frugal beauty tips thread?

[IAmBooyhoo]

i was reading the 'how to be groomed' thread and while all the products mentioned sound like they work wonders, i could never afford to buy the things recommended. my budget is very tight (as is the same for alot of people) and so i thought we could have a thread full of frugal beauty tips, that mean we can all still look our best without breaking the bank. i personally prefer not to use lots of chemicals on my skin or hair, and even less so the cheaper products on the market. (i have done in the past and they just made my skin worse) but if that's what works for you then post your tips and hopefully someone can get the benefit of your experience.

i'll start with a few of my current beauty practices.

1. oil cleansing method. i have just started this again after attempting it about a year ago ( i was using it aswell as my normal facewash and it just wasn't working so i went back to facewash. will do it properly this time)

2. no poo method for curly hair. i was using bicarbonate of soda and apple cider vinegar. i did this for about 6 months and my hair was in the best condition of it's life. i only stopped because i started dying my hair pink and it required doing weekly so i started buying colour protect shampoos and conditioners. once my pink dye runs out (i stocked up) i will go back to brown and start no poo again. unless anyone knows of a way to keep my colour whilst doing no poo?

3)bicarb whitens teeth. dip a dampened toothbrush into bicarb and brush teeth once a week to remove staining.

4)sweet almond oil for moisturising body.

5)witch hazel for toner.

i would be really interested in hearing any tips on make-up and how i can look good without spending a fortune on different products.

looking forward to hearing lots more tips and hopefully saving some money!

Fabulous cheapo body scrub - brown sugar mixed with olive oil and teaspoon or so of honey. Slater all over skin then wash off. Leaves skin feeling gorgeous. I have very dry skin and can almost go without body lotion after using this scrub.

Bicarb mixed with cleanser/moisturiser is a nice cheap exfoliator for face

I have very curly hair that is also very dry and prone to frizz. I have tried expensive conditioners but find the cheapo ones just as good, so long as you use loads of it. I use 3-4 fistfuls on my shoulder length hair and leave in for a minute or two, then rinse out.

Boots Curl Creme (pink one) - not everyone's favourite but I love it

Aspirin face mask - use 1 or 2 aspirin tablets that dissolve in water (can't remember what they're called!) mash up with some water into a paste. Does wonders for my skin.

Also honey is a good face mask.

Marking my place - frugal beauty tips are definitely something I need

I've just found out that a honey and cinnamon paste applied to spots overnight and rinsed off in the morning can really help stop those ones that recur in the same places.

Sex or masturbation - orgasms are great for the skin.

Vitamin E capsules - break one open and add to cheapy moisturiser.

dettol bath

sudocream facemask

baby oil gel for removing eye make-up

toothpaste is brilliant at drying up spots

Disclaimaer :o

not everyone needs conditioner for their hair.

I have a few. All came about from when I stopped working and could not justify Liz Earle prices any more...

OCM- the shit that comes out from your skin is amazing! I'm hooked.

Salt Baths- You're supposed to use sea salt or epsom salts and add fancy essential oils but I just use plain old table salt, a mug full, with or without some essential oils and a microfibre cloth to exfoliate and voila, all dead skin is lost.

Coconut Oil as a facial mosituriser. Better than any shop bought products I've used and I used a lot. Sinks right in and no greasiness.

Lush Hard shampoos- one bar lasts me a good few months, and I have long hair. Really economical.

I make my own concoction for a body moisturiser- any shop bought lotion, my current one is johnson's baby lotion and I add a lug of glycerine to it. When all else fails, body butters, e45, prescribed 'lard' from the gp, this is the only thing that stops my extremely dry skin from cracking in the winter. Keeping is moist and supple instead.

Do my own epilating and manicures.

Hmm I'll add more if it comes to me.

any old cheap conditioner as long as you wash it out with cold water. The difference in unbelievable.

I've cut right back on the amount of conditioner I use and my hair looks much much better. Shinier and needs washing less often.

OCM is ace.

Epilation is the way to go for hair removal - make sure you pull your skin tight and it doesn't hurt too much!

Exercise! Sorry, but no ££££ face cream will ever make you look as good as regular (and reasonably strenuous) exercise. Makes me look glowing.

wow! these are great. never would have thought of trying table salt instead of epsom salt in the bath.

i've heard loads of good things about coconut oil. where can i get it?

dettol bath? the disinfectant? how much and what does it do?

