These days everyone is looking for ways to save money. One of the first things to be cut is beauty products. It's hard to justify spending $50 on a moisturizer when it's needed for the electricity bill. However, a tighter budget doesn't mean you have to leave the house looking like a hot mess. The following tips will ensure you look your best even on a shoestring budget.
Moisturizing Scrub
You may be surprised by what you can make using ingredients that may already be in your home. A good scrub, which both exfoliates and moisturizes, is one of these items. Take some brown sugar or sea salt, olive oil, honey, and vitamin E oil and blend together until you acheive the consistency you desire. A drier scrub will be a stronger exfoliant while a wetter scrub will be more moisturizing. Only make a small batch until you have the recipe that works best for your skin. Once you've perfected your scrub, store it in the shower in an airtight container and use it every day for silky, smooth skin.
Bonus tip: add a few drops of your favorite essential oil for scent and aromatherapy. Lavender is great for relaxing, rosemary will provide energy, and ginger will improve concentration.
Facial Cleanser
The oil-cleansing method not only makes your skin glowing and beautiful, it eliminates the need for a cleanser, toner, and moisturizer. All you need is castor oil for cleansing and extra virgin olive oil for moisturizing. In the palm of your hand, mix 1 part olive oil to 3 parts castor oil for oily skin or 1 part castor oil to 3 parts olive oil for dry skin. Massage the mixture into your face and neck, taking time to really work it in and give yourself a relaxing massage.
Soak a washcloth in hot water and drape it over your face, letting the steam open your pores and release impurities. When the washcloth cools, use it to gently wipe away the oil, along with dirt, makeup, and dead skin cells. Rinse out the washcloth in hot water and wipe any remaining residue away. You may need to do this several times before all oil is gone. After you've finished cleansing, splash your face with cold water to close your pores.
If your skin is used to a variety of skin care products, it may take a couple of weeks to adjust. Do not be surprised by a few breakouts. Once your skin is used to the oil-cleansing method you will wonder why you spent so much money on your old skin care routine.
Bonus tip: If your skin feels tight, take a tiny amount of the oil mixture, rub it into your palms, and pat gently on your face. Massage any residue into your skin so no film remains. This should only be necessary if you have extra-dry skin.
Curing the Frizzies
Many people struggle with frizzy hair, especially during the dry winter months. Instead of spending a lot of money trying different anti-frizz hair products, why not rub 2-3 drops of a natural oil into your palms and smooth it into your hair? Jojoba oil is a popular choice because it's unscented but coconut or apricot oil will keep your hair smooth and smelling subtly wonderful all day.
Bonus tip: Your hair will be healthier if you cut back on the number of times you shampoo. Most commercial shampoos contain chemicals that strip the natural oils from your hair, requiring more conditioner and products to keep it looking healthy. Only use conditioner every time you shower and limit shampooing to once a week.
Annie Taylor - Annie Taylor has been working as a freelance writer since 2004. For the last two years she wrote TV episode recaps for Recapist, a ...
