Slim Weight Patch

Getting your hair done at the hairdressers can be a large wodge out of your monthly budget – especially if you have highlights or other colour put in. So, in the interests of science, I attempted to keep my hair neat and trim without paying full price at the hairdressers.

L'Oreal Paris Excell 10 Colourant £7.99

Colour

I bought L’Oreal Excell 10, which comes with an applicator and special conditioning balm. Then, in an ultimate test of my relationship with my boyfriend, trusted him to dye my hair. The outcome was better than I expected. My roots were coloured and the end result wasn’t patchy. However, the colour didn’t take quite as well as in the salon and the dye seemed to dry out my hair. At £7.99 and taking only twenty minutes from start to finish, it was quicker and cheaper than the salon.

Cut

Having seen the signs for hair models for years like anyone esle, I finally plucked up the courage to put myself forward as a guinea pig for a trainee hairdresser. It took 2½ hours for a trim with feathering and layering, a couple of tips from the boss hairdresser and some lovely conditioning and spritzing products and we got there in the end – and all for only £10! The trainee was a bit nervous and had a couple of attempts at evening up the length of my hair, but since I didn’t really mind too much about the style it was a win-win situation.

Just look around your local highstreet for signs saying “models wanted” – they’re only interested in your locks and training up their staff, it’s not a Vogue photoshoot, so don’t worry about tarting up.

The Verdict

It is lovely to book in for a full 3 or 4 hour session in the hairdresser for highlights, trashy magazines and a head massage in between the latest products and chat about X-Factor. However, if you’re really skint, it is possible to keep your hair trim and tidy for less than £20 a month. It doesn’t look quite as good but that is part of the re-prioritising that everyone is having to undertake in this recession. Remember that you’re also helping trainees and apprentices to learn their craft – everyone has to start somewhere.

There is one alternative – friends who have hairdressing experience or mobile hairdressers are often highly skilled and much cheaper than salons. They will often be happy to do discounts for groups such as a flat full of friends or a family.