How To Have Great Hair For Less Money

The average woman spends an astounding $50,000 on her hair over a lifetime. That finding came from a British study conducted by Tresemme and includes the following breakdown:

• $160 a year on shampoos and conditioners
• $120 a year on styling products
• $520-$850 a year on haircuts
• $330 a year on hair color

Today, as people look for ways to economize, the amount spent on hair services and products may be one of the first places to go for budget cuts. That doesn't mean, however, that we women have to sacrifice beauty for the sake of our budget. There are lots of ways we can keep up appearances without breaking the bank.

Blowout- A large round brush is essential to get this look. If your hair is very thick, coarse, or curly, use a mixed-bristle brush with a wooden barrel. If your hair is straight or fine, use a synthetic-bristle ceramic barrel brush for body and volume. Apply mousse at the roots for extra volume. Blow dry hair until about 90% dry, then dry with the round brush in small sections from root to ends, using the warm setting on your blow dryer and the cool air option to set and lock the style in place.

Gray Roots- Consider using a demi-or semipermanent formula to blend in a few grays. Generally speaking, you should choose one shade lighter than your current color, apply it to your part and hairline and leave on for just less than the recommended time. Refer to the brand's website for how-to information and any special considerations, especially if your hair is already processed. Semipermanent color usually washes out in about 28-30 washings. Try Clairol Natural Instincts, $9; L'Oreal Paris Healthy Look Creme Gloss Color, $10, Garner HerbaShine Color Creme with Bamboo Extract, $8. Note that if you need serious gray coverage, consider a permanent color.

For a faster result, try a temporary hair-color marker as shown to the right. The marker provides instant coverage and washes out with one shampoo.

Bang Trim - Start with dry, smooth bangs and clip the rest of your hair back to keep it out of the way. Pull your bangs straight against your forehead with fine-toothed comb, then cut into the bangs with the tips of very sharp scissors. Never cut straight across. The trick is to keep your scissors almost parallel to your bangs so that you don't cut too much. If you decide to cut your bangs while wet, be aware that hair shrinks when it dries, so be sure not to go too short.

Deep Conditioning: There are lots of homemade recipes that can do the job, maybe even better than the professional brands. The mayonnaise treatment is a good tried-and-true method . Wet hair first with warm water and wrap in a towel. Apply 2-3 tablespoons of mayonnaise (depending on length of hair) liberally to your scalp with fingertips.  Apply more along the length until all hair is coated. Wrap saran wrap around the hair (keeping it way from the face), which will trap the heat from your head allowing the mayonnaise to work deeply. Take a pre-heated towel from the dryer and place it over the saran wrap for 10 minutes, then use another pre-heated towel for the remaining 10 minutes. Rinse thoroughly. If you have an oily scalp, may want to only coat the ends. Do this once a month to keep hair soft and shiny. If your hair is very dry, you can do this once a week.

Fight Frizz - Look for long-lasting serums with special polymers that keep hair smooth through a shampoo or two. They may even help decrease frizz overall the longer you use them. Anti-frizz serum can also help you stretch your next salon visit by disguising frazzled ends. For an at-home solution, try a mixture of olive oil and egg. Combine the two ingredients into a paste and leave on your hair for about 30 minutes. Then shampoo and apply conditioner. This treatment is also good to reduce static electricity in hair. Or try John Frieda Frizz Ease, $10; Avon Advance Techniques Frizz Control Lotus Shield, $12.

Alternative to Extensions - Extensions are used for hair that's thinning or too short, or just cut badly. A stylist attaches hair to the underlayers of your own, usually with glue, tape or heat, to give it exta inches or fullness. For a quick one-night solution, try the HairDo line by Jessica Simpson and Ken Paves. These are synthetic clip-ins that can be inserted at home to amazing effect. Prices vary, but all are less than $100, which is nothing compared to the amount the salon would charge.

