Being a girl is more work than anything when trying to look gorgeous. Since I was young, my mother and I have always been creative in our beauty routines. We’d often squeeze out tea bags or slice up cucumbers and place on our tired eyes, which worked remarkably well to bring back that sparkle. We’d sit for hours chatting while doing each other’s nails and hair.
While I love getting lost at Sephora, spas and beauty departments, it can get costly purchasing different products. I love discovering different tips and tricks that aren’t going to break my bank. And, let’s face it ladies, while some big name products are great, you can still achieve the same results, if not better, with items found right in your own home. Here are 11 of my favorite tricks for looking gorgeous on a budget:
1. Give me some suga’
Regular white sugar is the best exfoliant around. You may have heard or read about many sugar beauty tips already, sugar is still my favorite and one I use it daily. Just lather up your face and body in the shower and use a handful of sugar to scrub away any dead skin cells. For the body, I love using coarse sugar. You can also add in coconut oil to make a luxurious body scrub that will leave your skin feeling silky smooth.
2. Moisturize Everything
When using a moisturizer, apply any excess onto the backs of your hands and elbows to make sure none is wasted. This is an essential one for preventative youthful hands.
3. Shadow and Blush Saver
We’ve all been there, where you accidentally drop a favorite expensive eye shadow or blush on the bathroom floor only to see is shatter into a million itty bitty pieces, don’t worry. Simply buy a cheap plastic clear container and put the remaining broken powder inside and crush up a bit more. Now you have a loose powder and can continue using the product lengthening the life of it.
4. Youthful Face Mask
For a quick face firming mask, no need to spend tons of money on a fancy facial. Just open the fridge and crack open an egg. Apply the whites to the skin and let it sit for about 10 minutes. Rinse off and apply your moisturizer as usual for a fresh complexion. The lactic acid has an exfoliating and brightening effect. If you let the yoghurt dry, you can rub it off like a French gommage or spa exfoliator and your skin will be glowing and soft.
5. Make-Up Pencil Lifesaver
Don’t you hate when you are sharpening a make-up pencil and it keeps breaking off? A great tip is to store make-up pencils in the fridge so they do not crumble when you sharpen them.
6. Alternative To Conditioner
My mother is a cosmetologist of over 30+ years of experience. So, when it comes to hair, I trust her tips. (They also work!) If you run out of conditioner, rub a little olive oil in your hair, wrap with saran wrap and leave on overnight.
7. Lather Up
Another great tip is to customize your own body lotion. Simply purchase an inexpensive unscented body lotion (I like Everyday Coconut), then add a few drops your own perfume or scented essential oils like rosemary, lavender and rose, and you have a yummy smelling body lotion created just for you for almost nothing.
8. Zap Zits
Instead of using pimple-shrinking treatments, try an ice cube dipped in vodka. The cold shrinks the swelling and the alcohol helps to dry the spot. Recently, I discovered that Preparation H works instantly, especially on those annoying deep in your skin type that hurt and seem to last forever. Just dab a little around the blemish. Preparation H will shrink them by reducing the swelling and drying out the problem area.
And, speaking of Preparation H, it has a number of nontraditional uses like reducing eye puffiness, enhance the appearance of muscles and make puffiness less noticeable. Just don’t go too crazy by applying this to your face. You don’t want to dry out your skin.
9. Tired of Your Lipsticks?
Create a new shade by cutting off pieces of two old sticks (or scraping out the remnants of the tube) and melt them together in the microwave. Then apply with your finger or a brush.
10. Prepare Before You Pucker-Up
Smooth, flake-free lips are an essential first step when applying lip color, but you don’t need to buy a lip scrub. Mix equal parts brown sugar, olive oil, and vanilla extract. Gently massage the mixture over lips and remove with a facial tissue. Then proceed as normal with your lipstick.
11. Quick Fix Teeth Whitener
How white are your teeth? For an extra dose of confidence, sprinkle baking soda on your toothpaste covered toothbrush and brush away. Now, this mixture will taste absolutely disgusting but it will help. Rinse out with warm water and be on your way. (But, don’t forget to rinse with mouth wash for fresh breathe.)
What are your beauty tips?