Aspirin face mask, LemonTurd? Is this very good? I have combination skin that is starting to look a bit, well, old. Is this worth a try?

LemonTurd do you mean disprin to make your face mask with ?

It's dispersible aspirin. That's the same as dispirin, right?

Works better than any of the £££ exfoliators I've bought.

My skin is oily but I think this would work for combination too.

If doing it for the first time, perhaps do a small patch and not your whole face!

I actually had a book around here somewhere with quite a few old skool recipes.

Anyway the best secret to beautiful skin is a good diet AND paying attention. Your skin is a tissue and it gets everything from the food you eat. If your not giving it want it wants then it's not going to give you it's best.

Paying attention to what your skin is doing is also important as then you can know what to use to counter unwanted effects. Gram flour, Lime/lemon juice, turmeric, honey, etc are natural products that improve skin complexion and health. They have been used on the subcontinent for centuries. Families even have their own recipes handed down through the generations.

The main point though is that you have all the ingredients in your kitchen and you wasting money and health in most cases buying high street stuff.

I use boots pink culr creme and boots purple hair gel in my curly hair. ANd if it' humid some of that blue herbal essences conditioner on instead of the pink stuff when it's soaking.
Vaseline is also good at removing eye makeup and softening skin and lips.
Making flax seed hair gel is good too.
Porridge face mask

I warm up some olive oil and use it as a hair mask on damp hair once a week for half an hour - wondrous, silky locks in no time.

i think i might just give up my hair dye now and start no poo. i miss my old healthy hair. never tried the olive oil mask but have seen it on the no poo websites so will give it a whirl.

Sweet almond oil is great for conditioning nails and if I run out, I use olive oil

I use boots curl creme too

Value conditioner for shaving legs and under arms

poundland for nail buffers, hair turbans (cut down on blow dry time = healthier hair), vaseline and body oil. I will admit that I am not the most frugal when it comes to beauty - I love products and have finally found great products that give me great skin (and I did try ocm etc - I've even given myself asprin facials!!). But beauty products are my luxury - I don't smoke, drink, drive etc so it's what I spend my money on. That said - I love places like poundland and home bargins for cheap essentials like nail buffers, exfoliating gloves and hair dye.

As an additional, I'm growing out my hair colour (my hair is in tip top condition but I haven't seen my natural colour for well over a decade) and I bought the boots own semi permenant hair colour and it is really really good!! I usually use a black permenant (schwarzkopf or nice n easy) but the semi gave a great colour and lovely condition. I did leave it on for about 40mins (think it recommended 10-15min) but I was pleasantly suprised at the depth of colour. Anyway, thought I would mention it as it is 2 for £5 atm.

Oh and I totally agree with lauriefairycake - Sex once (pereferably more than once) per day will give your complexion a great boost, will help keep you fit and makes you grin from ear to ear on a grim and grizzly day...

Olive oil warmed on the hob, slathered from mid lengths to the tips of hair and wrapped in cling film for 20-30 minutes. Fab stuff.

Sugar mixed with a regular moisturiser or a cheap one from the pound shop as an exfoliant.

Olive oil on cuticles instead of cuticle cream.

Baby oil on damp skin as a body moisturiser.

Vaseline to tame stray eyebrow hairs and a dab on the cheekbones as a highlight. On eyelashes can also help with growth.

Bicarb on a toothbrush to remove some staining.

A regular eyelash curler heated with a hairdryer helps hold the curl as well as heated curlers.

Hair in rags instead of bendy rollers or heated rollers.

Baby oil instead of shaving cream/foam.

salt baths
sugar and olive oil scrubs
bicarb on toothbrush
vaseline
using a tangle teaser has helped avoid using silicone serums to detangle

will look into buying some poundland nail buffers

otherwise I am wondering if there are frugal beauty things I can do if stuck at home which take a longer time but give good results (I already put on quite a thick layer of balm on lips if doing nothing but cleaning up etc)

Rub moisturiser on your feet and put them into a pair of socks overnight/during the day if you're not walking too much. Fab soft feet when it sinks right in.

I forgot to mention that an angled brush and wet eyeshadow in a close colour is fab and precise for filling in your eyebrows rather than buying pencils and brow powder.