Pampering On A Budget

There is nothing worse when money is tight and all you want is a nice pamper. We've all heard that when you look good, you feel good and being on a budget shouldn't get in the way of this! 

As we've shown in our blog post Best Budget Buys  (http://morethanamoan.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/best-budget-buys.html), you do not always have to spend a fortune to look good, or to do things that you enjoy. 

You can have yourself a lovely pamper evening with just a few products, and without breaking the bank. 

One of the best parts about being pampered at a spa is the atmosphere. It just feels clean, and calm making you instantly feel relaxed. To re-create this atmosphere at home (or at least try) candles are an essential tool. These are just £1 from Primark, and come in all different scents. They burn for up to 30 hours, create a flowery smell and provide the perfect calm setting. 

Pampering always involves getting your nails done. There is nothing better than freshly polished nails, and there's no need to get them done professionally for them to look good. These are a few of our best budget polishes, all under £5 each, and fitting all different occasions. The Sinful Colors polishes are brighter, and more daring in colour, where as the Rimmel 60 Seconds still stand out but have a much duller tone. The Barry M Gelly is then the perfect nude, and gives the nail a clean finish, without attracting much attention. 

A face mask is a pamper evening must! At just £1 per mask these Pro Formula Purifying Thermal Face Masks (from Tesco's own range) are the perfect way to feel pampered whilst saving money. They work best for combination/oily skin and are just the right weight for a nice refreshing lift. Put them on after your usual cleansing routine for 5 minutes, and your skin will feel like new. 

To prepare for a pamper evening a nice bath will help you feel clean and relaxed. This is then the perfect time to pay attention to your hair and nourish it with a mask. Hair masks can be pretty pricey but this one comes in at £4.99 (in Superdrug), and that's for 500ml so it will last a lifetime! The mask helps to repair any damage to hair, and is the perfect consistency to create a smooth texture. Leave in whilst in the bath, or wrap your hair in a towel with it on while you pamper the rest of you, and then rinse off. 

When we feel particularly moany a pamper evening is the perfect way to help keep us quiet! You don't have to spend a lot to feel nice, so treat yourself. 

We're always looking for new ways to pamper ourselves, what are you favourite pamper products to use on a budget? 

Kerestase Review

Ok ok I'm sorry. I know I'm a student and should be telling you about the best affordable products, but I want to be honest. I can't use cheaper shampoos!

I literally have the worst hair. It's fine, it's dry and it never ever styles. All high street products create a really bad build up, and I found that I had a new shampoo every month, with practically a full bottle of the previous one left.

Now I study advertising so I know I'm guilty of just paying for the brand, but in my head it works! Like all other girls who despise their hair I spent hours reading blogs, reviews and asking anyone with fab hair what their secret is and was constantly recommended Kerestase.

The first thing to note is that they offer a number of different ranges, and each is suited to a different hair type.

The shampoo and conditioner I use are from the Cristalliste range, suited to young women with long hair that is prone to dry ends and feeling weighed down.

The shampoo is light, and doesn't really create much of a lather. You literally need a 20p size, and I mean it, anymore and you can feel that it's too much. I wash my hair with it every 2-3 days and the more I use, the more likely my hair is to become greasy so, you have to make sure you don't use too much (added bonus is that this saves money, it lasts). It comes in at around £15, but lasts me on average 3-4 months.

The conditioner is so soft and I would recommend a 5p size just on the ends of your hair. It spreads really well and creates an instant softness to your hair. Like the shampoo it comes in at £15, but as I combine usage of the conditioner with the mask it lasts much longer. I've had my current one for 6 months, and still have a fair bit left.

Then once a week I like to use the hair mask from the Reflection range. After a home hair dying went disastrously wrong a day before going holiday I was left with no option but to have a full head of blonde highlights (I definitely should have left it to the professionals, oops), and as a result have some damage from the bleaching. This range is specifically for hair that is colour sensitised, and helps the colour to last longer.

The mask is thick and creamy, making a pea size amount just right. Again, I only put it on the ends of my hair and I leave it to soak for around 5 minutes. As soon as you rinse the mask off you can feel how soft it's made your hair feel, and it lasts! Now, the mask really is pricey (well for a student anyway), coming in at £25, so definitely something you ask for on a special occasion.

Finally there's the Nectar Thermique from the Nutritive range, which is my recent fave. My hairdresser gave me some samples of this and I've been addicted to it ever since. It smells absolutely incredible, and my hair now won't style without it. This product is one you put on when your hair is damp, and it protects from the heat. Unlike other heat protecters this one is activated by any heat (not just heat that comes in contact with your hair), so it works when your blowdrying your hair much more effectively than others. It also lasts up until your next wash, so the bottle will last forever. Again, another pricey one at £17, but I honestly can't ever see myself using up the bottle so definitely a worthwhile investment!

I have tried every hair care range from designer to budget and have never found one that has my hair glossy, and easy to style like this range has. I have been using it for over a year now and don't plan on changing anytime in the near future.

You can pick up the range online, and in most hairdressers but I get mine from Feel Unique.


Sorry to disappoint with such a lack of moaning in this post, but these products just have to be praised i'm afraid!

Emma