Beauty on a Budget
Here are 40 beauty tricks that you can try at home. Look your best without breaking the bank!
1. Turn ordinary mascara into the lash lengthening variety by dusting eyelashes with a little translucent powder first.
2. Keep perfume strips from magazines in your handbag to get an instant re-freshness.
3. Your dried nail polishes don't have to be thrown away-- all it needs is just a single drop of nail polish remover. Add it, shake it well and your nail color is good as new.
4. Stand a dried-up mascara in a glass of warm water to bring it back to life.
5. There's no need to buy expensive, fragranced moisturizers. Many inexpensive store brand lotions are just as effective as the pricey ones. Save your skin and your money.
6. Need to tone down your brassy hair color? Add a pinch of grape Kool-aid powder to four tablespoons of your regular shampoo.
7. Turn your lipstick into a gloss by applying a little lip balm over it.
8. Many of the expensive prestige stores offer sample products at their counters. It’s always worth asking, especially if you are already buying something from them.
9. Pure glycerine is an extremely cheap and effective moisturizer. When you don’t have much to spend, it's the perfect alternative.
10. Store your makeup and fragrances in a cool, dark place to extend their lifespan.
11. Add a few drops of your favorite perfume to a saucer of olive oil and you may use it as a scented bath oil.
12. Try mixing the lipsticks you already have on back of your hand to create new colors, rather then buying new ones.
13. Put your lip and eye pencils in the refrigerator before sharpening them-- this will help them sharpen easily and perfectly.
14. A drop of olive oil rubbed into your nails every night will help them grow long and strong. Much better than shop bought manicure oils.
15. Sharpen dull eyebrow tweezers by rubbing sandpaper along their tips.
16. If you're running out of your cream blush, there’s no need to rush to the store for a new one. Try using a light pink shade of lipstick in it's place.
17. A cheap yet effective way to boost shine in your black hair is to rinse it with diluted vinegar. Blonde hair benefits from lemon juice being applied in the same way. Both work by sealing the outer cuticles of the hair which helps reflect the light more effectively.
18. Use an old, clean toothbrush to slick unruly eyebrows into shape.
19. Add a drop of water to the remainder of your foundation to use every single drop of it.
20. Dust blusher over your eyelids for an instant, subtle eyeshadow. It’s quick to apply and will give a soft and balanced look to your makeup.
21. Instead of buying an expensive whitening toothpaste, try brushing with soda bicarbonate.
22. Swap commercial face scrubs for a handful of oatmeal massaged directly onto your skin. Smooth, soft skin-- naturally.
23. Spritz your hair lightly with water and blow dry again to revive products already in the hair and revitalize your style.
24. To give the illusion of a perfectly straight nose, draw a line down the bridge of your nose with a cream shimmer. The shimmer reflects light, giving the illusion of symmetry.
25. Warm up your eyelash curler with a quick blast of hot air from your blow-dryer (no more than three seconds) before using it on your lashes. The heat opens up the hair cuticle, boosting the curl.
26. A drop of cola will reinvigorate your mascara’s consistency. The syrup in the soda adds just enough moisture without making your makeup watery.
27. Want to soothe irritated skin? After tweezing ingrown hairs, crush two aspirins into a powder and add a few drops of water to make a paste. Apply this over the tender area and let dry for relief. The anti-inflammatory properties of aspirin make bumps and bruises fade faster. This also works on razor burn.
28. Blotting papers are the standard go-to when you want to fight oily skin, but if you’ve forgotten yours, there's a surprising substitute. It sounds a little crazy, but paper toilet seat covers make great blotting papers. The thin tissue absorbs oil like a sponge.
29. Dry shampoos work wonders but they can be really expensive. For a fast and inexpensive at-home alternative, mix together equal parts baking soda and baby powder, sprinkle over hair and brush. The baking soda helps remove buildup while the baby powder soaks up excess oil.
30. Don’t use too much toothpaste-- it's the brushing action that cleans your teeth, not a bulk of toothpaste. A pea sized blob is enough.
31. If you want to quickly thicken your hair, add two sugar packets to a 20 ounce bottle of water to create a natural volumizing spray.
32. You know that drying spray they have at your nail salon? No need to buy it. Once nails are partially dry, spray them with Pam olive oil spray. Also, running them under cold water will help speed up the drying/setting process.
33. If your nail polish bottle is stuck shut, try wrapping a rubber band around it for a better grip!
34. Olive oil can be added to bath water for a skin softener.
35. Don't buy an expensive toner. Use witch hazel instead. You can also rinse with a splash of Apple Cider Vinegar after cleansing. It balances out the ph of your skin.
36. For great lotion, mix one-part lotion with one-part vaseline. It works better than plain lotion and depending on the cost of your lotion, you can stretch its value.
37. Use hydrogen peroxide as an inexpensive nail bleach.
38. For an intensive treatment for very dry hair, apply a tablespoon of cooking oil to your hair, comb through, wrap in a towel and leave it on for 20 minutes. Then wash and condition as usual.
39. Can't afford your facial this month? Give yourself an at-home steam by filling a large bowl with steaming hot water, putting a towel over your head and holding your face over the water for one to three minutes.
40. Eye shadow can double as eyeliner by applying it with a damp cotton bud.
