Being in debt and all, I don’t have much of a budget for beauty products these days. I do splash out once every three months for my favourite Estee Lauder foundation but all other make up items are relatively low cost (and purchased infrequently) from the usual UK high street stores such as Boots or Superdrug.
I get my hair done by an extremely cheap mobile hairdresser every 2 to 3 months. This is usually when my hair has grown out so much that I’m afraid of frightening passerbys with my ‘dragged through a hedge backwards’ hairdo. I wear my hair one way only as I don’t have the time or patience to do much else with it. And that is STRAIGHT.
Right back from the days where Jennifer Aniston sported that glossy straight hair style as Rachel from Friends (you know that hairdo where it was feathered to frame her face?), I’ve worn my hair straight. That was probably around 10 years ago and throughout this time, despite hair fashions coming and going, my hair has been long and short but always straight.
To help with quickly sorting my hair out in the mornings, I’ve been using ‘GHD‘ straighteners for years (all that heat is bad for my locks I know). In my opinion, GHDs are the mutt’s nuts when it comes to straightening your hair into submission.
Beauty disaster alert!
I must admit, I panicked somewhat when my GHD styler fizzled, crackled and then finally packed up a month or so ago. For a brief moment I totted up the cost of a new pair in my head and then of course I realised that I am a changed person. I could not simply go out and buy a new pair of GHDs (which cost in the region of £100) just like that! Even a second hand pair of GHDs would cost an arm and a leg looking at those on eBay.
I was about to accept with utter dismay that I was destined to look like a fright for the rest of my journey to debt freedom (or at least until I could save up enough cash for a new pair of GHDs) when suddenly like a lightbulb clicking on, I remembered where I’d kept the box for these straighteners when I’d bought them a year or so beforehand.
Happy days! There in the box was the receipt and not only that, but the guarantee! A guarantee which happily stated a warranty period of two whole years because GHD were so confident that their products would not break!
I quickly boxed up my faulty GHDs and sent them off to the nearest GHD head office (paying £6 in postage). I waited eagerly for the postman for the next three weeks whilst trying to tame my hair each day with not much success. The postman brought nothing but junk mail and the usual bills. I was beginning to give up hope. And then at last, the postman delivered a little box of heaven on Friday last week.
My GHDs had not been repaired but instead replaced with a brand spanking new product – the Ghd 00235 Classic Styler, 1 Inch
Have you girls and guys ever suffered from beauty or grooming disasters whilst on a budget?
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*Image courtesy of Stuart Miles – Ashamed Girl With A Bag On Her Head – Free Digital Photos
22 Comments
That’s awesome that they replaced it!
I often worry about situations like this when I go to throw away the packaging from a new product. I don’t have a lot of space, so I don’t usually keep anything besides the manual.
I used to shop almost exclusively at “Lush” for my beauty products. While there products aren’t that expensive ($20 worth of facewash will last me 3-4 months), it’s outside of my budget. I splurge/budget for the facewash because its the only thing that’s ever kept my skin under control, but I’ve stopped buying their soaps and shampoos. My hair doesn’t smell as nice, but it still looks fine, and I have $15-$20 to spend on things I need, not things I want.
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I can understand splurging a little on quality products to help your skin – I feel the same way about the foundation I use. It just suits me and I only buy it a few times per year. It’s still hard parting with money though for items like these! It’s a case of prioritising needs and wants as you say. 🙂
Hayley recently posted…Beauty is in the eye of the debt holder
I’ve had my GHD for about 5 years until J stepped on it and broke it. 🙁 he was kind enough to replace it for me but he nearly fainted at the price tag. 😉
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That’s great that your GHDs lasted 5 years though up until J’s accident with it! That’s good of him to replace them, I can imagine his thoughts on the price lol!
We have the opposite problem. Mine is bone straight and what I wouldn’t give to have some natural curl. I use two different types of curling irons. I also have short hair which helps framing my narrow (getting older) face. If I don’t get it cut every six weeks I look terrible, but that part is NOT cheap around these parts. I’m still in limbo of what to do. I’ve been wearing my hair in a stringy pony tail most of this month. Oh to be a woman…
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I hear you Tonya! That in between stage between short and longish hair is tricky to know what to do with. Hair cuts every 6 weeks soon add up. I leave mine far too long but I can’t bring myself to have it done any sooner, even with my reasonably priced hairdresser.
