Hair
Whether you have blonde hair dyed dark, are a brunette gone blonde, or a redhead dyed, well, red, roots don’t look good on anyone. But surely our student loans can’t cover luxuries like appointments at Toni & Guy? No, they can’t. However, Nice ‘n Easy hair dye can be found in stores such as Superdrug (who happen to offer student discounts) for as little as £4 a box.
Top tip: Mix up a quarter of the dye and just do your roots, that way you can make one box last for much longer.
Disclaimer: Despite DIY hair dye getting a thumbs up, haircuts should most definitely only be done by the professionals – believe me I’ve seen people who have tried it with kitchen scissors! Some salons require ‘models’ for their trainees to practice on. This gives you the chance to grab a cheaper, or often, free haircut. So pop into a few local hairdressers and try your luck.
Beauty
If, like me, you have wasted afternoons in Boots trying to pick a new foundation, decide on the best mascara, or find a lipstick for a night out, The Bodyshop is where you need to head. They offer free makeup consultations and their fully trained staff are always on hand to help choose the best items for you.
Top tip: Buy a ‘Love Your Body’ card. For just five pounds a year it has plenty of benefits such as ten per cent off purchases, a free birthday gift worth a fiver and a few times throughout the year they offer members a whopping thirty per cent off.
Fashion
Everyone loves a good shop. It’s our prerogative to have copious amounts of clothes we will only wear once. So, why spend fifteen quid on a t-shirt from Zara when you could pick up something similar in a charity shop? You can often find items for as little as a couple of quid (removing the sense of guilt if you don’t end up wearing them!) while doing your bit to support some great causes.
Top tip: Look for charity shops in student areas – they are highly likely to have had items donated by people of a similar age to you.