Getting the best out of your beauty routine doesn’t have to cost you a ton in time or money. Whether it’s a quick hair fix after sleeping through your alarm or making a skincare routine out of everyday household items, there are lots of little tricks that are cheap and easy to do. Ready to get creative? Let’s go.
1) Coconut oil cleanser
You don’t necessarily need to splash out on facial wipes or expensive cleanser when you’ll likely have this in your kitchen cupboards. Coconut oil is natural so there are no nasty chemicals to worry about. Just scoop some out of the jar, rub it together in your hands to melt it to liquid form, then apply to your face to wipe away makeup and excess grime.
2) Use a facecloth
Unless you have particular skin issues, there’s nothing wrong with using just a good facecloth and water to wash your face. Run the facecloth under some hot water to open up your pores and wipe away makeup and grime. Remember to splash with a little cold water afterwards; this acts as a toner and close the pores again so no more dirt gets in. It’s cheap, easy, and much more environmentally friendly than disposable products.
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New Health Advisor
3) Drink water
You may have heard it a million times before, and there’s a reason! Water is one of the simplest and cheapest ways of boosting your skin, mood, hair, concentration levels, energy level, metabolism, and overall wellbeing. Add a slice of lemon to every glass for extra immune-boosting benefits and aid in digestion.
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Global Women Connected
4) Cucumber eyes
You’re probably familiar with the image of a woman lying in a spa with cucumbers on her eyes, but why is it so common? Cucumbers are 95% water and high in vitamin C, both of which can help hydrate dry skin and lighten pigment. If you’re feeling tired or groggy, or your eyes just look a little puffy and dark, five minutes with two slices of cucumber will work wonders to bring the life back to the skin around them.
5) Baby oil for stretch marks
You may be sold many expensive products for stretch marks, but a simple one could be already in your cupboard. If you’ve recently had a baby or your skin has stretched for any other reason, massaging baby oil into the area is a great way to gently moisturize the newly stretched skin and reduce the appearance of stretch marks.
6) Blackhead remover
If you can’t stand the sight of those numerous black dots all over your nose, skip the visit to the pharmacy for pore strips and use a simple combination of baking soda and water. Mix a little water into baking soda until it forms a paste, then apply to your nose and any other blackhead-prone area. Massage the paste into your skin to create an exfoliating effect. Leave to dry, then wash away. Your skin will be super soft and blackhead free!
7) DIY face mask
For an all-over cleansing and exfoliating face mask, mix equal parts baking soda and lemon juice. Form a paste with the two ingredients then apply to your face, massaging it gently into the skin. Leave it on for 1-2 minutes or until dry, then wash off with warm water and pat dry.
8) Adjust your foundation color
If you’ve bought your foundation a shade too dark, or perhaps lost your summer tan, simply add a little moisturizer to it to lighten the color. Picking out a foundation is costly and time-consuming enough without having to replace a new one!
9) TJ Maxx clearance sales
Check out the beauty aisle in TJ Maxx for mega clearance and holiday sales. TJ Maxx has a ton of branded products as well as sustainable and environmentally friendly cosmetics that are normally priced high. You’ll find some real bargains in products that are slightly damaged, discontinued, or simply not being re-stocked this way.
10) DIY lip color
Take a small tub and mix together eyeshadow powder and some lipgloss to give yourself a DIY lip color at no extra cost. It’s a great way of experimenting with a new lip color without having to splash out.
11) Lipstick hack
A super simple way to avoid pesky blotches of lipstick on your teeth is to put your finger in your mouth and pull it forward and all the way out. This way, you’ll wipe away any rogue lipstick on the inside of your lips. It takes two seconds and is a good and easy habit to get into.
12) Get enough sleep
This is more lifestyle advice than hack, but it’s worth repeating: get a good night’s sleep every night! It’s one of the best and easiest ways of making sure you feel and look good, saving you big time on products to cover up tiredness. Cucumbers may refresh tired eyes, but a good 6-8 hours of sleep is the best way to ensure your skin, hair, and mood are at their peak.
13) Remove stubborn lipstick
Super longlasting lipstick is all well and good until you need to take it off. If you’ve got the stuff that lasts through drinks, meals, and a nuclear war, the best way to shift it is with your basic tub of vaseline. Add a generous amount to your lips, wait at least 30 seconds, then remove slowly but firmly with a cotton pad.
14) DIY lipbalm
Run out of your favorite lipbalm or vaseline? If you have a jar of coconut oil in your kitchen, this makes for a great lip moisturizer. Rub it between two fingers to melt it then apply for a shiny, coconut-smelling chapstick that is super cheap. Scoop some into a small tin or tub and take it with you for the day.
