Two days ago we discussed a multitude of ways to save money while looking stylish and beautiful. Today, let’s discuss when to splurge. There are very few things I will spend full price on but they do exist; and I will spend the money for the right thing. For me right now, the ‘right thing’ is my skincare, and my hair style. Leading up to 2015, I realized that I wasn’t getting any younger. In fact, I was rocket-launching, full-speed-ahead into my 30s with aging skin and dry hair that looked bad all the time. HELL. NO.
Enter the Clarisonic Smart Profile Sonic Brush and the T3 Single Pass Whirl Tapered Hair Styling Wand. These are my two splurges of the first half of 2015 – not because anyone gifted them to me as a blogger. But because I made a choice about what I wanted to prioritize for my appearance this year – skin and hair. I then researched the tools out there, read countless reviews, tested them out, and finally made up my mind to take the risk and drop the cash on these two items.
Now let me be clear that this is NOT a full product review. That’s to come down the line. But for the time being, I’m asking you to take the leap with me as I journey through this splurge and see if my money pays off – with beautiful skin and well-styled, modern hair.
My ultimate point: when you splurge, take your time. Due diligence is key so that you feel confident in your choice and so that you make that choice based on what is important to you and not based on the price tag.
T3 SINGLE PASS WHIRL WAND
Wands are all the rage right now because they help you achieve the beachy-wave look that is so popular. For girls with shorter hair like me, the end result is not curly, but not straight – just right in between. For women with longer hair, the wand can help you achieve those gorgeous hollywood waves. The only thing to note is that your ends will be wispy and undone if you use one – like your hair dried perfectly after a day in the ocean. If you want curled ends, you’ll need to pass a curling iron over them after using the wand.
When I walked up to the register at Sephora with the T3 wand, the ladies who work there actually said to me, “Oooooooh! Congratulations! This thing is AMAZING, and you’ll have it for a long time. There’s a warranty.” Score – I already felt better about the $130 price tag. The reason why this one costs so much is because of the quality of the tourmaline and ceramic of the wand. It makes your hair shiny and minimizes damage. I’d used it on one of my brides recently and fell in love with it, so I knew this was the one I wanted to save my pennies for.
Note: make sure you buy this from an authorized dealer if you choose to buy it online.
CLARISONIC SMART PROFILE SONIC FACE AND BODY BRUSH
The Clarisonic Smart Profile is a purchase I’ve been thinking about for well over a year – maybe even two years. I bought this one from my dermatologist who highly recommends it. There are several models out there at different price points – this one is the equivalent of the iPhone 6, so the price tag is quite high ($275), while the “Mia” (the one you buy at Sephora for $150 or score at Nordstrom Rack for $99 if you’re lucky) is more like an iPhone 4. Both achieve the same goal of wiggling the dirt out of your pores and achieving a deeper clean, but the Smart Profile is the newest model with the most bells and whistles. I liked the bells and whistles – you might not need bells and whistles.
Note: make sure you buy this from an authorized dealer if you choose to buy it online.
That’s a picture of day one. I’ll come back to you on day 15, 30 and so on to report back on the results. Yes, this is me in my morning-routine, about-to-wash-my-face look.
To be clear and in conclusion, I am not suggesting you run out and drop 400 bucks on beauty products. I hope that’s obvious. What I am encouraging you to do is save money on clothing, shoes, beauty products and services whenever possible. And then, when it’s time to really treat yourself – be thoughtful, informed and smart about your purchases. Base them on what you need and want for yourself and yourself only.
Belle
