Facelifts, Highlights, And Other Beauty Treatments You Shouldn’t Skimp On
Posted by: Ali Jawin
Filed in:
style
2:00PM, Thursday June 4th 2009
Times are tough and women are looking for ways to cut back. We at The Frisky are determined to bring you the best budget beauty out there, but we are also not going to lie to you: some things you just can’t skimp on. You may never notice the difference between a CoverGirl and a Chanel lipstick but there are certain beauty products and treatments where you will. So save yourself some medical danger and grief and read our five beauty treatments we beg you to fork over the dough for.
- Face Lifts and Other Cosmetic Surgeries: Plastic surgery is a hot-button issue for good reason. There are potential risks and complications, steep price tags and some gals just plain don’t believe in them. We won’t pass judgment on whether you should or shouldn’t go under the knife, but we will give you a very stern talking to if you do so carelessly or on the cheap. If you are going get some work done, do so responsibly and do your homework. The old catchphrase “if it seems to good to be true, it probably is” was made for plastic surgery that touts that it is cheaper, less invasive and “one size fits all.” (We’re looking at you “Lifestyle Lift”, which promises to “Remove years in about an hour.”) We all love Target, but the difference between a Target dress and a Vera Wang gown is obvious. Do you really want to be the girl with the Target face? We didn’t think so.
- Dental Cosmetics: We know that eyes are supposed to be the window to the soul, but we think that your smile says just as much about you, if not more. Anything involving beautifying your teeth is ridiculously expensive. Don’t ask me why, because I don’t really get what exactly is so complicated about teeth, but whatevs, the reality is that a better smile costs lots of moolah. With one single porcelain veneer costing $2000 bucks a tooth, we can see why you might look for cheaper alternatives. We advise you to stay away from invasive cheaper procedures because even though I mock dentists, there are medical risks. Not to fear though, we will leave you something to smile about. The Snap-On Smile is by no means cheap, but the total price tag rolls out to under $2000, much better than traditional procedures. I admit I was just a tad bit dubious about this one. The idea that I would just “snap on” a set of fake teeth over my own contained loads of potential for embarrassment (having your fake teeth fall out while making out with a hot guy is not sexy). The Snap-On Smile is a removable dental appliance made out of flexible materials (plastics with really long funny names). Think of a set of fake vampire teeth you use for Halloween, except somewhat better, but still as creepy.
- Hair Coloring: We know that there are millions of at home hair-coloring options out there, but please, just don’t. There are just way too many ways you can screw this one up, and you’re left with busted hair for months. Even if you manage to dye your hair successfully (and this in and of itself is no easy feat), chances are the color isn’t what you thought it would look like or the shade isn’t as flattering as you deserve. Highlights seem easy enough, but trust me, they are particularly dangerous to attempt on your own. Professional coloring is pricey, but you can save a bit by buying products that will make your color last and stretching your appointments out two weeks longer than your colorist says. [$16, Redken Color Extend Shampoo, DrugStore.com]
- Anything Involving A Laser: Anything that is used as a weapon by the U.S. armed forces should not be treated lightly. Lasers are a bit of a beauty miracle when it comes to getting rid of acne, varicose veins, scars, and eyesight, but the miracle does not extend to the price tag. Just one session with a laser can land you at $1000 buckaroos. Still, if not done by a pro, the laser treatments can cause serious permanent damage and other serious side effects.
- Botox/Restylane/Juvaderm: I have needle issues to begin with, so the idea of anything budget with a needle scares me to death. Injections such as Botox, Restylane, and Juvaderm are not without controversy, but I don’t think anyone has dropped dead in their stilettos from these anti-wrinkle injections. Even though the products are pretty much safe, getting them done by an unqualified doctor puts you at medical and beauty risk. The medical risk is that both these products are potent and unlike flax seed oil, too much or too little and you are in major trouble. The beauty risk is that you will get that frozen look or a lopsided expression of surprise for a few months.
