Skin care | 120 frugal tips for a fabulous face

Good quality skin care products can set a girl back a fair penny if one is into brands or has had an affiliation with a particular company or product from a young age. A simple trip to the local mall to buy skin care products can end in a $100 – $200 round trip! If you do not have a focused shopping list or you tend to meander around stores randomly slapping body butter on your arms or spraying your face with the latest minty mist, you may want to read on.

I love shopping for beauty products so much that I walk quickly and purposely by these stores. Those shelves of strawberry lotions, exotic creams and celebrity-branded perfumes are too much temptation for a woman like me.

If lured in by the delicious sale products at the door, I am bound to splash out on a whole new makeup kit, sell myself into a new hair colour and justify a new set of makeup brushes. Hell! On my way to the counter I’ll throw a more-fancy loofah and a lip-gloss six-pack into my basket- just because I can!

A woman out shopping can do whatever she pleases, can’t she?

I simply don’t trust myself.

But I’ve discovered that making homemade skin care products is just as fun, if not more enjoyable! Body Shop founder Dame Anita Roddick created an amazing empire after experimenting with naturally-scented tubs of body butter in the seventies.

Well, I’m no cosmetics entrepreneur but smelling my own creative version of a lip-gloss or a coconut scented body butter, just makes this hardworking mummy feel, well….so much prettier today!

So here’s my big list of money-saving skin-care products to keep those costs down and that feeling of prettiness paramount! Keep this list handy when you are getting ready to go out or when you simply need some ideas for pampering yourself.

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Homemade skin care ideas:

120 frugal tips for a fabulous face

A trick with blush

Apply loose powder over your blush for a softer look.

Almond moisturiser

Mix Sorbolene and almond oil together for a lovely moisturiser.

Aloe Vera all the way 

Grow Aloe Vera and use for a great face lotion and anti-ageing eye cream.

Baby Amolin 

Baby Amolin is great for chafed lips and sore red noses.

Baby powder blush 

Mix blush with baby powder for a new colour.

Barber shop razors

Buy an old fashioned razor at the barbershop. Replace the blades.

Be less liberal

Powders and shimmers can show lines and wrinkles more.

Big brushes are best

Invest in a big makeup brush with natural or soft synthetic bristles.

Brighten with lemon

Squirt lemon juice into your face scrub to brighten and exfoliate your skin.

Brow bone trick

If you have dark skin use peach or vanilla shades on your brow bone .

Brush away more costs

Invest in good makeup brushes. You will save your products.

Buy skin care products in bulk and save!

Buy Cetaphil in bulk

Cetaphil works great for both face and body moisturiser.

Champagne toner

Dab Champagne on your skin as toner for an anti-ageing treatment.

Cheap facials 

Half day pamper packages at beauty schools can be dirt-cheap.

Cheap makeover

Book makeovers at cosmetic counters when you are ready to buy a product.

Cheap moisturiser

Combine castor oil and olive oil for a moisturiser for the face.

Cheap powder 

Buy a cheap powder compact and simply mix it with baby powder.

Cheap SPF moisturiser

Mix bulk moisturiser with a bulk sunscreen for cheap SPF moisturiser.

Cheap toner 

Mix warm water with Apple Cider Vinegar and use on your face as a toner.

Chill your spritzer

Keep floral waters and toners in the fridge in summer as a nice spritzer.

Choosing concealer

Use concealers, which balance out the colour of your blemishes.

Coconut radiance 

Pat a little coconut oil on your cheekbones and brow bone.

Coloured zinc

Simply add food colouring to white zinc.

Concealer trick

Use concealer lightly on your face. Stays longer than foundation.

Cool face

Do not use hot water on your face. Use cool or tepid water.

Look after your skin care products and make them last!

Cool moisturiser

Keep moisturiser in the fridge for a nicer feel.

Cure for a long face 

Apply blush to the tops of your cheeks, not under your cheekbones.

