Who hasn’t fallen on hard times? I mean if you don’t live on Madison Avenue, you have most likely felt the crunch in this failing economy. What is a salon addict to do?

Color Your Hair at Home

There are a great variety of at-home coloring kits that can save you a lot of money when you need to touch-up your color. Now, I am not suggesting that you go out and make a drastic hair color change. I am talking about touching up your new growth, roots, or grays. When coloring your hair at home, the most important thing to remember is to follow the directions very carefully - they are included for a reason.  

If you need to just touch-up our grays, try Nice ‘n Easy Root Touch Up. These shades easily match a variety of hair colors, so all you need to do is find the color closest to your hair color. In less than ½ hour and for less than $10, your grays will be gone.

If you have missed an appointment and need to touch up a bit more than your grays, try L’Oreal Paris Feria. Instructions to touch up new growth and then blending the color into the rest of your hair is pretty simple. Again, just be sure to follow them. Your hair will look overall more shiny too, with multi-shimmering color.

If you are need of a highlight, enlist a friend for some help and check out Shade on Shade Highlights from Herbal Essences. With a handy specialized highlighting comb and color guide, highlights can be achieved with great results. Be careful when selecting your shade, you want to make sure that it will compliment your natural hair color. Also, as always, be sure to follow the directions carefully for the best and beautiful results.

Trim Your Hair Yourself

I would never suggest making another drastic change by giving yourself a whole new look, but trimming your own bangs and cutting off split ends is not that hard to do.

Bangs are not that hard to trim yourself. Just remember to go slow and try not to be perfect, as you might just cut off too much in trying to get the look too perfect. Hold the scissors vertically and only trim a very small bit, less than ¼ “ at a time. I prefer to cut bangs dry, as you can account for how they fall. Wet hair is always straighter and longer, so you might get a bit too scissor happy and trim them too short.

Split ends are bothersome, and if trimmed every 6 - 8 weeks, you salon hair cut can stay looking fresh. Again, enlist a friend for help, and  buy a nice pair of hair cutting shears. Most drugstores carry them, and an at-home pair should not set you back more than $20. Wet hair is best for cutting off split ends, and make sure that you comb hair through, and be sure to make sure your friend follows your natural hair line. You might have an inch or two that needs to be cut, but always err on the side of less. You can always go back and have more trimmed off later.

Bring It Home Beauty carries a fabulous DVD that gives you tips on not just cutting your hair, but coloring and highlighting too. For less than the cost of one salon visit, this DVD is worth it if you plan to skip the salon for a while.

Give Yourself the Perfect Blow-Out

Blow-Outs can be addictive. If I could have one a few days a week, I certainly would. But, my wallet will not allow it. Spending the money on a salon quality blow-dryer and brushes might seem costly, but in the long run, the investment could be well worth it. If you are one who makes regular blow-out visits, your investment could pay off in less than a month. 

 T3 Bespoke Labs Featherweight Dryer is an awesome hair dryer, and if you can afford the $200, I would urge you to do so. If you are looking for a similar Salon quality hair-dryer for under $60, try the Conair Nano Silver. It is my choice and it does a super fine job with it’s multiple setting options. For hairbrushes, try some of the Sephora brand brushes. They are pretty equivalent to the Mason Pearson brushes, and provide salon quality smoothness.

I know nothing beats the pampering and professionalism you get at the salon, but if you are looking for a way to save some money and still have your hair look great, try just one of these tips. Then try another tip next month. Soon, you can be making twice yearly visits to the salon while saving a bundle. And still have that just back from the salon look with just a little extra care.