10 Ways to Save Money Without Skimping on Self-Care & Taking Care of Your Skin

Let's face it, everything seems to cost more right now. Which means we're all looking for creative ways to save a few dollars, stretch our budget, and to do more with less. If you're looking to save money on your self-care and beauty routine, we've found a few tweaks you can make without skimping on those much-needed rituals.

We know that a wonderfully nourishing skincare routine - and a little pampering! - doesn't have to blow the budget with a bit of thought and preparation. Here's how to make it work …

1.Use what you have

Need a starting point? Take a deep dive into your bathroom cupboard and empty that beauty drawer. Many of us stockpile products and double up on things we've forgotten we have. Or accumulate new products that we later find half-used under a pile of makeup brushes. Think how good it feels to do a full wardrobe edit. A skincare (and beauty) inventory will refresh your bathroom space in the same way, and help you rediscover products rather than buying new ones. Just be sure to check those expiry dates (often on the original packaging).

Tanya's tip: Facial moisturiser didn't quite live up to the hype? Use it as a body moisturiser instead.

2. Trim your hair appointments

There are plenty of ways you can reduce the need for in-salon touch-ups and maintain strong, healthy hair. To extend the duration between that expensive salon colour and style, look to a root touch-up spray or powder to cover regrowth, a colour refresh shampoo, or even a home colour (especially good for darker hair tones).

A hard-working hair oil  will also help stretch the time between salon visits, thanks to fewer split ends and less breakage. And, if you colour your hair, a hair oil used twice a week as a deep conditioning treatment will help maintain your hair's colour and tone while adding shine to the strands. Choose a nourishing formula such as our Organic Hair Renewal Oil  that works to bring back lost proteins for added strength, giving your hair a dose of fatty acids, omega-3 oils and vitamins for vibrancy and shine, and antioxidants for protection. It's also super handy for taming flyaways – and a little goes a long way!

Tanya's tip: I have always had fine hair that used to break easily, but since doing an overnight oil treatment once or twice a week, I've noticed a massive improvement in the health of my hair, meaning I visit the salon less often. And it isn't just me! My hairdresser is always amazed at how much better my colour holds (if it weren't for those silver roots, I'd barely need to see him these days!).

3. Bench your cleanser

Here's a mini game changer: cut out your cleanser. On days you're not wearing makeup, a simple konjac facial sponge  (make sure to soak in water first so it's soft and damp) will remove sunscreen, dirt, and dead skin cells while giving skin a gentle exfoliation. On days you need a deeper clean, the sponge can also boost the efficacy of your cleanser, meaning you can cut back on expensive exfoliators. And the best part? Our Biodegradable Konjac Facial Sponge comes in at under $10!

4. Simplify your skincare routine

Related: Read what real people are saying about Indagare's Luxurious, Toxin-Free & Australian-Made face oils

Streamlining a laundry list of fiddly, expensive products will save both time and money. Not to mention de-clutter your vanity! Many customers tell us they get better results (and shave a few minutes off their skincare routines) when they swap a complicated skincare regime for high-quality basics: sunscreen and our two facial oils, Illumino Youth Serum and Signature Night Recovery Oil. Face oils are not only one of the most ancient forms of skincare, they are crucial to achieving a healthy glow. Unlike creams, which are often made with wax to achieve an occlusive (water-tight) barrier and sit on the skin's surface, potentially clogging pores, a high-quality face oil can be absorbed by the skin to moisturise and strengthen your skin's innate barrier function and derma resilience lubricating and smoothing the spaces between skin cells. 

5. Swap quantity for quality

Some skincare products work harder than others. Take facial oils, for example. While many moisturisers and lotions are mostly water, a good face oil will be super concentrated and brimming with skin-loving ingredients. Our face and body oils are packed with 100% pure botanicals, including some of the most potent raw ingredients in the world. And we get them as fresh as possible for maximum potency. This means that our organic formulations are preservative-free and rely purely on ingredients that feed and nurture the skin, and each bottle lasts a long time, especially if you don't overuse them. 

