Budget beauty

                         

I read recently of a woman in her thirties who looks like a teenager, and she puts it down to using Savlon antiseptic cream, twice a day. Hmmm. This lead me to thinking that I would compile some budget beauty hints, both from myself and from people whom I've known.

Budget beauty from within

The first I would have to say, is to let our inner loveliness shine. Everyone is lovely, we just need to let it show. When I was young, I read of an Indian yoga celebrity who was famous not only for her yoga, but also for her youthfulness. She recommended to treat everyone as if they were your friends, and I like this. It is a nice way for our own beauty to show.

You can eat well on a budget

If we mainly eat rubbish food, it really shows on our complexion and general vitality. When I was a young mum, I really got into healthy eating for my children and myself. It really showed, as we all looked vital, and good. 

And rubbish foods really means processed foods; pretend foods; foods with added sugars and preservatives. When we eat foods which are not tampered with, our body doesn't have to work so hard to cope with any "invaders" in the form of chemicals. Our body can just do the work of digesting and storing. It doesn't get tired trying nor unwell trying to cope with said invaders.

How can we choose budget beauty foods when we don't have much money?

• drink plain water. Our skin and whole body loves being watered
• eat plain porridge for breakfast
• eat local fruit in season, it's healthier and cheaper. You don't need much, maybe two pieces a day
• as I write this I am using leftover uncooked vegetables by making them into a soup. Nutritious and cheap.

Water your skin on the outside

I have some beautiful strong smelling red roses which one of my daughters gave me, from her garden. As the petals drop, I am saving them to make rosewater. When that is finished, I shall probably make rosemary water with the rosemary stalks that she gave me. And I saw that she also has lavender growing. 

How to make rosewater:

• place the petals in a pot
• squish them down then just barely cover with water
• bring to boil then turn off heat
• I like to allow them to steep for at least a few hours
• drain and store the water
• I like to keep this in the fridge as it doesn't last long

Obviously, you would just use rosemary branches, or lavender flowers for waters of these. You can also make a strong small brew of chamomile tea, even using a teabag, for sensitive skin. Use the waters as a skin toner, or tonic, under your moisturiser.

                               

                                        (beautiful lavender)

Skin care

• use up everything that you already have before rushing out to buy more
• use an oil for your body. When I run out, I'm going to use cold pressed grapeseed oil from the supermarket. It's quite inexpensive. 
• you could use an oil like almond or apricot for everything: taking off make-up; moisturising body and face; as a conditioning hair treatment
• sometimes in Indian or Asian food markets, you can find Ponds cleanser and Vanishing cream, quite cheaply. There are also inexpensive body lotions and oils
• or the good ole $2 shops. Sometimes you can find ends of skin care lines there
• for older, or dryer, skin, there is also Nivea original, and Vaseline. Warm up a little bit on your fingers, then pat onto the skin. With Vaseline, you can also add a few drops of water
• use cheap salt on a wet flannel in the shower to exfoliate your body
• mix baking soda with some water, oil, face cream, or yoghurt to exfoliate your face, and be very gentle!

                 

                            

Make-up

• it's way better to look after your skin and go without a whole pile of make-up. It looks better, is better for your skin and your wallet
• there are some great inexpensive make-up lines, such as LA girl, Elf. Don't be afraid to use what younger people are using. They know whats what with all of this
• there are also great outlets which sell ends of lines, very cheaply
• I use up my foundations as my own BB creams: I dot a strong SPF over my face, then dot my foundation, then blend them both, over my face

Hair

• you can get good cuts cheaply in suburbia, of all places. Especially those where you just turn up with freshly washed hair
• if you wear a fringe, learn how to cut it yourself, from youtube. Then get trims for the rest of your hair, less often
• if you get your hair cut, coloured, or whatever, skip paying for a blow dry
• if you colour your hair, you can always do that at home too

Extras

I do not get manicures nor pedicures. I prefer to save the money.

I find, for myself, when I consistently make a small effort each day to look, well, nice, just nice, I obsess much less about having "stuff" for beauty. That's just me, but it does make a difference.