How Much It Costs To Keep Up A High-Maintenance Beauty Routine

There’s a specific kind of woman people describe as “high-maintenance,” and it’s rarely meant as a compliment. It implies effort, expense, and excess — someone who requires too much attention and cares a little too much about how she’s perceived.

I’ve never fully identified with that label, mostly because it holds such a negative stigma, and I don’t consider myself particularly prissy or precious about my habits. I’m not demanding about restaurants, and I don’t need elaborate plans to have a good time. But when it comes to beauty, my routine is extensive. Getting my roots touched up regularly is a must. Keeping gel on my nails feels necessary. Brow lamination, lash lifts, and preventative injectables have slowly migrated in my mind from “luxury” to “normal.”

At its core, the term “high-maintenance” acknowledges that looking consistently polished requires infrastructure. So instead of distancing myself from the label, I’ve decided to lean in and see what it means in practical terms. What does it truly cost, month over month, to maintain this version of myself? I looked at current pricing from salons and med spas, calculated what maintenance realistically breaks down to, and averaged out anything that lasts longer than a month.

Here’s what it costs to maintain my version of “put-together.”

Blonde Root Touch-Ups — $300-$500

Being blonde is a financial commitment. A root touch-up every four to six weeks is standard if you want that seamless, freshly done look, and as someone with naturally very dark roots, it’s a non-negotiable. Most salons list base pricing between $150 and $300 for bleach and tone, depending on location and whether toner or gloss is included. Since I live in New York City, that number can climb even higher.

For me, this is the most important beauty appointment because my hair color is tied to my identity. When my roots are freshly done, I feel confident and like the best version of myself. When I stretch it too long, I end up feeling sloppy and undone. It’s subtle to others, but it changes how I carry myself.

If I were cutting back, I’d push appointments closer to six weeks consistently and skip extra glosses. But as it stands, this is a steady monthly investment.

Monthly total: $300 to $500.

Masseter & Preventative Botox — $300–$800

Injectables are where maintenance gets expensive fast. Masseter Botox, often used to soothe jaw tension and provide subtle slimming, typically ranges from $300 to $600 per session depending on dosage. Preventative Botox between the brows is priced around $10 to $15 per unit, which can land anywhere from $100 to $400 per visit.

Most neuromodulators last about three to four months, so while I’m not in the chair every month, the cost averaged out realistically falls between $300 and $800 monthly depending on how aggressively I want to maintain. The results are understated and no one comments on them directly, but I definitely notice when they wear off in photos.

For someone younger or navigating a tighter budget, this is the easiest place to scale by getting fewer units or one area instead of multiple. Injectables may be normalized, but I acknowledge they are still a luxury.

Monthly average: $300 to $800.

Brow Lamination — $80–$150

Brow lamination typically costs between $80 and $150 and lasts about six to eight weeks. Averaged monthly, that lands around $50 to $75. The effect is subtle but transformative. Laminated brows require less filling, sit higher on the face, and frame everything more cleanly. It’s one of those treatments that subtly elevates your entire look without being too obvious.

If I cut this, I’d probably go back to strong hold brow gel and accept slightly less structure. But once you’ve seen the difference, it’s hard to unsee.

Monthly average: $50–$75.

Hard Gel Manicure & Pedicure — $180–$250

Nails are my most consistent appointment. A hard gel manicure with design typically runs $120 to $150, and a gel pedicure ranges from $60 to $100 depending on the salon. Add tip, and the total inches up further.

Could I go without? Technically, yes. But it’s the one thing that instantly makes me feel happier. When my nails are done, I feel put-together even when everything else in my life is not. If I needed to save, I’d opt for a simpler design or a solid color, but fully giving up my monthly nails appointment would feel like losing a significant anchor.

Monthly total: $180 to $250.

Lymphatic Drainage Massage — $120–$250

Lymphatic drainage massages are the most “high-maintenance” appointment on my calendar because they’re the least permanent. Unlike hair color or injectables, this treatment doesn’t fix anything long-term, but it does make me look less bloated, so it’s a luxury I like to indulge myself in.

A professional manual lymphatic drainage session typically ranges from $120 to $250 depending on the provider and city. Some focus on full-body sculpting, others on facial de-bloating. The results are temporary but noticeable, especially in photos. My face looks more defined, my jawline more pronounced, and even my midsection feels flatter for a few days.

Maintaining that effect monthly adds another $120 to $250 to the routine. If I needed to pull back, this would be the first thing to go. At-home facial massage, gua sha, hydration, and low-sodium weeks before big events can get you partway there. They don’t replicate the drama of professional sculpting, but they’re significantly cheaper.

Monthly total: $120 to $250.

Lash Lift — $70–$150 (Or $50 For False Lashes)

A lash lift typically costs between $70 and $150 and lasts about six to eight weeks, which averages out to roughly $40 to $75 per month. The appeal is obvious: You wake up looking like you’ve already done something, no mascara or lash curler needed.

Oftentimes, I opt for false lashes instead. A pack of six pairs from Ardell runs about $12, and if I wear them a few times a week, I’ll go through roughly four packs a month. That’s about $48 to $50 monthly, give or take.

It’s not identical to a lift (there’s still application time, glue, and removal), but financially, it’s a noticeably smaller commitment. On weeks when I’m feeling budget-conscious, the math is persuasive. Both get me to the same place through different routes.

Monthly range: $40 to $75 (lift) or ~$50 (falsies rotation).

The Real Monthly Cost

When I total everything conservatively, here’s what a fully maintained month looks like:

• Blonde root touch-ups: $300 to $500
• Masseter and preventative Botox: $300 to $800
• Brow lamination: $50 to $75
• Hard gel manicure and pedicure: $180 to $250
• Lymphatic drainage massage: $120 to $250
• Lash lift or falsies: $40 to $75

That brings the total to approximately $990 to $1,950 per month, before tip.

My Takeaways

In full transparency, part of being a beauty editor means some of these services are occasionally comped. It’s a professional perk, and one I’m very grateful for. But laying out the full retail cost puts things into perspective: This polished, “effortless” version of myself would be a serious out-of-pocket investment if I were paying entirely on my own, and that changes how I think about upkeep.

It also makes me more aware of the privilege embedded in certain beauty standards. The glossy blonde, smooth forehead, and lifted lashes are financially draining, and this doesn’t even include the amount I spend on products. Adding everything up doesn’t make me want to cancel my appointments, but it does make me want to be more intentional, and to question which treatments genuinely make me feel confident (nails and hair color), and which ones I might be maintaining simply because they’ve become the baseline (Botox, lymphatic drainage, lamination, lash lift).

There’s nothing wrong with investing in how you look. But there’s a difference between choosing that investment consciously and absorbing it as a requirement. Seeing the full cost — in dollars, time, and energy — reminds me that “effortless” is usually engineered, and engineered beauty is rarely cheap. If I’m going to maintain it, I want to do it because it makes me feel like myself, not because I feel any pressure to do so.