When looking to get “that girl” aesthetic on a budget, there are a few things to take into consideration. I’ve split these into separate categories, so you can jump around as you’d like!
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Skincare
The Ordinary Retinol 0.5% in Squalane – $8.30
The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Exfoliating Toning Solution – $13
Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel – $30
Mighty Patch Original Acne Pimple Patches – $13
Good Molecules Yerba Mate Wake Up Eye Gel – $6
When I started looking at how to get “that girl” aesthetic on a budget, I started with my skin. I have oily skin, and these are my absolute go-to’s. I never thought that I needed retinol, but the price point of The Ordinary one was too good to pass up. It’s now a can’t-miss part of my nightly beauty routine. The oily texture is something to get used to, but very worth it.
The Hydro Boost moisturizer quite literally changed my skin, and a TikTok about spraying The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Exfoliating Toning Solution on your back pretty much eliminated my backne. I’m so serious, that stuff is a game-changer as we head into swimsuit season. I’m also a chronic pimple popper, so not having them there in the first place is saving my skin a whole lotta trouble. I also highly recommend the Mighty Patches. They might take a few days/patches to completely dry out some of your more stubborn zits (I have a tendency to get deep, under-the-skin ones) but they work amazingly and I’ll never go without them again.
I never considered under-eye treatments for my bags, I kinda just figured I live with them now. But then I saw a TikTok where a young woman said the Good Molecules Yerba Mate Wake Up Eye Gel changed her skincare routine, and for only $6 I figured I’d give it a shot. I very much recommend this eye cream, you literally only need a dab on your finger for each eye- not a pea-sized amount, a literal touch of your finger to the product, that’s it.
Drugstore Makeup
Elf H2O Proof Eyeliner Pen – $7
Maybelline SuperStay Matte Ink Liquid Lipstick – $9
Maybelline Sky High mascara – $10
Colourpop brow gel – $8
I know we all have our preferences when it comes to drugstore makeup, but these are the products that I swear by and use daily. I used to be a DEVOUT user of the Tarte Sex Kitten eyeliner but needed something else to hold me over till I could afford to get a fresh one. The Elf H2O Proof Eyeliner Pen is just as good, at a fraction of the cost. While we’re talking about Elf, I bought the Bite-Size Eyeshadow in the shade “Cream & Sugar” for a quick vacation, and it’s now the only palette I bring with me when I travel. It has my 4 most used shades in it, for $3. I love it so much, I bought one to keep in my purse too.
I won’t speak too long on the Sky High mascara since many of us are already familiar with the viral sensation, but I will give a word of warning: clean off the middle of the stick part of the wand before use, otherwise, you’ll end up with mascara on your nose more than once!
I don’t have the patience to use pencil on my brows, so the Colourpop brow gel has been a godsend. I just swipe it on, fix it up and go. At $8 each, I’ll keep buying these as long as they make them!
Do you want a lipstick that will NOT budge? The Maybelline SuperStay Matte Ink is amazing for the price. This has become my go-to liquid lip because it stays on so nicely.
Pro tip: lick your lips after you’re done to “set” the liquid lipstick!
Nails at Home
UV light: $19.99
Gel nail polish: $6.99
Now I know a lot of us like to get our nails done and it’s one of the times we treat ourselves, and we support a local business while doing it! But if it’s an expense you want to cut back on, I got you.
Personally, I do my nails at home. You can find a lot of great OPI and other brand-name nail polishes at Ross, TJMaxx, and Marshall’s if you dig through your options.
If you want something that lasts a little longer, I bought this light off of Amazon and bought a shade closest to my go-to, and it works like a charm at home. Gives you longer-lasting nails but you didn’t have to leave the house for them!
I will admit there was a bit of a learning curve as I don’t have the steadiest of hands, and getting any amount of the polish dried on your skin means you run the risk of your nail polish peeling off rather quickly. Having “that girl” aesthetic on a budget means having your nails done, but it doesn’t have to mean getting crazy (or crazy expensive) nail art.
Outfits on a Budget
Look into getting quality basics on Poshmark and eBay as well as your local thrift stores (try sorting by different filters, rather than only “just shared”). Nuuly Thrift is also a great option for buying secondhand clothes online! I recently purchased a beautiful J-Crew top for under $20 (shown in the image for this section!).
Keep in mind, there’s no shame in going to a store to get your sizes and not buying anything. Literally, walk into a store where you like the clothes, try them on regardless of price, and write down the sizes that fit you best in your phone. Then when you get home, you can look for those exact same pieces for less! I like to take pictures of the tags so I have the exact product name to pop into the search bar later.
By knowing my size I was able to get a pair of Reformation jeans that are normally over $100 for just $45 thanks to some digging around on Poshmark! Also, eBay can be your friend. I found a brand new pair of Nine West Tabita Heels on eBay for $43 when they retail for $95 (shown in the image, I LOVE these freaking shoes).
Exercise for Free
We can’t all afford high-end Pilates classes, but we can access Youtube for free. I love Blogilates, I’ve been following her for a while now and always get a great workout in. Pilates workouts at home are a great way to achieve “that girl” aesthetic on a budget.
If you have Spotify, many popular fitness groups like SoulCycle, OrangeTheory, and Peleton actually put their workout playlists there for all to enjoy! So you can head to your local gym, hop on a bike and get the same ride without paying for your own spin bike.
Want a yoga mat or cute workout clothes and accessories? Go to your local TJMaxx or Marshall’s. You can find a lot of gems in their fitness section, that’s where I bought my yoga mat ages ago.
Healthy Recipes
Make your healthy food feel bougie. One of my go-to healthy and tasty dishes is this baked Brussels sprouts salad. I’m not a fan of the sauce because I don’t like tahini, but I bake Brussels sprouts like this as often as I can.
Low cal ranch- I am a bonafide ranch dressing girl. I put it on almost everything savory that I can. This easy recipe courtesy of Tumblr still gives me the ranch flavoring without all the extra calories.
Chia seed pudding feels like I got it at a cute, healthy cafe down the street rather than me mixing it in my kitchen the day before. Anything can feel luxe if you switch out the container it uses.
I know most of us already make our coffee at home, but if you’re looking to scratch that iced coffee itch for cheaper, get a Mr. Coffee Iced and Hot. I bought mine for less than $60 and it’s been an amazing addition to my mornings. It has a reusable basket so you don’t need to buy pods as you do for the Keruig machines, just use normal ground coffee!
“That Girl” Aesthetic On a Budget
Achieving “that girl” aesthetic is all about feeling your best. Like Niall Horan says “look fab, feel fab.” So hopefully some of these (or at least one) will be helpful on your journey to get “that girl” aesthetic on a budget. With prices on pretty much everything going up, it helps to save wherever we can.
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