Reader Advice
Best Swimsuits on a Budget: Community Knowledge Project
With the start of summer just a few months away, it’s time to start thinking about our warm-weather uniforms—a.k.a. our swimsuits. Aside from the self-inflicted torture we endure in trying on a variety of swim suit styles (in dressing rooms with yucky lighting, to make it worse), there’s also a matter of price: it seems even itsy-bitsy bikinis can carry a big ol’ price tag. So, where can we find swimsuits that will make us feel fab all season long but will still leave us with some cash for a summer getaway? We found cute mix and match bikini tops and bottoms at GoJane.com for as little as $20 a piece. What’s your go-to source for swimsuits on a budget?
Reader Advice: Best Exfoliator on a Budget
Summer can mean showing off just a bit more skin, and that means keeping that skin in glowing good shape is especially important (that sassy little sundress can’t compete with dull ashy skin—trust us). We budget fashionistas either can’t, or won’t, pay big bucks for high-end exfoliators or an all-out spa treatment on a regular basis, so we’re on the lookout for great exfoliators (either for the face or all over) that won’t clean out our discretionary budget. Of course, Kathryn digs this easy from-the-kitchen Oatmeal Facial Scrub recipe, which couldn’t be more cost effective, really. And we’re kind of fond of Boots Meditteranean products, like this Almond, Pistachio, and Olive Body Scrub ($9.99 for 13.5 oz at CVS.com). But we want to know—what budget-friendly exfoliator do you swear by to keep that summer glow glowing?
Best Home Beauty Remedies: Reader Advice
We’re usually all about asking readers for tips on where to buy the best beauty and fashion products on a budget, but we have to say, these days our shopping budget is being stretched migh-ty thin. Meaning we need to be more frugal than ever, but we still want to be fabulous—we just can’t help ourselves. We know your auntie/grandma/best friend has shared some kind of home beauty secret with you (using stuff we probably already have; Kathryn, for example, has extolled the virtues of a simple bottle of olive oil), and now we’re asking you to share with us. What’s your favorite super-cheap at-home beauty secret?
image courtesy of Olives101.com
Best Camis on a Budget: Reader Advice
Camisoles are the kind of versatile piece that every budget fashionista should have in her wardrobe—you need one in black, one in white, one in off-white, and then any other colors that grab you. They’re good for under jackets, sweaters, button down shirts, v-neck tees, or layering up with shorts to stay cool this summer. Best of all? They can usually be found on the cheap. Still, quality and fit varies, and with a cami, fit is pretty important. We’ve found that Aeropostale can actually be a good source, with camis in a multitude of colors currently just $9.99 each (and Angela picked up a bunch this Spring for 5 bucks apiece on the clearance rack). But we’re wondering, where do you buy camis for less, especially for curvier/plus size girls? Do tell.
Best Deep Conditioner on a Budget: Reader Advice
More time in the sun (and surf, if you’re lucky) can be rough on your locks—so we’re thinking now might be a good time to stock up on deep conditioning products to keep our hair looking fab all summer long. Scan the beauty aisle shelves, however, and you just might go into product overload. Hard to know which of the eight gazillion products that promise lush, shiny, moisturized, damage-free strands to pick—and we don’t like to part with our hard-earned cash for nothing. So what deep conditioning product do you swear by to de-stress your summer hair?
Alberto VO5 Hot Oil Shower Works Weekly Deep Conditioning Treatment, $5.99, Drugstore.com
Best Acne-Fighting Products on a Budget: Reader Advice
It’s the big cosmic joke on women that no one tells you about—the fact that you could quite possibly spend your life fighting both crows-feet and blackheads. Lucky us. We’ve asked about anti-aging, so now we want the other end of the spectrum—what are you favorite acne-fighting products that don’t cost a fortune (or require a prescription)? For some basic and reasonably mild cleansing, we’ve always liked Clean & Clear Oil-Free Daily Pore Cleanser (the line has sensitive skin products as well), which retails for $4-5. What are your picks for anti-acne products, on a budget of course?
Best Nail Polish Under $10: Reader Advice
If you spend a buck on nail polish, you’re going to get what you pay for. But even spending more doesn’t always guarantee a decent finish that’ll hold up—and there’s nothing that’ll kill your style vibe quicker than busted up polish. We’ve always had good luck with OPI, which can be had for less than $10 (like here on drugstore.com
), and generally lives up to its salon reputation. But what are your picks for best polish under $10 (especially ones you can get at the corner drug store)?
Best Jeans on a Budget: Reader Advice
Okay, we’ve doled out plenty of advice here on The Budget Fashionista about finding great jeans on a budget, but let’s face it, it’s enough to send even the most self-respecting fashionista running for the sweatpants.
We’ve liked Old Navy jeans in general (though the sizing can be inconsistent, and some cuts are better than others), and Levis are a tried and true option. But what are we missing? Tell us your picks for best jeans on a budget (and we do mean under $50 a pair).
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