15) Lip boost
Add a drop or two of peppermint essential oil to your regular lipgloss, or just swipe a doused cotton swab across them for an instant boost. Peppermint oil boost the circulation in your lips to create a swelling effect, giving you naturally plump lips at very little cost.
16) Use eyeliner to full effect
Gone are the days where black eyeliner ruled and we all walked around with panda eyes, thank god. To complement a winged eyelinger, use black eyeliner pencil on the upper inside of your eyelid, then apply a white or bright colored pencil or eyeshadow to the lower inside. While a smoky eye looks cool, encircling your eyes in black can make them look smaller, whereas using a light color on your lower eye makes your eyes appear larger and more open.
17) Eyeliner pencil to eyeliner pen
Run out of your favorite liquid eyeliner? Grab your trusty eyeliner pencil and heat it under a flame. Wait a few seconds so it’s not too hot, then apply for a smudgy, liquid-like appearance.
18) Quick fuller lips
Make your lips look fuller with a quick and easy touch-up. Once you’ve applied your matte color, add a light colored eyeshadow, shimmer, or a little gloss to the middle part of each lip. By creating a contour, you’ll enhance the appearance of full lips.
19) Mascara as eyeliner
In a hurry and out of your precious liquid eyeliner? If you’re in a pinch, mascara makes an ideal alternative. Just sweep your brush or pen along the wand of the mascar and apply as normal.
20) Apply mascara with a card
Get the most out of your lashes and avoid smudges above your eye by using a credit or business card. Place the card directly behind your lashes and push gently down to expose the roots of your lashes. This will allow you to get the mascara all the way along its length, and also stop pesky smudges from getting on your eyelids.
21) Use a spoon for winged eyeliner
One of the everyday struggles of wearing eyeliner is getting that perfect wing, which never seems to get easier even with practice. Using a spoon as your guide, you can nail the technique in seconds. Place the stem of the spoon upwards from the outer corner of your eye to create the beginning line. Then, leaving a small gap, use the head of the spoon to create the wing from your eyelid to the tip of the line you drew. Fill in the gap and you’re done.
22) Stock up on samples
Investing in a good product can be pricey, so figure out what you like by purchasing samples and beauty boxes. You can sign up for a box subscription or buy them from as little as $5 from your local pharmacy. The samples often last a while and is a great way to find out what suits you best.
23) Vinegar rinse on curly hair
Naturally curly hair may be much sought after, but managing it is one of the lesser enviable traits. For those with curly hair, treating it with an apple cider vinegar rinse one or two times a month can help keep it soft, manageable, and bouncy. Mix one part ACV with two parts water and rinse over hair after washing. Leave for 1-2 minutes then rinse out. If you live in a place with hard water, doing this once a week will significantly improve the softness of your curls as well.
24) Coconut oil hair mask
In winter, our locks often feel dried out and rough, so freshen them up with a cheap at-home hair mask. Apply coconut oil to your roots and massage it in thoroughly, combing it through the lengths with your fingers or a comb. Leave it in for 15 minutes then wash out. You’ll need to experiment with quantity and roots versus tips application depending on your hair length, thickness, and oiliness. As it’s coconut oil (which is, well, oily), it can take two shampoos to work out of your hair. Try the treatment once a week for soft and hydrated hair with no nasty chemicals!
25) Five minute braid waves
Love the look of braid waves but don’t have the time or patience? Skip the overnight session and simply flat iron your hair in braids. Apply the straighteners to each braid from the top to the bottom, holding them down for a few seconds along the way. Allow your hair to cool completely, then remove the braids for super quick braid waves.
26) Tame baby hairs
Pulling your hair up and out of your face is a great feeling, but those pesky baby hairs and flyaways can ruin both the feel and the look. Use an old toothbrush to keep them in place by spraying it with a little hairspray. Gently brush in the direction of your hair to smooth and keep them down.
27) Brush your hair the right way
Do you brush your hair from root tip? Then it’s likely you’re causing a lot of unnecessary damage to your locks. Every time you hit a tangle or knot and drag it all the way down, you’re exerting major pressure to your roots and scalp and damaging your hair. Instead, start from the bottom and work your way up, brushing downwards a couple of inches at a time. When you reach the roots, it’ll be a smooth journey all the way down.
28) Cold water, shiny hair
After washing your hair in the shower, give your hair a rinse with cold water for extra shine. The hot water opens the hair cuticles, while the cold water closes them again, meaning that your hair will lie flat and smooth instead of puffy.
29) Cold blowdry
If you’re going to blowdry your hair and open up those cuticles again, switch the hairdryer to cold at the end to close them up. Aim the hairdryer downwards and go over your hair with the cold air, locking in the moisture, giving your hair extra shine, and helping set your style. It’s also a good idea to do this after you’ve used curling tongs or straighteners on your hair.
