designer to primark. What make up could I use instead? What skin care? I have had a look in my local charity shop for clothes but they seem to mostly sell primark at the same price as primark!! My underwear is wearing out, I need a new face powder, some maxi dresses for the summer, is this do able on £100 a month?? Especially when it gets to winter and I will need a new coat??

I'm usually a makeup snob (don't wear often, so I can get away with buying department store stuff because I don't buy often) but I love Bourjois Healthy Mix serum.

For skincare, I think I have pretty good skin, and I use Le Roche Posay Redermic, rosehip oil, Physiogel moisturizer, and Neutrogena sunblock. All inexpensive. The key is to never, ever forget sunblock.

My friend has hair and treatments done at a local college for a fraction of the normal price and she always looks lovely.

Charity shops are worth rooting through regularly, in amongst the primark tat I have found Hobbs, Topshop, Kookai, New look, H and M, Warehouse, Zara etc. some of them hardly worn or with tags still on.

I do a capsule wardrobe for work and I'm addicted so it's catching on to my other clothes now. I have whittled down my wardrobe to the best stuff.

Look on pinterest for capsule wardrobes especially the Parisian ones- they are a bit hardcore though only consist of about 10 things!

I agree with others that Mua make-up is lovely. I use Argan oil for skin from Holland and Barratt £10 bottle has lasted about a year.

I agree with hair at the local college although it can be quite time consuming. The students are usually graded. If you use level 3 I think they are virtually fully trained. I used to go to SAKS and it was about £140 for highlights and a cut. I now pay £24 at the college. I'm probably there for about 5 hours (the 'teacher' checks what they're doing at various stages) but the saving is worth it for me.

Aldi have 2 facial oils in at the moment. I bought some last week, it's very good. I bought the dry skin one as pregnancy is playing havoc with my skin.

Re winter clothes I suggest searching ebay during the summer when nobody else is looking at winter coats. With patience you can bag a real bargain.

Another tip is to use the Tesco credit card for all your spending. Paying it off at the end of each month. This earns you club card vouchers which can be spent on heaps of things like meals out but also s few times a year they do a double value scheme so ie £10 vouchers are worth£20. I bought two cashmere jumpers. Their underwear isn't bad but probably needs trying on.

I've also been there and would agree that eBay, Sainsburys, carefully chosen charity shops and Primark are your friends! There's a pre-loved dress agency near me too for a couple of smarter / going out outfits, worth a hunt.

Also, I'd suggest thinking about changing your hair style if you need a cut and highlights so often. I changed mine to colour at home and had a good cut every other month - therefore half the price you're budgeting.

Coat and winter boots need to be reasonable quality to last, do the job and look good. Stalk eBay when everyone is packing away stuff as it is generally cheaper out of season. I also insist on a couple of really good bras and wash them carefully. Another no compromise for me is a decent foundation base. I can do a lot with some of the cheaper brands mentioned as long as I have a good base!

If you won't realistically diet back into pre DT clothes, sell them for your wardrobe fund or swap them. Same with DT clothes. As they grow, sell or swap.

Final obvious tip is to set aside a small amount each month towards those more expensive things where you've decided not to compromise.

Don't mean to hijack but can I ask a related question? If you were going to look on Ebay and the likes for a good quality winter coat, which brands would you be looking for?

I've only ever bought 1 winter coat from Ebay (can't even remember which brand it was now - but high street) and I would like to follow your advice and "invest" in something of better quality.

Thanks

If you can't get to a college to get your hair done cheaply, how about dyeing your hair yourself and getting it cut less often? It seems madness to spend almost half your budget just on your hair.

Can you look for evening/weekend work while your DH can look after the DCs to earn a bit extra money for treats?

Second the supermarket recommendations for clothes and toiletries etc.