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.
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.
Like more ways to save on skin care products? Check out all our PRO beauty cheat sheets!
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