12 Ways to Make Over Your Look—Without Going Broke

Contrary to what most rom-coms would have you believe, makeovers don't have to be expensive (or presented in lengthy montages set to a Sixpence None the Richer song). These small tweaks help you change up your look without making a major commitment—or racking up major debt.

By Allure Staff and Stephanie Saltzman

December 23, 2014

Photos: Regan Cameron, Imaxtree.com (2), Getty Images (2), David Stesner, Getty Images (2), Imaxtree.com, Roger Cabello, Imaxtree.com, David Cook

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Change Your Part

The hands-down easiest hair makeover ever, switching up your part placement can completely change the way your haircut looks because the layers will fall differently. Hawkins recommends trying a deep side part if your hair is fine; "this allows you to have fullness on one side," he says. If you're not ready to abandon your lifelong part, you can still change it a little: Instead of using a comb to draw a precise line, mess things up. To get a perfectly imperfect part, tilt your head down so that all of your hair falls forward, then flip your head back and let the strands fall where they may. Boom: instant cool-girl hair.
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Get a Gloss

If you're a redhead, chances are you already know this: An in-salon gloss can make color look more vibrant. It can also correct problems like brassiness. If shine is all you're looking for, an at-home glaze, like John Frieda Clear Shine Luminous Glaze, is an even more affordable option. "Everyone's hair looks better after an at-home gloss treatment," says hairstylist Nathaniel Hawkins. "It leaves a clear deposit on the outside of the hair to reflect light."

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Make Two Braids Instead of One

Alexa Chung is single-handedly bringing back the pigtail braid (OK, she may have had a little help from the Wednesday Addams–inspired look on the fall 2014 Marc by Marc Jacobs runway). And we're totally on board. To keep it from looking childish, let some pieces fall out along your hairline and keep the texture soft.
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Wear a New Cool Hair Accessory

Find a funky, not-something-you'd-normally-wear hair accessory, like artist Cleo Wade's floral crown—and wear it with gusto. It's a quirky way to assert your individuality and coolness, and it's a lot less permanent/expensive/painful than, say, a Sanskrit word tattooed on your lip.

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Get a Trim

Even if you're not (emotionally) ready to make a major chop, dusting an inch or two off the ends can refresh your style, make your hair healthier (adios, split ends), and even make it shinier. "Layers create air space, so layered hair doesn't reflect light as well," says Hawkins, who suggests a blunt cut for maximum glossiness. "If you normally cut half an inch, get a full inch."
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Add a Ribbon to Your Ponytail

For a simple update, tie a grosgrain or velvet bow around a low ponytail, like models at the spring 2014 Nina Ricci show. Or if you're feeling really adventurous, pull a Sam McKnight and tie multiple ribbons to your elastic, then let them hang down, like the hairstylist did for the Chanel fall 2014 show.

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Wear a New Lip Color

So you buy your signature red lipstick shade in bulk. But if Taylor Swift can give up her red-lip addiction for a few days, so can you. Embrace the no-makeup makeup movement by swapping your usual bold hue for a nude gloss or tinted lip balm. (Other selling points: You won't need to carry a lip brush everywhere, and you can swipe it on in a moving vehicle without ending up looking like a crazy person.)
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Try a Colorful Mascara

Swap out your usual black or brown for something a little more adventurous: Deep jewel tones, like amethyst and sapphire, darken lashes enough that you'll still get definition.

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Rehab Your Brows

We've said it before (and we'll probably say it again): Your eyebrows can have a major impact on your look, so it's worth getting them right. And while it takes time and patience—and perhaps a little RevitaBrow—to let overtweezed arches grow back in, you can make them look decent while you wait. Fill in sparse areas with a brow pencil (we like the It Cosmetics Brow Power Universal Brow Pencil), then define your arches by tweezing a few (we repeat, a few) hairs beneath them. If your brow issue is more Frida Kahlo than Marlene Dietrich, create shape and separation. "Otherwise they'll overwhelm your face," says Kristie Streicher, an eyebrow groomer in New York City and Los Angeles. Consider trimming the bulk: Streicher recommends combing the hairs straight up with a spooley brush, clipping only the longest ones, and staggering the length as you go. "Cut one hair a little longer and one a little shorter so your eyebrows don't get a crew cut," she says.
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Return to Basics

We have nothing against neon. Or glitter. Or nail art. But after bingeing on "notice me!" manicures for the past few years, subtle classics like nude, red, or moody darks (think OPI Nail Lacquer in Lincoln Park After Dark) are refreshing and sophisticated.

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Make Over Your Skin-Care Routine

It's time to welcome your skin-care regimen to the twenty-first century: With the high-tech SkinBetter app, you can get a free skin-care analysis in few minutes. Snap a selfie, answer a few questions, and let the tool do its thing. It'll let you know what your problem areas are and generate a list of customized products—vetted by top dermatologists—to help you correct them. You can even return to the tool later to track your progress. It's like having a personal trainer for your skin—in your phone.

For more on makeovers:

• 15 Instant Makeovers

• The 9 Greatest Celebrity Hair-Color Makeovers

• 3 Supermodels' Anti-Aging Hair Makeovers
12/12

Use a Glycolic Peel

"There's a reason glycolic is the acid used the most in anti-aging products and doctor's-office peels," says dermatologist Ranella Hirsch. "It does the job." Here's why: Glycolic acid has the smallest molecules of all the acids, so it works its way into skin better to deliver the most dramatic results. With regular use, it regenerates collagen, thickens the epidermis and dermis, and evens out skin tone (try Garnier Skin Renew Clinical Dark Spot Overnight Peel or Malin + Goetz 10% Glycolic Acid Pads).