Beauty Techniques: When to Do It Yourself, or Leave it to the Pros


Sitting in a salon for hours may be guilt-free relaxation to some; but for others, it's that much less money in our pockets. What routines are okay to brave on our own and what should we leave to the pros?

Go For It: Self-Tanning

Long gone are the days of foul-smelling lotions that turn your skin a hue somewhere in the coral family. Self-tanners are good these days.

Products like Clarins Self-Tanning Instant Gel and, our personal favorite, Kate Somerville Somer360° give incredibly realistic tans without the mess or the $75 price tag of an airbrush tan. Somer360° is a (paraben-free) tan towel-just wipe, toss, and dress. Eight come in a pack for $48.

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Leave it to the Pros: Waxing (of Any Kind)

It may seem tempting if you're pressed for time and/or cash, but resist the urge.

Those kits you see in the drugstore are nothing but cheap wax and a promise to "never do this again."

Go For It: Teeth Whitening

There's really no need to shell out upward of $400 for a blinding set of pearly whites.

Over-the-counter whiteners like the new Crest 3D White 2 Hour Express work just as well (and it lasts a few months).

Go For It: Nails

This may seem downright insane to some, but do you know how much an every-other-week mani/pedi adds up to a year? Over $900 (and that's not including tip…)!

Clean, bare nails are eternally classy; and a do-it-yourself pedicure isn't all that hard-you can use your right hand for both feet! Just be sure to keep nails short, clean and buffed. Clear polish optional.

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Leave it to the Pros: Facials

No, you can't do extractions. Has it ever worked out for you? Leave things like basic facials, microdermabrasion and peels to the experts. Not only are they trained, but they have the tools to get your face clear, glowing and smooth.

Leave it to the Pros: Hair

That means cuts, color, straightening, anything.

Trimming your bangs is one thing (and even that isn't such a great idea), but trying to cut, dye or chemically alter your hair is another.

You're going to wind up at the salon anyway for a correction, so why not just go there in the first place?

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