Egg white face mask

Whisk up an egg white and apply as a facemask.

Egg yolks for face

Egg yolks are great for keeping your face soft and subtle. Apply as a mask.

Fingers as sponges 

Apply foundation with fingers instead of a sponge to save product.

Flannels are cheap 

Ditch buying wipes altogether and use a soft flannel or Chux wipes.

Flawless finish

Apply primer or base before applying makeup for a flawless finish.

For a less wide face

Apply blush to the tops of cheeks by fanning upwards towards your ears.

Foundation as primer

Save on primer by using foundation on your eyelids instead.

Foundation stretcher

Lightly spray your face with water and press foundation down with a compact.

Free beauty session 

Attend a free beauty session at a pharmacy.

Free foundation

Mix mineral powder into your moisturiser for instant foundation.

Get skin care for free!

Free makeover

Book makeovers at cosmetic counters for Fri or Sat before closing.

Go disposable 

It is cheaper to buy disposable razors than a razor and blades.

Go perfume free 

Use mild or perfume-free skin cleansers.

Hand cream face mask 

Use hand cream as a simple and effective face mask.

Help clear acne

Add Witch Hazel to moisturise and clear acne.

Highlighter hint

Use shimmer highlighter sparingly. It is not for the whole face.

Highlighter trick 

If you have light skin use a white shade as a highlighter on your brow bone.

Homemade cleanser

Combine olive oil, essential oil and Apple Cider Vinegar.

Homemade cream 

Mix olive oil, vinegar and water for an effective night cream.

Honey as a facemask 

Honey makes an effective and simple facemask.

Honey for blemishes

Dab blemishes with honey. Cover overnight and blemish will be smaller.

Instant facelift

Add colour to your cheeks for an instant face-lift.

Instant radiance 

For instant radiance apply some moisturiser with pink undertones.

Jojoba radiance 

Put a few drops of Jojoba oil on your finger and put it on your cheekbones.

Laura creams 

Laura range of creams and cosmetics from Aldi are good value.

Light foundation 

Nude by Nature powder foundation is light and easy on the skin.

Lighten foundation

Buy a cheap ivory foundation and mix with foundation to lighten.

Lighten your spots

Apply natural yogurt to your face to lighten spots on your face.

Love your skin care leftovers! 

Lipsticks leftovers

Dig out the leftovers of your old lipsticks and use them as a blush. Mix colours.

Make Hydrosol toner

Mix water with essential oils.

Make tinted SPF 

Mix foundation with moisturiser or sunscreen to make tinted moisturiser.

Make wipes last longer

Cut makeup wipes (or baby wipes) into four to make them last longer.

Makeup remover 

Try Jojoba oil on a cotton pad for removing makeup.

Maximise moisturiser 

Apply moisturiser while your face is still moist after cleaning. Lock in this moisture.

Microfibre as a flannel

Microfibre cloths are great as face washers.

Microfibre remover

Microfibre clothes are great for removing makeup.

Milk powder mask

Make a stiff paste with milk powder and water. Apply twice weekly.

Look for skin care products in your kitchen!

Milky face

Wash your face with milk to brighten your face.

Natural facial scrub

Mix sea salt, avocado oil, almond oil and essential oil for a scrub.

Olive oil for radiance 

Dab olive oil on your cheekbones and brow bone.

Olive oil remover

Use olive oil to remove makeup. This is a cheap alternative.

Pat, do not rub

Pat-dry your face. Do not rub it with a towel.

Peppermint face mist

Make peppermint tea and put it in a spray bottle. Enjoy this nice spritzer!

Peroxide and pimples

Reduce redness using products containing Benzoyl Peroxide or Cortisone.

Phone acne 

Clean your phone regularly to reduce acne on your face.

Powder puff power

Use a large powder puff to buff your face. Look less shiny.

Prolong foundation 

Mix foundation with a little moisturiser to make it go further.

Prolong moisturiser 

Moisturise as soon as you get out of the shower while your skin is damp.