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nakedsushi
wrote on June 4 2009 @ 02:15 pm: [report]
Seriously, colouring hair at home? I don’t think this should be up on the list with the other things… I do it myself all the time, and I’ve never had things go horribly wrong. I’m always satisfied with the end product, you just have to use high quality products. Highlights, however, are definitely left to the professionals, in my opinion.
lovely_j
wrote on June 4 2009 @ 03:51 pm: [report]
I 100% agree no boxed hair dye. Boxed hair dye is cheap for a reason. It makes your hair extremely brittle and dry. The chemicals are bad for your scalp. C’mon ladies, spend $50 and do it right. I can see your blotchy mess a mile away.
retro chic
wrote on June 4 2009 @ 04:48 pm: [report]
Well, how about the best of both worlds on the hair color issue. To Do—or, Not To Do. This has so many opps for negotiation with excellent results.
A little hair salon around the corner from me felt drop in biz in recent months. I asked the owner if I could strike a deal with her:
—I bring in my own tried and true high-end product purchased from the beauty supply (the same as she would have, and not from Target).
—She preps and applies the color, puts a plastic cap on it for the ride home, 1 block away.
—I shampoo out remains of color after the appointed time, and carry on as normal.
She agreed. For this she charges $20 cash, incl tip for a standing appt every month, that’s every 4th Wednesday. As nakedsushi noted, highlights should stay entirely with the pros; this is single process only.
She gets my biz more frequently, I don’t show grow-out. Win-win.
It pays to negotiate. I don’t scrimp on good services, just over-priced ones, esp in this economy. They’re hurting—and we need them.
Lynn
wrote on June 4 2009 @ 09:12 pm: [report]
I dyed my hair at home from when I was 14 until 21. Then, I graduated college and could afford salon coloring. It is SO much better. Lovely_j is right - it wasn’t my technique that was so much the problem, it was the dye itself. It took a couple years to grow out the damage, and I’ll never go back!
brandyalexander
wrote on June 5 2009 @ 06:14 am: [report]
Professional color is so much better. But I used to spend up to three hundred dollars for cut, color and highlights (this is embarrassing, and probs why I just got my electric shut off. Believe me, I am mortified).
However, I found out that the woman who trained my fabulous colorist teaches at the local vo-tech where my friend goes, and she did my touch-ups and gave a trim for a whopping $15. It looks perfect. If you do your research, you might find such a gem yourself
KarenHNY
wrote on June 5 2009 @ 08:20 am: [report]
I recently had a Snap-On Smile for myself and I cannot tell you how INCREDIBLE it looks! At first I was quite doubtful about the way it would look but after my dentist explained to me the difference between this snap-on smile and other “fake teth” he assured me this was not the same. In fact, he mentioned this was not “fake teeth” but somehthing he uses as a restoration for many of his patients that cannot do anything invasive. I on the other hand decided to get this becuase I could not afford to do $25K+ treatment of veneers. I paid $1475 for my snap on because, not expensive AT ALL! Especially when you consider my alternative. I strongly suggest anyone interested in have a natural looking smile they can eat with to check it out! By the way, i kiss my boyfriend just fine. The snap on is custom made so it does not rock or “fall out” . The best!
LostInStars
wrote on June 25 2009 @ 06:07 pm: [report]
I’ve been dying my hair at home for a long time, and my hair is always really healthy. The only nasty looking at home dyes I see, are when women go blonde at home. That is DEFINITELY for the professionals to do. Blonde can be extremely hard on your hair. But I’m always pleased with the results of my red or brown dye jobs and always get compliments. Everything else I absolutely agree on, however.
lareinedeslames
wrote on August 29 2009 @ 11:20 am: [report]
Hm. I would say that if you’re doing a drastic dye, like going from dark to blonde, you OBVIOUSLY need to go to a salon for that. But if you’re just doing a few shades lighter or darker, that’s doable at home, provided you know a few tricks of the trade.
I’ve been coloring my hair since I was 12, so for 11 years now, and I generally get good results. You just have to know a couple of things about how the dyes operate. And, of course, unhealthy hair is never going to take dye right; dry hair absorbs it too quickly, for example.
Highlights are something I’d pretty much trust to professionals. It’s just too easy to spot an at-home highlight job. Of course, if you really want to go cheap, there’s always the lemon juice option, just be careful you don’t over-lighten parts of your hair!