We want our makeup. We need our makeup. And the older we get we really need our makeup! But spending hundreds of dollars on our daily cosmetics is hard to justify when everything costs so much, especially when we have kids and husbands whose needs must come first. The frugal shopper who takes her spending seriously will not want to pay $50 or more for her foundation and eye shadow. There are alternatives to those high priced cosmetics and many can even be made at home at practically no cost at all.
Bargains in cosmetics are easy to find
You can find makeup and other cosmetic items at online auction sites such as eBay, Quibids, and uBid among many others. The competition is tight so you can find some really great prices and fresh high quality cosmetics by shopping around on the internet.
Coupons save money on brand names
Look for some money saving coupons at web sites of the cosmetic companies you usually buy from like Covergirl or Maybelline. Try searching with your favorite search engine and you’ll find tons of printable coupons waiting to be printed. Local newspapers usually have some that can be clipped and used locally. There are tons of online coupons as well. Sites like sephora offer sephora promo codes that can help you save money at checkout.
Make your own lotions, eyeliner, eye shadow, and lipsticks
It’s easy to find recipes and suggestions online to help make your own cosmetics and this will be a product that you know exactly what the ingredients are, not some mystery combination of chemicals.
1) A cleansing lotion made at home by using a teaspoon of milk along with two teaspoons of fresh cucumber juice and a half teaspoon of lemon juice. This excellent cleanser will not only leave your face and hands feeling refreshed, they will be clean down to the pores.
2) Basic cleanser includes similar ingredients: four teaspoons milk added to two teaspoons fresh squeezed lemon juice. Or try a combination of egg yolk, egg white, and honey added to water. Simply apply with a cotton ball or soft cloth to your face and neck. This one works especially well on oily type skin. These “recipes” can be enhanced by adding some fresh mint leaf (crushed) for a really pleasant scent while you are giving yourself a facial.
3) Home made face and hand lotion can be every bit as effective as store bought expensive ones. Add together a tablespoon of petroleum jelly, a teaspoon of olive oil, some of that mint leaf, one teaspoon of fresh squeezed lemon juice, and about two teaspoons of glycerin. Mix the ingredients thoroughly and apply to your face after cleaning with the above facial cleanser. It provides a really refreshing feeling you will love.
4) A great idea for a moisturizer includes warm milk. Use a half cup of tepid (barely warm) milk to which you will add two teaspoons of honey. Apply this to your face like a mask and leave it on a few minutes before rinsing it off. Your face will glow with the look of good health.
5) Ingredients that are natural and healthy for your skin include distilled water, milk, egg white and yolk, rose water, and witch hazel. Experiment with your own combination and you will be amazed how great your skin feels with these all natural ingredients instead of those questionable chemical combinations.
6) Lipstick is easy to make at home. Try a combination of one forth cup beeswax, two tablespoons sesame oil, and one forth cup castor oil. First melt the beeswax then take it off the heat and add your sesame and castor oils. Then add beet juice until your mixture is the desired shade of red. Store it in a jar and use a lipstick brush to apply to your lips.
Don’t forget to clean your brushes
One of the most important steps you need to take when using makeup of any type is to keep your brushes clean and sanitary. They can harbor plenty of bacteria and just plain old dirt after several uses. Rinse them under the tap with warm water and shampoo. Lather up the brush then rinse it clean with very warm water. At first you will notice plenty of color from your makeup items but soon it will run clean and your brush will be cleansed of that old makeup. Air dry the bristles then repeat this weekly or monthly, depending on how often you apply your makeup.
The truly frugal minded shopper will always find ways to save money
Cosmetics are something we need to cut costs on whenever possible and that can be easily accomplished. Check out the “dollar” stores for some good prices but be careful and read the ingredients. That basic foundation, which is one of the highest priced cosmetics we ever buy, can be found priced cheaply at many local drugstores or try shopping for it online at places like eBay or drugstore.com. Even the major brands can be found at bargain prices just by looking around a bit.
Little bit of awareness and researching will leave you several dollars richer at the end of the day. Making makeup items at home will be inexpensive and will not harm your skin, especially if they are made from natural products. Short smart and look ravishing with that million dollar look that actually cost you only a few dollars.