As the cost of living continues to rise in the UK, you’re probably wondering how to cut costs.
According to Statista, in 2023, spending at beauty and hair salons was at around £8bn. Stats by PolicyBee show a similar, picture, reporting that women who visit salons regularly spend, on average, a staggering £1,000 a month on hair, nails, beauty, and aesthetic treatments.
And whilst pampering is definitely important, there’s no denying that there are some ways to cut costs when it comes to beauty.
What Are The Most Popular Beauty Treatments In The UK?
Last year, JustMyLook scraped TikTok data to find out which beauty treatments were the most shared and spoken about, to reveal which ones appealed most to UK beauty lovers.
The most popular treatments included:
- Laser hair removal: 90,500 monthly searches
- Builder gel / Biab nails: 60,500 monthly searches
- Microblading: 49,500 monthly searches
- Microneedling: 49,500 monthly searches
- Botox, brow lamination, lip filler: 40,500 monthly searches each
- Other notable treatments: Buccal fat removal (18,100), Chemical peel (14,800), Henna brow (12,100), Cheek filler (9,900), and Vampire facial (6,600).
Luckily, there are a number of ways to help cut the costs of this treatment, allowing you to pamper yourself for a better price.
Tech To Help Cut Beauty Costs
Nails
According to Airtasker, the average cost of a basic manicure is between £17-35, with nail polish averaging between £10-40. When it comes to gels, the standard is £20-40.
To help reduce this, why not try buying your own gel nail kit? These kits come with UV lamps, a range of colours and all the filing tools you need. Not to mention, a lot of the time they cost the same as just one trip to the salon.
We recommend:
- Phoenixy Gel Nail Polish Set with 40 colours, starting at £24.99
- LKEE Gel Nails Kit with 6 colours, starting at £30.99
- Modelones Gel Nail Kit with 12 colours, starting at £36.99
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Hair
According to Yell, the average cost across the UK to get a wash, cut and blow dry in 2024 is £48, whilst the average cost of the same treatment plus a colour service now sits at £130.
Whilst it’s definitely not advisable to cut and colour your own hair, investing in good blow-drying tools could help cut costs on styling. Whilst they can be a large upfront cost, they certainly provide better value in the long-term.
Why not try:
- Bellissima Prodigy 6-in-1 Auto-Curling Air Styler & Hair Dryer, starting at £179.99
- TYMO Hot Brush Hair Styler, starting at £59.99
- MogaWage 6 in 1 Air Drying Set, starting at £69.99
Skin
There are tons of skincare treatments out there today. From hydra facials to pore unblocking and LED treatments, the list is almost endless.
However, the real secret is that many of these treatments can be replicated at home, especially if you are looking for cost-effective options. And whilst they may seem expensive, remember that you can pay up to £80 per skin treatment in a salon, so these have a much better long-term ROI.
We recommend:
- Lovsheme LED Face Mask, FDA Approved, starting at £99.99
- Spray Hydration Red Light Therapy Mask, starting at £58.89
- Blackhead Remover Pore Vacuum, starting at £32.99
Hair Removal
Hair removal, whether it’s waxing or laser can be incredibly expensive. Laser in particular does deliver amazing long-term results, but usually comes with a price tag of multiple £100s.
Luckily, there are some ways to get similar results at home. Although, it’s worth noting that you should always test these devices on your skin ahead of time to make sure it doesn’t irritate it.
Why not try:
- Braun At-Home Laser Hair Removal Device, starting at £449.99
- Philips Satinelle Essential Epilator, starting at £25.96
- Mylee Professional Waxing Kit with Wax Heater, starting at £39.99
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