Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Beauty Tips For Less

Hi Everyone!!

Today I just want to share a few tips on one of my favorite topics, Health and Beauty Aids. I LOVE trying new products, and can easily spend more on these than on groceries, if I don't restrain myself!!

1.) Tinted Moisturizer: last spring, I was so tempted to spend $12 on a little bitty tube of tinted moisturizer/ sunscreen at WalMart. But as I was carrying it around in my basket, it dawned on me, I could mix this up at home!! Each morning I put a squirt of my spf 15 moisturizer on the tip of my finger. Then add a little dab of foundation, about 1/3 to 1/2 of the amount of moisturizer, depending on the coverage I want. Mix up with my other finger, and voila!! =)

2.) If you buy a tube of lipstick or nail polish, but you don't like the color once you try it on and you can't return it for whatever reason, try mixing them up to make custom colors!! Right now I have a crimson lipstick that is too dark and a shimmery pale pink that is too light, and I love how they look blended together.

3.) You can double the life of your favorite lipstick just by using an inexpensive lip brush (from the dollar store) to access the 1/2 inch (or more) remaining lipstick in the bottom of the tube.

4.) Go shopping in your bathroom first!!! You can save a ton this way. If you didn't like a product at first, try it again with an open mind and see if it might work.... I cleaned up my bathroom cabinets and I found:
*enough Victoria's Secret/ Bath & Bodyworks perfumes and lotions to last a year ($100+)
*3 Venus cartridges that were pushed into corners and buried ($6-8)
*A couple more disposable razors I thought I didn't like, but they are fine ($4)
*2 half full bags of cotton balls ($2)
*4 half full bottles of conditioner and leave in conditioner ($10)
*3 nice pairs of tweezers ~ I am always losing and replacing these ($20)
*2 bottles of hairspray, hair glaze, a box of hairdye I forgot I had ($20)
*3 tubes of Neosporin (we are always losing and replacing) ($10)
*3 deodorants I didn't like, 2 shampoos I didn't like, 4 different types of toothpaste ($30+)
*All kinds cosmetic products I used once and forgot about. ($100+)
*And lots more.
Just by being A LOT less picky and using what I already have, I should be able to avoid spending a few hundred dollars over the next several months.

5.) Another idea for when you have half-used products you don't like, find a friend who has the same and do some trading!! I have done this in the past, and not only is it fun, you can discover some great new products for free.

6.) I have learned to always save my receipt, though. Sometimes I know the first time Iuse something, it is not going to work. If there's just a tiny bit gone, Walmart and Walgreens have always taken them back when I explained I didn't like it, and I had my receipt.

7.) Don't forget to check the clearance baskets at the ends of the aisles at the grocery store. I never check the regular aisle because it is always too expensive, but the clearance prices, esp. if you have coupons, can be amazing. I bought a Cover Girl Outlast lipcolor for $1, it was on clearance for $3 and I had a $2 coupon.

8.) Last, the dollar store can be a good source, too. I don't ever buy the "off" brands of makeup they sell there, but a lot of times, they'll have name brands like Maybelline and Cover Girl, from drugstores, that were labeled with the wrong color name. I have gotten some good deals there, too.

P.S. I would LOVE to hear what kind of forgotten treasures you all find, if you decide to clean out your bathroom cabinets, too!!!

8 comments:

  1. Those are good, Kristie. I like your thought about shopping in the bathroom first. Getting in the habit of doing that until I know exactly what I have and need will save lots of money.
    I'm going to try the tinted moisturizer.
    When my daughter moved out she had tons of different hair/body products under her cabinet.
    I'm with you on the Neosporin! Those little tubes manage to up and disappear, UNTIL you buy another one, and then amazingly the other one turns up. Murphy's law I suppose!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Loved all your great tips. I don't personally use a lot of make-up but I definately due the #3 and use my lipsticks down to the metal using the lip brush. It's amazing how much is left down there.

    Have you gals noticed how the lipsticks are getting smaller? I bought a new tube recently and was shocked when I rolled it out and saw the true size. They are really doing some sneaky things on packaging and sizing in everything.
    Susan

    ReplyDelete
  3. I love all your beauty tips. I also like to mix some of the lip colors that look a tad bit too vivid :o. And I do the sun block/foundation mix (when I remember), too. When I really look at the cosmetics I've accumulated, the ones that really glare are things that take time to use (masks, hot oil treatments for your hair, herbs to steam and give yourself a home facial). One of these days I should just have myself a beauty day and bring 'em all out :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi Kristie. Now I feel guilty. I'm overdue going through my cabinets in the bathroom and I'm sure I'll find plenty there. I love mixing colors too; have often done that with lipsticks. Glad to hear I'm not the only one who uses something only a few times and then forget about it. Thanks for all the suggestions. This is definitely another area we ladies need to be thrifty.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Great ideas!
    I have gone "shopping" in my bathroom and closet and usually find enough "new" fun stuff I forgot what I thought I needed from the store.
    And I do LOVE the dollar store, so do my kids!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Just went shopping in my bathroom today, in fact. Then after that, I shopped all over again during the reorganization of my pantry. I thought of many who will post before and after pics....ah, no! Not me! Blessings ya'll. Fun to read this blog.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Good advice. It's amazing what we can find hiding in the back of those dark cabinets and drawers.


    Joy

    ReplyDelete
  8. Interesting content.

    Just wanted to share some information that may help busy professionals caught up with work and who have less time to maintain their nails. You can try out gel nails which are now becoming a hot favorite as they are natural looking even without nail tips and the best way for nail enhancement. Also, if you are allergic to those strong smelling chemicals which you can experience with acrylic nails, then you should use gel nails as these are odorless.

    However, when you are planning on gel nail application, make sure you approach a nail salon or a nail artist who is well versed with gel nails and is properly trained and mastered in gel applications. This will save you from problems that can arise with improper gel nail applications.

    ReplyDelete