Once every couple years, I buy a little can of pomade. I think it’s like, $3, and lasts forever because, hey, I’m married and don’t need to make my hair look awesome for the world anymore.
Still, Mrs. Done by Forty still has to see me…maybe I should try harder? 🙂
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Lol! My hubby thinks the same. 🙂 I think you should definitely get the pomade out for when you see Mrs DB40 again soon!
This is why I always try and save receipts! How awesome. I would have panicked as well. I used to wear my hair straight ALL the time, but last year I stopped. I still straighten my bangs and the top of my head, but I discovered that my boyfriend liked my hair air dried, and I’ve slowly grown to accept it. It comes out curly/wavy, and I use mousse to style it if it looks a bit too crazy. It’s way faster than trying to straighten my whole head in the morning. It’s also better for my hair. I have had my CHI for at least six years now – it was the first expensive straightener I purchased, and I’m glad it’s still alive.
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I never usually save receipts so I was amazed to find this and the warranty in the box! Aw, that’s lovely how your BF likes your hair natural! I’d never heard of CHI, have just googled, they look great. 🙂
Hey Hayley. I can so relate to the hair straightener dilemma! When I was a younger lad I had thick, curly hair and hated it!! While I didn’t have a hair straightener, I would use a blow dryer to get rid of the curls, which would work.
These days I have very little hair left and would love to have my curls back! Although, compared to a bunch of my friends, I’m not doing too bad in the hair department 🙂
As for “hair maintenance”, I have an ex-girlfriend who cuts my hair every few months for $10.00. She does a good job and I save a small amount of money while she makes a few bucks. A win/win all around!!
Very cool by the way of your finding the box and receipt and getting a brand new straightener out of the deal!!
Take care and my best to all.
Lyle
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Hi Lyle! I can’t imagine you with curly hair! Maybe you could post a pic on your blog one day? 🙂 That’s really handy having your ex girlfriend cut your hair when you need it doing. Sounds like a good deal for you both! 🙂
I keep my hair short, so the only thing I do is wash it (it’s usually too short to warrant being combed anyway :)). Never had any worries with my looks, so this is clearly a non-emergency area. But any issue with my laptop and I’m dead angry and crazed 😀
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There are definite bonuses to keeping hair short! I kind of feel like this about my laptop too… I must see if I still have the receipt for that just in case that ever packs up!
When the lady who had cut my hair from the time I was very young retired when I was about 15 I went almost a year without getting a hair cut. That was a disaster but it wasn’t money related.
I did get a terrible $4 haircut once in college when I went to the local beauty school for a cut. I’m pretty sure I was this student’s first live haircut. Man oh man it was bad… but it grew back and all is good!
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I also had my hair cut once at a beauty college! I was drawn in by the cheap fees. Then I found out why!!!
I loved this! I relate 100% I, admittedly, spend a little extra on beauty products, but I’m able to justify it because I only buy each item 1-3 times a year. This month I ran out of a couple things all once and replacing them ate up 1 quarter of my budget!! I’ll be laying low until December. 🙂
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Thanks Colleen! Sometimes everything breaks or runs out all at the same time doesn’t it! I’ve just replaced my foundation as that ran out a couple of weeks ago. The cost really bugs me, but I’d rather buy that and know I’m getting something that suits my skin than buy some cheap foundation that brings me out in a rash!
Hehe, I remember the ‘Rachel’ hairdo – so iconic! I’m lucky in that I don’t have to straighten my hair anymore (I used to in middle school/high school). Now, I just leave them be.
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Rachel was my favourite character from Friends! 🙂 That’s great that you don’t straighten your hair anymore – I think I’ll be straightening mine forever!
huh – I have never heard of that brand! I bought a $40 straight iron at Winners here in Canada to keep at work when I went to the onsite gym at lunch. Now that I am at a new job, I am grateful to have a “back-up” at home! I could not go long without one. However, now I know I would never spend more than that on one. The drugstore brands (i.e. Conair) suck but I find no name ones that are ceramic and get super hot (450 degrees) all work pretty much as well as each other so I am no longer tied to one brand.
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That’s really interesting. I didn’t know that there are ‘no name’ straighteners that get up to 450 degrees! I’m a loyal customer of GHD – I did try several out before I purchased my first pair – Babyliss and Loreal were ones that I wouldn’t try again. When my current pair break, I’ll definitely shop around to see if there are any unbranded ones that work just as well. On another note, that’s very admirable that you went to the gym in your lunch break!