Sometimes even I forget that beauty treatments don’t have to be a luxury. Good thing I have readers like Kelly Showalter to remind me! Before this budding brow artist (and InStyle mag alum) wraps up her formal esthetics training at St. Paul College, she’s offering facials for $15 and waxes for $5–$25. Yes. From now through October, appointments are available M, T, Th, and Fri, between 8:30 and 1:30 pm. To schedule a treatment with Kelly (and personally thank her for being way better than a Groupon), call 651-846-1329.

I also highly recommend finding an Aveda Institute in your area. Except for the unfortunate Rachel incident, I wouldn’t have looked nearly as presentable in college without the school’s $15 haircuts.

It’s not sunny here in Minneapolis but it IS Friday, and for that I am grateful as all get-out. Off to exotic Green Bay, WI, to visit my spunky neice and nephew and eat cheese. Enjoy the week in beauty:

How an eyelash and brow tint can truly transform your face. (Yes and Yes)

Why I will never where capped sleeves on TV again. Ugh. (Twin Cities Live)

The most enduring lip balm of all time, now in a TUBE! (Beauty Blogging Junkie)

Julia, Julia, please let down your hair. (The Girls in the Beauty Dept.)

The all-time best drugstore makeup, straight from the lips of an ex-Lucky mag editor. (Lemondrop)

Better get in line now for Chanel’s Les Khakis nail polish collection! (Alll Lacquered Up)

Shear genius: a styling aid for making sleek ponytails. (the Cut)

The world needs more Sally McGraws! The spunky writer/stylist/mother-earth behind Already Pretty is all about inner beauty. She’s got it in spades, and thinks the rest of us do, too. Not feeling particularly svelte? Fret not, Sal has been there, done that, and will show you how to take 10 pounds off with the proper belt. She and her blog might appear to be the antithesis of Beauty Bets, but lo—she has a few tricks up her Marni blazer sleeve as well:

Garnier Fructis Style Curl Construct Mousse ($4) – How can you not love a drugstore hair product that WORKS? My insane mane of curls gets limp and greasy with most gels and creams, but this light-as-air mousse works wonders.

Clear nail polish (around $4) – As a bona-fide klutz, I avoid color on my fingernails. It just never goes well. But a quick coat of clear makes me feel chic and ladylike. Any brand will do, but I’m currently using Rimmel Lasting Finish Nail Polish in Crystal Clear.

Physicians Formula pressed powder ($13) – My ridiculously sensitive skin has no intention of ever dealing with liquid foundation. But I get shiny in about 3 seconds, and when I say, “shiny,” I mean “blinding.” So I’ve road-tested a few pressed powders, and this one is my favorite. Instead of one solid color, you get some variety within the compact which makes it look relatively natural when applied. And it mattifies like a dream.

Benefit Lemon Aid ($20) – Eyeshadow stymies me . . . but this stuff, I can do. Basically, you smear this pale yellow paste on your eyelids and, BAM. You immediately look as if you’ve gotten 11 hours of sleep. It can be used as an eye makeup primer, too, but I use on its own.

Kiehl’s SPF 15 Tinted Lip Balm ($10) – My lips are resistant to any balms that are wax or oil based. Only petrolatum-based ones work. This Kiehl’s stuff is a dynamite combo of petrolatum base, tint, and SPF 15. I buy the darker hue, but both are gorgeous.

Tarte Natural Lip Stain ($24) – I eat and drink pretty much constantly, so lipstick does me little good. Lip stains, on the other hand, were made for me. This one lasts for hours, endures food and drink, and fades to a rosy, natural, even color. It’s a wee bit drying, as all stains are, so I let it set for 10 minutes and then apply my Kiehl’s balm on top.

Benefit Boi-ing ($18) – I was loyal to my Aveda cover-up for years. Then I tried this stuff and I’ve never looked back. Applied with a brush, it can make any zit look invisible. Believe me, as someone prone to blackheads, whiteheads, and cystic acne, I know.

Update: Congratulations to Barb, Caitlin, and Katie, the winners of this giveaway!

What: Deal-of-the-day websites that offer beautiful bargains (plus other deals on dining, skydiving, etc). Sites email deals each morning. There’s usually at least one beauty-related bargain every week. All you have to do is visit the website, select your city, and provide an email address to start receiving deals.

How they work: If a certain number of people sign up for the day’s offer, the deal is on. If the predetermined minimum is not met, no one gets it. This reduces risk for retailers. Meanwhile, the site hosting the deal earns portion of what the retailers earn. Once you make your purchase, you’ll be able to print off a voucher or coupon, which you’ll present at the time of your service.

