A Colorado BEAUTY influencer shared her secret to saving thousands of dollars on expensive cosmetic treatments.
From dental repairs in Thailand to complete hair care in Turkey, Bryn Elise from Boulder offers high-quality treatments at a fraction of the cost.
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“I’ve been to Turkey three times now to get my hair done, and the prices always vary a little bit because of the fluctuations of the Turkish lira,” the 29-year-old explains.
“Ironically, every time I go, it’s gotten cheaper.”
Elise’s passion for finding affordable, yet high-quality cosmetic services began early last year.
“I got an email from my US salon saying they were going to increase the prices of the hair extensions I was getting to a whopping $4,400,” she recalls.
“Although I loved my hairdresser, I couldn’t justify paying that price.”
Determined to find a cheaper option, Elise started searching Instagram for hair inspiration and discovered a stylist in Turkey named Bilal Karatay, who had tons of positive reviews.
“I DM’d him to get a quote and to my surprise he said he would do my dream haircut for just $500,” Elise enthused.
“I couldn’t pass up this offer, so I booked an appointment at Ferdi Karatay’s salon and a flight to the other side of the world.”
Of course, traveling 10,000 kilometers for a hairdresser’s appointment also brings with it its fair share of challenges.
“When I first traveled to Turkey, I was a bit panicked. I thought about everything that could go wrong and how I would manage the logistics of the trip.
“I calmed myself down by sitting in front of the mirror and telling myself to just trust the process,” Elise said.
“After my first trip — and seeing how smoothly everything went — I felt more relaxed. Now traveling isn’t as stressful anymore.”
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As for the cost of flights, Elise revealed a few ways to cut travel expenses.
“I have found that if you are flexible with your dates, you can buy tickets from the US to Istanbul for around $700.
“And if you’re even more of a boss, you can use points and miles and then the flights are free,” she explained.
“Once you get to Turkey, the costs are surprisingly reasonable. An Airbnb in Turkey for a week typically costs $450 a week, and food costs maybe $250 a week, and the restaurants are nice.”
While many of her TikTok fans applauded Elise for finding a cost-effective way to get salon-quality treatments, some were skeptical in her comments section, pointing out that she didn’t take into account the ongoing maintenance costs of hair extensions.
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Normally hair extensions need to be removed or replaced every three to four months due to hair growth. Regular visits to the salon are then necessary.
This means Elise has to travel to Turkey three times a year, bringing the annual cost to approximately $5,250.
Still, Elise stressed that it’s still significantly cheaper than the $13,350 she spends annually at an American salon.
“I have never been disappointed with the end result. My hair always looks amazing after I have it done in Turkey.
“Normally I can get 300 pieces of 22-inch keratin bond extensions with bleaching, toning and styling for a quarter of the price.”
Elise’s beauty tourism isn’t limited to hair appointments. She’s also had most of her dental work done in Thailand and all of her tattoos done in Colombia.
“I flew to Thailand to get two fillings and x-rays for just $92. Dental procedures cost tens of thousands of dollars in the United States, but you can get the same treatment done in Thailand for a few thousand dollars.”
About her tattoos, Elise explains: “In 2020, long before I started flying to Turkey and Thailand, I fell in love with beauty tourism in Colombia and toured the country with three friends.
“We agreed that we would all get the same tattoo if we survived the highest bungee jump in South America, which costs $20 per person.
“So when our three months in Colombia were almost up — and we had survived the jump — we decided to take home some ‘souvenirs’ that we actually appreciated.”
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Elise and her friends each got a tattoo on their wrist. The cost for all four was only $25.
“The great thing about tattoo tourism is that there are great artists all over the world. If you travel to places where the cost of living is lower, you can get a tattoo from a top artist for a fraction of what you would pay in the U.S.,” she says.
Elise continues to expand her tattoo collection in Colombia.
“One of the most memorable trips to Colombia was a month in the jungle,” says Elise.
“When the Titanoboa was still the king of the rainforest, I wanted to get a boa tattooed as a memento of this experience.
“My friend Cody decided to start his tropical sleeve with a beautiful palm leaf design. Each tattoo session lasted about five to six hours and cost us each about $150.”
Elise’s journey has inspired many of her followers to consider beauty tourism.
“Because I have received hundreds of requests, I am considering organizing group tours for beauty tourism.
“It’s not just about saving money; it’s about the whole experience: the adventure, the culture, the new friendships.
“We can explore beautiful places, be pampered and still be better off financially.”
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