Five Surprising Ways to Stretch Your Beauty Buck

Makeup is about beauty, and that extends to the packaging. We love shiny lipstick cases that snap shut, perfect eye shadow palettes, pretty bottles and boxes.

So you might think there’s nothing beautiful about an eye shadow compact held together with duct tape or a nub of concealer mashed into a jar. But especially if you buy high-end beauty products you can save a pretty penny by squeezing every bit of use out of them.

Here are five ways to save money on your gorg-ifying regimen. And if if makes you feel better, I’ve never seen a professional makeup artist lay out a row of pristine cases to work their magic. They mix, smash, drip and re-package.

Mend your broken makeup

When I was more free-spending, a dropped eye shadow would result in some mild cussing and another $15 charged at the makeup counter. But when I was unemployed and smashed a favorite MAC powder, it seemed crazy to spend so much on a little circle of pigment. Turns out, you can fix a broken shadow with a few drops of alcohol and a few other household items.

Now’s the Time to Stock Up on Spa Services

Recessions are stressful. People are out of work or overworked, they move to smaller houses, they’re generally pissed off. But that’s no excuse for being unkempt or un-massaged—especially with the bargain prices we’re seeing at day spas these days.

Some in the spa industry claim it’s “recession-proof,” but guess what? It’s not. Plenty have gone out of business, and many are struggling to get people in the door. You can benefit from the big discounts they’re offering—sometimes more than 50 percent off. And because you can buy vouchers that last for up to a year, if you have some extra cash, you can actually stock up on 12 months worth of bargain beauty and wellness services. Here are some sources to check out:

We’ve already noted our affection for Groupon, which offers discounts in more than two dozen cities around the U.S.

Downturnaround Deals:

Every week, we post a handful of online deals hand-picked for Recessionwire readers by the nice people over at Savings.com. Feel free to pass them along to your friends. And if there’s something you’d like to see, let us know!

Get an exclusive 20% off your entire order of fabulous beauty products at Bliss. (See more Bliss Coupons.)

Get 20% off sitewide at Sephora. (See more Sephora Coupons.)

Take 10% off hotel bookings at CheapTickets. (See more Cheaptickets coupons.)…

Saving on Spa Days

Whether you’ve lost your job or you’re struggling to keep the one you still have, there’s no denying it’s a stressful time out there. But even as women cut back on expensive gyms, luxury vacations, and “It” bags, one thing we’re not forsaking is the spa.

According to statistics from the International SPA Association, overall revenues at spas across the country were up last year, even as the total time spent per visit went down. How could that be? It turns out more stressed out women—and men, let’s be honest—are visiting day spas for treatments that take less time, usually 30 minutes or less, than in years past…

Budget Living Tips from Celebrities

We want to look like them, dress like them, travel like them, but there are plenty of celebrity habits you don’t want to follow–especially in a recession. Jennifer Lopez reportedly doesn’t let her children wear an outfit twice, and some of the getups cost more than $1,000. Celine Dion used 6.5 million gallons of water at her Florida home a couple of years ago. And Lindsay Lohan—well, we advise you not to emulate her in any economy.

But some celebs have budget-friendly advice to share. After all, many of them were broke once too. It’s hard for mere mortals to follow the most common penny-pinching practice–get stuff given to you for free–but these are some savvy tips.

Brad Pitt: Luxury Bedding for Less
You always knew Brad would be good in—oops, I meant on—bed…

Work Off Your Costs

These days it might not be easy to find the cash to pay all your monthly expenses, from rent to membership fees. Yes, you can negotiate for lower rates, but there are also ways to create your own discounts—with a little labor.

According to the Times, many landlords have started shaving hundreds off rent for tenants willing help out with tasks like changing lightbulbs and taking out the building’s trash. But these “super-tenants” aren’t the only ones getting discounts on their monthly costs. Across the country, more and more companies are letting their favorite clients handle work exchange for taking money off the dues and fees they’d otherwise be paying.

And why not? Everyone’s a winner, since the company gets a free service and the customer gets a discount on dues. Wondering what kind of businesses are up for letting you volunteer your time in exchange for a better rate? A few ideas:

Landlords
Whether you volunteer to pick up packages for other tenants or work as a weekend handyman—there’s no limit to the services you can offer to take over for your building’s landlord…

Six Splurge-Worthy Buys

At this point, we’ve all heard about bargain shopping in the recession—the budget buys, the sample sales, and the deals we can’t wait to see pop up. But what about the things that never make it to the sale rack? Are we just supposed to do without?

In short answer: No. At least not according to “experts” like personal shopper and stylist Jill Markiewicz, who tells Forbes that “buying a few expensive pieces that you truly want” can actually save you more money in the long run than picking up “a bunch of discounted items” at sample sales all over town.

Of course, Markiewicz’s ideas of necessary buys included Hermès bags and $115,000 Porsche Panameras, which don’t really fly for those of us living on Planet Earth.

So what types of purchases are worth splurging on and paying full price, even during a tight economy? As they say, you get what you pay for, and some areas can’t be scrimped on, no matter what kind of economy we’re living in. Here are a few…

Budget Beauty: Home Economics and More

The fact that we’re in a recession is no excuse for looking poorly groomed and shabby these days. After all, when else are you ever going to have this much time to obsess about your looks? Certainly not once you’re back to being employed and locked inside a cubicle 10 hours a day.

From beauty store discounts to “recessionista specials” at some of New York’s poshest salons, the opportunities to look good for less are endless during this economic downturn, so long as you know what you’re doing, when to splurge, and where to find the best deals.

A roundup of some of our favorite tips and tricks…

Downturn Deals: Price Cuts on Haircuts

Clothes go on sale, cars go on sale, even food goes on sale. But when was the last time your hairstylist offered you a discount?

Well, maybe now. As a way to serve their communities (and, of course, bring in business) salons around the country are offering recession specials. In Los Angeles, some are offering donation-only services, or complimentary bang trims for current customers. In New York, a few deals are specifically targeted at people who have lost their jobs. Here are a few high-end spots trimming prices:

Your Mane, Your Money

Can’t afford to drop a Benjamin on your lid? Don’t despair. The Empire Beauty School, located in mid-town Manhattan near the Empire State Building, has a full-service student salon where you can tame your mane for the price of a Starbucks latte…