Here are a handful of sweet deals that have passed through my Inbox this past month:

Crowd Cut
Recent deals: $25 for $50 voucher towards product or services at a chi-chi salon; 83 percent off three sessions of laser hair removal at a skin spa.

Groupon
$15 for $30 toward any service at a chain salon; $75 for a 90-minute Korean Spa Ritual ($165 value); $99 for an IPL Photofacial Treatment at a medi-spa ($350 value). Need further proof? Read this story of one brave soul, living off of Groupons.

Living Social
$100 for $200 worth of hair services at a suburban salon; $100 for $200 worth of spa services at a top-rate derm’s office.

Common catches: For most beauty services, you have to be a new customer, meaning you won’t be able to snag a deal at your regular salon/spa. Also, if you spend less than what your coupon is worth, the difference will not be refunded to you. And no, you also can’t break it up into multiple visits. Like all coupons, these group deals also have expiration dates, typically a few months out after purchase. The final downer: You have to act fast, as the window to buy is typically only one day. You snooze, you lose.

The frequency with which I find myself staring open-mouthed at home shopping shows has increased exponentially in the past year. Where once the obscure, bargain-basement product lines and impossible enthusiasm of the hosts used to send me into fits of hysterical laughter, now I can’t turn away. I mean, BOBBI BROWN is selling on QVC. You can only imagine what happens when she’s down to the last Shimmer Brick. While I haven’t reached the buying phase just yet (it will come, prob at 3am), it’s safe to assume by the vast quantities ticking away in the corner of my TV screen that some of you have. And so, in the interest of research for a TV segment I’m working on for next week, please tell: What beauty products have you purchased from QVC, HSN, ShopNBC, etc.?

Spectrum Organics Unrefined Coconut Oil ($10)  – A panacea for a myriad of skin and hair woes, organic coconut oil is one of the best bargains in the co-op beauty aisle. This lovely oil absorbs quickly into skin, deeply conditions hair and smells fantastic.

Eco-Dent ExtraBrite Dazzling Mint Tooth Whitener ($7) – Stranger: You have such white teeth! Do you get them whitened? Me: No. I use this tooth powder from the Wedge Co-op! Fact: I’ve had this exact conversation many, many, many times. I use this effervescent powder for one to two weeks, then switch back to my regular Crest for a month. With 200+ brushings in every bottle, it’s a total steal.

Veriditas Botanicals Essential Oils ($23) – Veriditas’ therapeutic-grade, organic essential oils have no peer. At my house, lavender essential oil is like a mama’s tender kiss—an instant fix for any ailment, including burns, cuts, cramps, blemishes, rashes, stress attacks, insomnia, bug bites and sinus congestion.

Suki Exfoliate Foaming Cleanser ($30) – Rice flour, an underused, superbly gentle, natural exfoliant, is the star in this zesty facial cleanser. It’s a perfect product for folks looking for a “greener” version of the ever-popular St. Ives Apricot Scrub.

Pangea Organics Japanese Matcha Tea With Acai & Goji Berry Face Mask ($40) – This mask looks like mud and smells like dirt, but once you try it, you’ll be hooked. I leave it on for 10 to 15 minutes and before removing it with a steaming hot washcloth. Result: Baby-soft, glowing skin.

Dr. Hauschka Rosemary Leg & Arm Toner ($35) – A toner for your legs? Really? Yes. It’s like a personal trainer in a bottle. I slap it on my tired legs anytime I need a little pep in my step—like after a shift at my pal’s falafel stand. It also helps reduce the appearance of cellulite and varicose veins. So I’m told.

Galen Labs Natural Skin Care Rose Hydrosol ($19) – I file hydrosols in my “I don’t really need this, but it’s so nice to have” product category. A quick spritz of this authentically scented toner always puts me into a sweet, collected state of mind.

Elnett hairspray is legendary. It’s been the one-and-only among editorial and celebrity stylists for as long as I can remember. The secret formula: a micro diffuser that sprays an ultra-fine mist of something so miraculous it manages to remain invisible while holding hair in place with the power of 10 men and the shine of 10,000 suns. Oh, and it protects hair from the horrors of humidity. Then does your laundry. No wonder people used smuggle it into the States before it rolled out to most drugstores last year. L’Oréal tells me that over the past four decades Elnett has evolved, incorporating breakthrough technology and optimized ingredients, to remain a cult-classic. Since I’m not much of a hairspray connoisseur, I need a couple of volunteers to be the judge. If you’re willing to wield a can and report back, please leave a comment with the one hair product you can’t live without. Happy Friday!