Written by Becky Lancashire.
I have always been a bit of a plain Jane. Okay, that may sound slightly harsh, but I am serious! I have always had a kind of dull-ish mousy brown hair colour that I have never colored, I have never been one to wear much makeup, or even know the first thing about how to do my makeup and hair nicely (and do not even get me started on nails), but for the first time in my life, I am starting to feel like there are a lot of benefits of being a non-girly girl…
Being a university student who is fairly new to the concept of managing my money and spending, I have become so much more aware of my crazy, sometimes ridiculous shopping habits (and just how much money I spend when I am let loose in the town with my bank cards – oops!)
But, even though sometimes my eyes can admittedly be bigger than my bank balance, I know for sure that I am one of the lucky ones in leading a fairly low-maintenance lifestyle.
My weekly beauty budget consist of simply this: shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, and some makeup items. That is it. Of course, like most women, I take pride in looking nice, but I do not always believe that feeling good and bursting the bank have to go hand in hand.
Too many times I have had to provide emotional support to a friend whose lack of cash has meant that their roots will have to come through before they can afford to resolve the problem, or their eyebrows have gotten a little bit too out of control this month. Oh, the horror!!
I do not know whether it comes down to personal insecurity or the harrowing pressures of society, but I just think it is such a shame that these should be the prioritized worries of so many young women when it comes to money management.
So, if there was one piece of advice I could give to prospective beauty-conscious students it would be this: try and lower your cosmetics budget before you move to university. It may seem like a heart-breaking concept to part with some of your long-term lovers (trust me, kissing goodbye to my Marc Jacobs perfume was VERY distressing), but if there is ever a moment when you have to make a well-informed choice between that new Mac lipstick and slipping into your overdraft, I’ would hope you would know straight away which was the best option!
Saving money on small things like this could allow you to really embrace the student life and spend your money on things that, when looking back, will seem so much more valuable!
Besides, whether you believe me or not, I will say just this one thing. Even when the fake tan has run out, and the acrylics needs replacing, I will bet you still look great without them all!