Get sexy beach hair- Start with damp hair and spritz with a texturizer. Separate into six sections and loosely braid hair. Spritz each braid with a soft- to medium-hold styling spray. Blast each braid with a blow dryer until dry, or sleep on the braids. Gently unravel the braids and rake fingers through hair. Spray a little with Bumble and Bumble Hair Powder to create more texture. Use fingertips and massage hair along the crown to create some flyaways and a subtle lift at the crown. You can use a small curling iron to create some face-framing waves. You're aiming for ropiness, so leave about an inch of hair out of the iron, so the ends remain flat.

Of course, this doesn't mean we need to put our hairdresser out of business. Save the big things for the salon and shop smart by using the following tips:

• Work with your natural hair, not against it. If your hair is naturally curly, you'll spend a considerable amount of time and money to make it straight. If your hair is naturally straight or fine, going curly will be frustrating as well. The more you fight your hair natural tendencies, the more damage that will result.
• Go with a simpler style that doesn't require as much maintenance. Any style that requires constant shaping or trimming is going to be more costly. Think less layers and go for a not-too-short hairdo.
• Maintain a hair color that is closer to your natural color. Less processing will be required, therefore requiring less maintenance. Harsh root lines mean more frequent salon visits. An added benefit is that your hair will be healthier the less processing you do.
• Stretch your hair appointments by waiting a week or two longer than normal for your next salon visit. This is easier to get away with when you have a longer style. In the meantime, look for new styles to carry you through, such as wearing it up or going curly.
• If a bang trim is all you need, your regular stylist may do this free of charge between salon visits. Most good stylists will.
• Consider changing to a less expensive salon. Salon charges can vary a great deal based on the area of the salon. Suburban salons have less overhead than those in metropolitan areas, and will therefore charge you less. Salons in smaller cities will also be less costly than those in the big city.
• Don't rule out going to a cosmetology school for hair services. These schools offer low-rate services but are fully supervised by instructors.
• Learn to say "no" to your hairdresser when offered products or services you don't need or can't afford.
• Have good communication with your hairdresser. When choosing a style or color, make your expectations clear in terms of the maintenance and budget required, so that you're not left with something you can't keep up. If you feel your hairdresser routinely directs you toward more frequent visits and/or products, it may be time to find a new stylist.
• Group Deal websites, such as Groupon, can offer great discounts on hair services, as much as 50% off. You'll have to bid on these deals in advance, but it's worth the effort.

• Expensive does not necessarily mean better. Most expensive shampoos and conditioners actually use the same ingredients as their economical counterparts, so don't waste money on brand names or fancy packaging. Hair is actually dead, so it can't be oily. Only scalps can be oil, so just wash regularly. Damaged hair cannot really be repaired, although products geared to damaged hair could help disguise it.
• Take care of your hair by keeping it hydrated and protected from heat, which causes split ends. Avoid damaged hair caused by over-processing and excess chemicals. Apply a protective heat spray before blow-drying and using flat irons and curling irons. Iron, protein and vitamin B aid in good hair production.
• If your hair is dyed, use a shampoo and conditioner for color-processed hair only and shampoo only every other day. This will help your color last longer. In addition, you can boost flat color with a color-enhancing styler that will rinse out.
• At-home hair color is not much different from what salons use. The rule of thumb here is to get educated about at-home hair color before you try it. Know the difference between highlights, semi-permanent and permanent hair color. Refer to the brand's website for professional advice, as well as reviews written by other customers. Be careful to follow the instructions. And if making drastic changes, such as changing your hair color by more than one shade, seek a professional.

Before using permanent hair color or a highlighting kit, do your research. Do not attempt anything drastic at home, such as trying to darken or lighten more than one shade or two. Also be aware that any previously-applied chemicals could alter the effect you're going for and could considerably damage your hair.

Do not attempt to highlight your own hair using foils.

Do not attempt to layer or razor-cut your own hair.

If you've already created a hair catastrophe at home, do not attempt to correct it yourself.