When you think of layaway, you likely associate this payment plan with companies that sell home appliances like barbecues and stoves. Now, it's becoming one of the fastest growing trends in the beauty industry. A growing number of plastic surgeons, salons and spas are allowing customers to pay for their beauty services on layaway, be it a nose job, Botox or a $1,000 hair weave, as seen in Chris Rock's documentary "Good Hair."
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Striptease
New York-based plastic surgeon Dr. Nina Naidu performed a breast augmentation on a 27-year-old client. To afford the C cups, the woman used a financing company that pays the physician in full upfront. Post operation, the patient is required to pay the financing company back. To help her make her payments, the woman became an exotic dancer, using her new assets to earn tips so they'd eventually pay for themselves.
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Staycation
Would you trade in your two-week European vacation for younger looking skin? One woman did. "She was planning on touring five countries in Europe and decided to forgo the trip in favor of a series of five laser rejuvenation treatments," says Tracy Drumm, Vice President of IF Marketing, a firm that consults with hundreds of doctors. "The self-confidence she knew she'd gain from the treatments was worth more than a relaxing getaway," she adds.
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Divide and Conquer
When every penny counts, for some, it takes an act of deception to maintain their beauty routine. "It's not unusual for clients of mine to not want their husbands to know how much they're spending on makeup," says Makeup artist Raychel Wade, owner of Cheek to Chic. In order to avoid sacrificing their favorite products, women will often charge half of the bill on a credit card that goes to a joint account, and they'll use cash or a personal check to pay for the remainder.
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Peddling for Cash
According to the story "Beauty Recessities" on more.com (More magazine's Web site), one stay-at-home mom in Edwardsville, Ill. turned a childhood pastime into a money-saving alternative. Rather than driving her car, she bought a basket for her bicycle and started to peddle around town to do errands. "With the cash I'm saving on gas, I'm able to splurge on pedicures," she says.
In a down economy (no, it doesn't seem to be over -- yet) it is surprising to learn the lengths women will go to in order to maintain their beauty. It shows just how powerful appearance truly is. When we look great, we feel great, right? Well, this is the main reason why many women have opted to do things like ... take on a second job, create payment plans with doctors' offices for cosmetic surgical and non-surgical procedures and even ... strip, so that they can still get regular facials, Botox, hair straightening treatments -- you name it!
If you don't believe that these things are actually happening (or even if you do), you must check out these stories. We heard them from experts in various beauty businesses (beauty salons, spas, dermatology and plastic surgery offices), and directly from women who were willing to divulge their secrets (anonymously, of course).
What do you think? Would you or are you taking similar measures in order to keep up regular hair cut or color appointments? Or indulge in massages or luxurious manicures and pedicures? Or do you think this is all crazy talk? We'd love to know, so please share by commenting on this story.