Quality brushes

Kabuki brushes are very popular for powder application.

Quick makeup routine

Cleanse, tone, moisturise (with SPF), add face powder and then lip balm.

Radiant blush

For instant radiance apply a blush or rose moisturiser to your cheekbones.

Reduce blemishes

Use cortisone cream on blemishes.

Reduce wrinkles 

Use a light reflecting concealer. Light will reflect away from your wrinkles.

Remember stores that don’t specialise in skin care

Reject shop makeup 

The make-up section at the reject shop offer great buys for cheap makeup.

Replace spongers

Replace sponges regularly or wash them regularly to keep good hygiene.

Respect your eyes

Do not rub or stretch eyes when washing or applying makeup.

Reuse Vitamin E tablets

Squirt out the contents of your old Vitamin E tablets into moisturisers.

Rosehip oil

Try Rosehip Oil for problem skin. Apply twice a day.

Rosewater as toner

Put rosewater in a spray bottle for a spritzer and toner.

Rosewater eyes 

To keep eyes cool dip cotton pads in rosewater.

Save on cotton buds

Cut cotton buds in half to make them last longer.

Save on facials

Skip the facial. Buy facial peel pads from a Dermatologist instead.

Save some cucumber

Place rings of sliced cucumber on eyelids for beautiful eyes.

Save with a tint kit

Use eyelash tint kits instead of visiting a beautician.

Save with cold water 

Splash face with cold water. Dab with cotton pads before applying makeup.

Skip eating sugar and rub it on your face!

Say no to sugar

This one is a no-brainer. Skip the sweets and get rid of pimples.

Silky pillow case 

Sleeping on a silk pillowcase stops creases. Your hair and skin will be healthier.

Sleep on your back 

Avoid wrinkles by not squashing your face into the pillow. Face the ceiling!

Sorbolene cleanser 

Add a little baking soda for a light exfoliator.

Store it upside down

Store foundation bottles upside down when they are nearing empty.

Stretch moisturiser 

Mix a little water with your moisturiser to make it go further.

Substitute for Bio Oil

Use cold pressed olive oil and essential oils as moisturiser.

Super cheap cleanser

Use Wonder Soap as cleanser.

Use tricks instead of buying skin care

Super cheap face-lift

Apply blush higher on your cheeks for a cheap face-lift.

Take fish oil

Fish oil regulates hormones and reduces pimples.

Tea tree oil on pimples

Dab Tea Tree Oil on pimples using a cotton bud.

Testing foundation 

Test a foundation shade by applying it right under the jaw line.

The secret is to exfoliate

Exfoliate twice weekly to help your beauty products work better.

Trick for cheekbones

Apply pink glitter blush to the top of cheekbones. Add darker blush underneath.

Unlikely acne cure

Clean your pillowcases more frequently to reduce acne.

Use Aqueous Cream

Use as a cleanser, moisturiser, make-up remover and shaving cream.

Use baby wipes

Baby wipes make cheap makeup remover sheets.

Use Bronzer 

Bronzer makes a good eye shadow and blush. Combine for new colours.

Use natural light

When applying makeup use natural light if possible.

Use self-tanner

If you do not have any concealer on hand you can use face self-tanner.

Vegemite treatment

Dab some Vegemite on a pimple and leave on for a little while.

Vinegar face wash 

Wash face with vinegar and water to clear blemishes. Do a test spot first.

Vitamin E for spots 

Put Vitamin E on spots before going to bed.

Vitamin E trick 

Mix Vitamin E with foundation and triple the amount you have on hand.

Wash your brushes

Wash brushes. Do not rub old makeup back over your face.

Wearing less makeup

Keep daily makeup simple and light. Keep heavier makeup for special occasions.

Wheat germ trick

Add wheat germ oil to night cream to add moisture.

Yogurt face mask

Got skin problems? Grab some natural yogurt and apply it as a mask.

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