Beauty on a Budget!

Most all of us are watching our money these days and trying to figure out the best ways to cut spending. We're all trying to decide what's worth paying for and what we can do without. As we all know, somethings are easier to give up than others. For example, I haven't had a hard time skipping this season's latest trends or mending my kids' clothes instead of just buying a replacement, but what I HAVE struggled with is sacrificing my makeup and skincare products.

Who wants to have their appearance suffer in a bad economy, or in ANY economy for that matter. In a time where many people are depressed about the state of their finances and what the future may hold, do we really need to look in the mirror and feel even more depressed about the face that's looking back at us? Most definitely not! Looking your best and feeling great about yourself doesn't necessarily have to cost a lot of money. Being smart about how you spend your money on beauty and skincare products can keep you looking great and still be easy on the pocketbook.


Follow these tips below to look great without breaking the bank:

1. For an instant pick me up in the morning, use plain or vanilla yogurt on your face after cleansing for a great facial mask. Let the yogurt dry and then remove with warm water. Moisturize as usual. The cold yogurt will shrink your pores and the vitamins will give your skin a radiant glow. This facial mask will work wonders for your skin and costs next to nothing.

2. Place chilled tea bags on your eyes for 10 minutes to reduce puffiness and circles. Cucumbers work well for this too but the caffeine in the tea gives you an added benefit. I usually make tea a couple times a week and after the tea has steeped, I put the tea bags in the refrigerator. I love to put the tea bags on my eyes in the morning before the kids wake up. The coldness of the tea bags helps to wake me up while the tanic acid and caffeine of the tea makes my eyes look refreshed. This 10 minute ritual also gives me a chance to get my thoughts together before the craziness of the day begins.


3. Rub olive oil on your cuticles for great looking hands. Forget the expensive ointments and cuticle creams. I've had several different nail technicians tell me that olive oil is the best thing you can put on your cuticles. The oil works wonders! You can also mix olive oil with warm water to soak you hands and feet. Cleans your feet and hands before soaking for about 10-15 minutes. Lightly dry, then apply a layer of Vaseline. Put socks or manicure gloves on to help the moisture penetrate your skin. This is best to do before bedtime so your skin can reap the benefits throughout the night.

4. Before getting out of the shower, rinse off in cold water. After you've rinsed out your hair products, turn the water to cold for an instant boost to your skin and hair. (You need the warmth of the water to help your hair shampoo work properly.) The cold water closes the hair follicles making you hair look great and manage better. It also shrinks your body and facial pores to give you beautiful skin. Don't forget to moisturize your skin before stepping out of the shower. This is important because applying lotion while your skin is still damp helps to lock in moisture.


5. Get rid of your toner! My dermatologists and other experts agree that toner is one thing you can do without. If you have to cut out some of your beauty products, this should be the first one to go. Toners claim to correct your skin's pH balance and "prepare your skin for moisturizers". They used to be more necessary than they are today. Most beauty products have become so sophisticated that toners are now obsolete. Put your money towards lotion and eye cream and forget the toner.



These are just 5 simple ways to stay beautiful without feeling guilty about spending money. Analyze your skin care products and decide what's most important to you. Personally, I could NEVER replace my eye makeup remover - I've tried and haven't had any luck with the cheaper versions - but it wasn't so bad to replace my expensive facial masks with natural products I can find in my kitchen. Get creative with what you use and how you spend so even though you might feel exhausted from keeping up with your kids, you don't have to look it!