Budgeting for Beauty and Skincare with Cessie

On this episode of Financially Naked: Stories from The Financial Gym, our host is Emily Egan, PR Manager and Strategic Projects Manager. She is joined by Cessie, Financial Gym client since 2018, to discuss beauty and skincare.

Podcast Notes

• Cessie has been working with Bridget at The Financial Gym since 2018. She originally wanted to get financially fit for her wedding and she didn't want to let go of her beauty routine.
• Beauty has always been important to Cessie. She is Latina and has always been exposed to the world of beauty. Her mother and grandmother always stressed the importance of skincare. Cessie grew up in Miami and was always exposed to the heat and sun.
• Cessie has always been good about wearing sunscreen, but she didn't take it seriously until her mid-twenties.
• In her twenties, she was on a budget and bought her skincare products from the drugstore. There are some products you can use from the drugstore, but there are some that you shouldn't try to be cheap on. Your skin is an organ, and a lot of these products are going into your body.
• In 2018, Cessie had just gotten engaged and was planning her wedding when she started working with Bridget. She lives in New York City and she needed help saving for the cost of the wedding and to have some work done on her skin.
• Leading into the wedding, Cessie started getting laser work done on her face, to get rid of brown spots. She had to do three sessions, and the total cost was about $1,000. The laser targets any dark spots.
• Cessie was also intrigued by Botox, because she wanted to get rid of some smile lines around her eyes. She looked into it and found it was pretty affordable - about $10 and $20 per unit, which is about $300 or $400, and it lasts about three to four months.
• After the wedding, Cessie loved the way her skin looked and she wanted to keep it up, so she worked with Bridget to keep these things in her budget.
• After doing the laser, your skin gets very sensitive and starts to dry up. The dermatologist recommended CeraVe, which is a drug store brand, because the face wash is loaded with hyaluronic acid, which helps retain elasticity in your skin.
• Cessie got hooked on it and continues to use that face wash. The face wash she used before was a department store brand and was very expensive, where CeraVe is $16.99 at the drugstore.
• Washing your face too much is not the best thing for you, because it strips your face of the essential oils that help you retain collagen and elasticity. An oily face is actually a healthy face.
• Cessie started reading a lot about beauty online and she has a lot of friends in the beauty industry who are trying different products. Every time she goes to the dermatologist, she asks a lot of questions.
• Cessie goes, Dr. Vivian Chin, on the Upper East Side, who is a medical director and the founder of Koru Wellness Aesthetics. They do everything from facials to fillers, Botox, and lasers.
• Cessie started going to Dr. Chin when she was getting her skin ready for her wedding. It is important to meet with someone who is patient and who will explain the different options.
• If you can't afford Botox or lasers, it is important to make sure you find a good face mask, drink a lot of water, make sure your face is always moisturized, and take care of your body.
• If you are on a budget, you can cut back on body products and use drugstore products, like CeraVe cleanser.
• Don't skimp on sunscreen. It doesn't need to be expensive, just make sure it is SPF 40 or above. Cessie loves using Supergoop!, because it is vegan and free of toxins.
• Cessie's two non-negotiables are beauty and fitness, because they are really important to her. She cut back on other things like going out to eat.
• In taking care of your skin you spend less in the long run, especially on makeup, because you don't need to cover up your skin as much.