Tanya's tip: Although most of our customers have managed to drop the expensive creams and serums from their routine and exclusively use our Organic Face Oil Duo Set, it's important to remember that our skin still needs water. But, rather than purchasing an additional toner or hydrosol, you can apply your facial oil after cleanse/shower, when skin is most receptive directly after cleansing AND still a little damp (the water from your tap is perfectly fine). 4-5 drops of oil should be enough if applied to damp skin. Dispense a few more drops if you're also doing décolletage and hands - which is highly recommended. 

6. Ask for the gift of self-care

This tip will really pay off when Mother's Day or Christmas comes around. Or your birthday. Or Valentine's Day! If loved ones are looking for gift ideas, let them know you'd really appreciate a spa credit or a gift voucher to your favourite skincare brand or makeup store. You're welcome!

(Did You Know Indagare Offers Gift Vouchers?)

7. DIY pedi

A little reluctant to give up your pedi appointment? We get it! But investing in a quality pedicure set will help keep your feet looking smooth and soft between visits. You could also purchase a polish to match your salon fave for home touch-ups.

Tanya's tip: Our organic Rose & Neroli Body Scrub  is incredible for heels and honestly has helped me extend my salon visits. I use it daily on my heels but only every few days on my entire body.

8. Enjoy a home spa day

Some of us learned to perfect this practice over lockdown, but bringing the spa day in house (at your home or get together with some friends and make it an extra special event!) will definitely save you dollars.

Invest in a few essentials (think cloth headband, reusable cooling eye mask, body brush, and a luxe scented candle) and really lean into the experience.

Related Article: How To Create The Perfect At-Home Spa Day

Few things evoke spa-like serenity like a long soak in a very warm tub. Especially if you've tossed in a handful of mineral salts. Dim the lights, light the good candle, and soak your cares away. Add a few drops of scented body oil so you can step straight from bath to robe feeling nourished top-to-toe, no moisturiser needed.

We love to elevate our bath-time with a nourishing face mask. For skin-clearing, smoothing, and exfoliating benefits in one, slather on Atonement Superfood Clay Masque — packed with antioxidant-rich cranberry, impurity-busting green clay, and skin-clearing, collagen-boosting rhassoul clay. Its superpower? Atonement won't strip your skin, and the ultra-fine bamboo exfoliates (saving you yet another product - goodby expensive exfoliant!) and encourages collagen production. Activate the bamboo as you massage off the mask. Hello, baby-soft skin.

Tanya's tip: Honestly, I used to have to see a aesthetician every month for a facial before this mask! And I'm not the only one - many customers have told us their skin looks like they've had an expensive facial after using Atonement! Use it once a week to gently resurface skin: dead skin cells are moved on by the AHAs and BHAs, making room for fresh, healthy ones. If you've got problem skin that tends to congest easily, or you just feel a little sluggish from poor diet or stress, use Atonement twice a week to help gently clear skin and keep skin cells regenerating.

9. Try a home massage

Related Article: The Many Benefits of At-Home Gua Sha

Are regular massage appointments devouring your self-care budget but you need to relax and ease knots in the body? Try an at-home option. A foam body roller can work wonders on tight muscles, while a simple gua shu (pronounced gwah shah) stone can offer myriad benefits for the skin and body. We've talked previously about this small but mighty tool to ease tension, promote blood flow, and even tackle cellulite — and practitioners of Ancient Chinese Medicine have known the benefits for centuries. For a relatively modest outlay (we have some gua shas at under $30 each, or you can grab a larger gua sha specifically designed for easy body massage and to help alleviate cellulite), you can give yourself a few minutes of stress-busting self-care, and an at-home massage anytime the need arises.

10. Join a (free) loyalty program or list

Many brands now offer a loyalty, reward or VIP program in one form or another (if you haven't checked out Indagare's program, we invite you to discover one of the most generous rewards programs out there here). And many rely on a phone number or sign-in rather than a physical card to top up points, meaning less plastic in your wallet! Just remember to always give the T&Cs a once over. And while we recommend being choosey when sharing your email (that inbox won't clear itself), signing up for the newsletter of your favourite brand will deliver priority access to sales, gifts with purchases and special offers. Another potential money-saver!

We hope this has given you some practical ideas for saving money on skincare. For more ideas on navigating the world of natural beauty, why not browse our Luminous Natural Beauty e-book? It's free to download right here.

Words: Nicole Deuble