We are all adjusting to a new reality and doing more with less is part of it. Don’t get trapped in your old beauty regime and patterns from the past since with the pandemic many of the old beauty steps don’t apply. There also may be some new ones to consider. By thinking through what is most important to your new lifestyle you can streamline purchases and develop action plans that help your dollars have the most impact. An example, I wear a mask every day. This means eyes and eyebrows are key, full makeup is not only not needed but a problem since it smears and damages the mask. So, lets get into some best practice beauty saving tips.
Make your own
One of the easiest ways to save money and have a fun family project is to make your own. Beauty masks, hair masks and facial scrubs can all be made at home with ingredients you have in the house. With Covid -19, we have all been cooking at home more often so more than likely it’s the perfect time to harvest some fresh ingredients you have in your cabinets or refrigerator. There are tons of options on line but I will highlight three that most directly apply to summer beauty needs.
- Anti- Frizz Hair Mask
A mayonnaise, egg and honey mask will tame your locks. Turns out, mayonnaise is the ultimate de-frizzer. When you combine that with an egg and honey, this amazing hair mask will work wonders in taming wild frizzy hair. The egg will soften dry, frizzy locks while also nourishing your scalp and roots. The honey will lock water and moisture into your hair helping to minimize frizz and add shine.
It’s a simple recipe: 2 tablespoons mayonnaise, 1 egg, 1 tablespoon honey
* Don’t struggle from summer frizz? Check out additional specific homemade hair masks here from good housekeeping.
- Gentle Facial Scrub
During the summer, it’s best to do light and less frequent exfoliation. I have sensitive skin and like this one: 1 tbs Honey, 1 tbs yogurt, 1 ripe banana, 1 tbs oatmeal
Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and then massage the ingredients on your face in a gentle circular motion. Rinse your face with room temperature water. For best results, let your skin breath for an hour of two before applying any sunscreen or lotion. This also allows you some time to see if the mask worked for you.
- Brightening Facial Mask
With all this heat, I feel like I’m not getting outside enough and that my skin may be dull. Since Lemon is a natural brightener this simple mask will help bring some life back to your skin.
Mix: Juice of 1 Lemon, 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil, 2 Tablespoons of Sugar
Apply the mask to your clean face and let it dry. Don’t leave the mask on for more than 20 minutes. Rinse your face with room temperature water and check our the results.
Note: With any beauty treatment, be sure not to do them all in the same day. Try various treatments when needed and evaluate your results, then you’ll have a “go to” list of options to use going forward.
Buy the larger bottles
If you can afford the upfront investment you should purchase the larger value bottles of your core beauty items. I recently purchased a large bottle of Biolage shampoo. I used an in-store coupon as well. When I did the math, I paid 40% less er ounce than the smaller size bottle. Take a look at your core beauty items like shampoo, hair conditioner, skin cream, body soap, facial cleaners, etc … you get the idea. The larger sized offers will traditionally save you 25 -50% over time.
Combine leftover cosmetics
Lipsticks – Weather your have a favorite lipstick that broke or you have a few shades you’r not crazy about it can save time and money to repurpose your lipstick. If your combining colors to make something unique, cut the lipsticks into smaller chunks. Melt your lipsticks in a double boiler or you can place them in a microwave safe container (I prefer to use the container the lipstick will be held in) in 15 -30 second intervals until melted. Quickly stir to mix the colors and then transfer to your final container to dry.
If you have a favorite lipstick in stick form that broke and you want to keep it. Use a small candle and large spoon. Place the broken piece in the spoon and warm the broken piece over the flame. When liquid, transfer to smaller lip balm container.
Foundation – I am a big fan of mixing foundations as well as mixing facial oils with foundations. This helps you to extend your makeup and when done properly, can actually product better results. I prefer not to combine the bottles as that gets fussy but place small amounts of the foundations and beauty oils in my palm and mix from there. This method allows the makeup to warm and that helps the application to be smooth.
Powders – When you get down to the last part of powder or you have a cracked powder you can easily combine them with one another creating a new custom blend. Simply combine the two or more powders in a small mixing container. You can use a small spoon to crush any larger parts and to mix shades together.
Tip: Hang onto old containers that can be reused or repurposed. Most of them can be cleaned in your dishwasher. You can label them as needed once the new cosmetics are created.
Leverage your local drug store
One of the best ways to save money is to use all the coupons and special offers your local stores offer. I happen to be a fan of CVS because their shopper program is aggressive and their beauty assortment continues to evolve to be more upscale, safe and green. As an example, they now carry high end shampoos and have a solid assortment of skin care. With constant promotions and a variety of sizes (including value) you can not beat the value. CVS and other drug accounts also offer a satisfaction guarantee on beauty items/cosmetics since you are not able to test any of them on site. If you think you found the perfect lipstick color and got it home and hated it, just keep your receipt and bring it back for a full refund.
Focus on beautiful skin
The more amazing your skin is the less makeup you need. And let’s face it, who wants to wear layers of makeup when its 90+ degrees out and you’re wearing a mask. It’s the perfect opportunity to invest in healthy, radiant skin.
Some key summer skin tips:
- Wear sunscreen every day (SPF 30+) since the days are longer and brighter
- Clean your face more often as summer brings more sweat and pollution from outside
- Try integrating a beauty oil in the morning to get a glowing complexion without makeup. Good beauty oils absorb quickly into the skin and are not greasy. We recommend our SHINE brightening facial oil. It evens your complexion, brightens skin tone and moisturizes.
- Use a lighter weight skin lotion (one with SPF is preferred) this will minimize perspiration and keep pores open.
- Be sure to moisturize and apply all skin retinol in the evening as you sleep. The sun can really damage skin so you need to help skin recover at night.
In summary, beauty and beautiful skin does not have to cost a fortune. The fresh, homemade solutions are often better for you. To save money, if your investing in an expensive beauty item try to get a larger value size and combine existing makeup favorites to help stretch your dollars. Have a healthy, beautiful and budget friendly summer!
Gentle Reminders: If you liked this type of content and want to see more, scroll to the top of the page, enter your email in the right hand column, and click “subscribe.” To share with friends, use the social sharing icons below. This blog contains affiliate links; both clicking on and purchasing through links help pay for this content.
