Budget Beauty Tips

These days with wages remaining static but the cost of living going up, everyone is looking for ways to increase value for money, or maintain a similar lifestyle at a reduced cost. Looking at your beauty regime is one way to cut back.

Looking this good really shouldn't take up 50% of your disposable income...

More expense usually means fancy packaging and more perfume; it doesn’t necessarily mean a better product. Most shampoos, shower gels and facial cleansers have got identical ingredients in them – compare the ingredients list at the back for confirmation. Here are some simple ways you can reduce the cost of looking after your face, hair and body.

Face

I have been using Aveeno Cream on my face since I had a severe reaction to something on the way back from Vegas in August 2011. I am still on the same tube, and I cannot tell you how amazing it is – sometimes it makes my skin just glow. I use it on my eyes too – just a little mind; too much product on the delicate eye skin will lead to trouble, I tell you! It is currently on offer (1/3 off ) in Boots stores (UK).

I use Superdrug’s own cleansing lotion to remove my make up, 99p. I am a little more fussy when it comes to eye make up remover. You can use baby oil, but some people will have a reaction to it. I tend to use Simple’s Eye Make Up Remover, GBP 1.32 – although be warned, apparently it doesn’t work with waterproof mascara.

Witch hazel is a great toner for oily skin, as well as being useful for cleansing cuts and grazes. You can buy it cheaply in all good chemists and online.

Boots produce a traditional skincare range- their rose water is a nice tonic, and a good price in comparison to buying witch hazel. The cold cream is good value too.

About six years ago I bought re-useable towel pads for removing my make up. You pop them into the washing machine and re-use them again and again. I only use cotton wool for nail varnish removal. I am sure they have paid for themselves several times over by now. You could always cut up an old flannel and use that instead though. You can buy the ones I have at Love the Planet.

Hair

Rinsing your hair with cider apple vinegar really does leave it silky and shiny. Simply mix one table spoon of vinegar with a cup of water and rinse it through the hair. It helps to close the hair shaft after rubbing products into it. The smell isn’t great, so you can add an essential oil to the vinegar and leave it for a couple of days to take the edge of the smell before using as before.

I colour my hair at home now as it saves money. I tend to use Colour XXXL (and these have been on offer recently in Wilkinsons and Asda - great time to stock up). They have a fab range of colours, although they are permanent. Clairol do a selection of colourants that are non-permanent if you want to experiment, however you can really only find them online.

Colour mistakes can be rectified at home too, using a product called Colour B4. This is much cheaper than going to the hairdressers, where a colour correction will cost you a three figure some. Colour B4 tends to be a pound or so cheaper in Superdrug rather than Boots. Take heed of my experiences though; if the hair colour you have been using contained peroxide, it may strip the dye from your hair BUT your hair may not be its natural colour anymore. Mine was a sort of fraggle ginger. And if you don’t rinse for long enough, or if you re-dye your hair too soon, the old colour will come back, or your hair may turn black. The product really stinks too, and it left my hair smelling of sulphur when it was wet for about six weeks afterwards.

If a home colour simply comes out too dark, you can wash it in washing up liquid to remove some of it – but this really isn’t too good for the hair, so don’t do it often!

A middle of the road hair shampoo will do just fine. Some – such as Pantene tend to coat the hair in silicone so are best avoided. The really cheap ones will be heavy on soap so will be quite abrasive on your hair – use them if you will, but leave your conditioner in for a little longer. I really like Tresemme Naturals as it has a lower sulphate content. Anyone with red hair dye needs to use a shampoo with a lower sulphate content, as they strip red dye out of hair. Although this is more than five pounds a bottle, it is a huge bottle and it lasts for ages.

I tend to use whatever conditioner is on special offer. I put it in and use my fingers to spread it through my hair, then I leave it whilst I am washing and shaving. I rinse it out at last shower knockings. Every now and then when it is really dry I put a little olive oil in the ends and leave it in a warm towel for half an hour or so before rinsing it out as a conditioning treat. It leaves my hair shiny and smooth, and it makes me feel like I am pampering myself too. Just the ends, not too much, and rinse well otherwise it will leave your hair greasy.

Olive oil is a great way to tame wayward curls if you have run our of pomade.

Use talc to treat greasy roots if you don’t have time to wash the entire length of your hair. Sprinkle a little on the problem area, leave it for a couple of minutes, then brush it out. If you have dark hair, you might find it leaves you with slightly greying roots - a headscarf or a hat would be a good contingency!

I know a lot of vintage gals cut their own hair but I’m not that brave. I go for a trim once every eight weeks.

Body

Use a cheap all over body moisturiser. I use one from Wilkinsons that costs 0.99p – and it leaves my skin just as silky as a more expensive cream. Baby oil in your bath water is another way of keeping your skin soft and smooth – but you will have to rinse the tub afterwards!

Rub olive oil into your nail cuticles to help keep your nails strong. Eating a cube of jelly is another way of strengthening the nails.

Buy a decent base coat and top coat, and use cheap nail varnish in between. I use a mid priced nail varnish remover. You don’t want to go too cheap here, because it will strip your nails. But don’t bother with the likes of Jessica, either. There’s not much added value for the increased price tag. I doubt I need to say shape your own nails rather than go to a salon? It’s a nice treat every now and then or for a special occasion, but a terrible waste of money otherwise in my humble opinion. The same goes for shaping your eyebrows – a post on how to do this is coming up next week.

Use a good soap instead of any fancy shower gels. Again the ‘Simple’ soaps smell clean and leave my skin soft. And I got four for GBP 1.32 when they were on a half price offer.

Use soap or hair conditioner in lieu of expensive shaving foam.

Buy middle priced shavers – cheap ones will only last one use (unless you want razor burnt bits), whereas you should get 2-3 uses out of slighty more expensive ones.

What products and advice do you have for saving money on beauty products?

Lady C

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