Beauty Product Comparison Tool: Compare Price and Features
Enter the price and size of two or three beauty products to compare the price for the same amount, the cost of each use, and how many of your chosen…
Beauty Budget Calculator: Plan Your Monthly Spending
Enter your monthly beauty budget and what you spend in seven categories to see whether you are over or under, each category's share, and the limits that would meet the budget.
The beauty budget calculator shows, in one table, where your beauty money goes each month and whether it fits the amount you want to spend.
What this tool does
It adds up your monthly spending in seven categories, spreads one-off purchases over the year, and compares the total with your budget. If you are over, it shows a lower limit for each category that would bring the total back to the budget.
What you enter
| Field | What to enter | Limits |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly beauty budget | The most you want to spend in a month | Required, 1 to 1,000,000 |
| Skincare, hair products, makeup, nail care, bath and body, salon and treatments, fragrance and other | What you spend in a month | Optional, 0 or more |
| One-off purchases, per year | Tools and devices you buy about once a year | Optional |
Enter amounts in your own currency, without a currency sign. Use a point for decimals. At least one spending field must be more than zero.
How the result is worked out
- Yearly one-off purchases are divided by 12 to give a monthly amount.
- Monthly spending = the sum of the categories and that monthly amount.
- Difference = budget − monthly spending. A positive difference is under budget.
- Share of each category = its amount ÷ monthly spending.
- Spending in a year = monthly spending × 12.
- If you are over budget, every category is multiplied by budget ÷ monthly spending. This reduces each one by the same share and makes the total equal the budget.
The categories are listed from the largest to the smallest, and the largest is named, because it is where a change has the most effect.
Messages you may see
- "Enter your monthly budget." when the budget is empty.
- "Skincare must be between 0 and 1,000,000." for a negative number.
- "Hair products must be a number." when a field holds letters.
- "Enter what you spend in at least one category." when every spending field is empty or zero.
How to use it
- Look at your bank statement or receipts for the last three months, and work out an average for each category.
- Enter your budget and the amounts.
- Select "Calculate".
- If you are over, decide whether to reduce every category a little or one category a lot.
Worked example
A budget of 100. Skincare 45, hair products 20, makeup 30, salon 25, and one-off purchases of 120 a year.
The one-off purchases count as 10 a month, so monthly spending is 130, which is 30 over budget and 1,560 in a year. Skincare is the largest category, at 34.6%. To meet the budget, every category is reduced by 23.1%: the limit for skincare becomes 34.62, for makeup 23.08, for salon 19.23, for hair products 15.38 and for one-off purchases 7.69.
Limits and assumptions
The calculator does simple arithmetic on the numbers you enter. It is not financial advice, and it does not know your income or your other costs. Nothing you type is stored. To see whether a larger pack is really cheaper, use the Beauty Product Comparison Tool, and to see how long a product lasts, the Skincare Product Refill Calculator.
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Frequently asked questions
How much should I spend on beauty each month?
There is no correct figure. It depends on your income, your priorities and what you enjoy. Choose an amount you are comfortable with, and use the calculator to see whether your habits match it.
Where is it easiest to save?
Usually in the largest category, and in products that are rinsed off, such as cleansers and shampoo, where a basic product often does the job. [[BLOG-230]] explains how to compare value.
Why are one-off purchases divided by 12?
A hair dryer bought once a year is still part of your beauty spending. Spreading it over 12 months shows its true monthly cost, so it does not surprise your budget.