30) Smooth frizz and flyaways
Do you often get frizzy bits of hair and flyaways that are hard to control? Take a simply dryer sheet and smooth down your hair to reduce frizz and static and keep your hair in one place.
31) Baby powder dry shampoo
No need to spend your precious pennies on dry shampoo when you probably have some baby powder in your bathroom cupboard. Just sprinkle a little in your roots by your part and work through with your fingers until you can’t see it anymore.
32) DIY dry shampoo
If you want to make your own dry shampoo from all natural ingredients, you just need corn starch, rice flour, arrowroot powder, with optional essential oils for a nice fragrance, and cocoa powder if you have darker hair. Mix together the powders and add in a few drops of your favorite scent. Shake onto the roots of hair and work through with your fingers.
33) Trim your split ends
If your ends are in need of a trim but you’re not due for a full hair appointment yet (or you want to save a little money, no judgment), use this DIY hair trim trick. Taking sections of hair at a time, twist the hair until taut and then trim away at the ends that stick out from the section. It might be a good idea to ask a friend to do the back sections for you.
34) Shampoo and conditioner bars
It might seem like the opposite of cheap, but shampoo and conditioner bars will save you in the long run. They are plastic free and environmentally friendly, as well as usually all natural in ingredients. At around $11 a bar, they might seem expensive, but the average bar lasts around three to six months.
35) Twist and pin bun
For a quick updo you can fix on your way to work, all you need is a hair tie and some pins. Put your hair into a high ponytail and divide the hair into two sections. Twist each section tightly (you might need to hold one in your mouth), then wrap the sections around to form a bun, then pin into place.
36) Five minute beach waves
This is a super quick way to get ready when you don’t have a lot of time. Split your hair into two (or more if your hair is thick), then twist away from the face and clamp with a flat iron for a few seconds, working your way down the hair. Allow your hair to cool fully, then separate gently with your fingers.
37) No heat curls
For big, bouncy, long lasting curls, try this one on wet hair before bed. Take an elastic headband and place it around your head on top of your hair. Starting at one side, wrap a small section of hair around the band, grabbing a new section and continuing all the way around. Add a few pins to secure, then head off to bed. In the morning, unpin and gently unravel to reveal big curls. Separate gently with your fingers or a wide toothed comb.
38) No heat beach waves
For looser, beachy waves, this couldn’t be any simpler. Section your hair into two parts and twist each section until you form a bun. Secure in place with a hair tie, then leave for several hours. You can experiment with more or fewer buns, wet and dry hair, and different lengths of time depending on your hair and the results you want.
39) Loose curls in five minutes
Want large bouncy curls but don’t have the time? Put your hair into a high ponytail and, using a curling tong, curl 2-3 sections of the ponytail. Leave your hair to cool, then remove the ponytail for quick, loose curls in five minutes!
40) DIY hair donut
Create your own hair donut from a pair of old socks. Simply cut the toes off the socks, put one sock inside the other, then roll outwards from the toes until you get a donut shape. To use on your hair, put the donut onto a ponytail, then wrap the hair around it and pin.
41) Re-use ruined tights
Your snagged, holey tights may have another life yet. Save your old stockings for those moments of thigh chafing – or chub rub – in summer months when you want to go bare legged. Cut the legs off and re-use the top part so you can enjoy the sun on your skin without any upper leg discomfort.
42) Fix a run in tights
Sometimes a run in your tights is the end of them, but sometimes it’s not. If the hole is somewhere manageable, make sure the run doesn’t continue by applying clear nail polish around the edges. Let it dry then pop them back on and continue your day.
43) Get rid of pilling on clothes
Pilling on clothes can look unsightly and unprofessional, but you don’t need to rush out and buy a special pill remover when you have a razor at home. Using an old razor or razor with a dull blade, run it along the fabric where the pilling is to gently remove the extra clumps. The blade will be gentle enough to remove the fuzz without damaging the material.
44) Fix broken lipstick
How often does a lipstick break when it’s barely been used? Fix it back together with this easy trick. Using a lighter, heat the broken ends until slightly melted. Then use your finger to meld the two back together (it will get a bit messy). Once molded back into place, put it in the freezer for ten minutes to set, then voila!
45) Peel away excess nail polish
Get a salon-worthy nail polish job with the help of school favorite Elmer’s white glue. Apply the glue to the skin around your cuticle, where the mess usually happens. Let dry then paint your nails as normal. Then, simply peel away the glue along with any rogue nail polish for a flawless paint job.
46) Make perfume last
When you splash out on your favorite perfume, you want it to last. But it’s likely you’re only applying it to your wrists before leaving for the day, when there are many other pulse points to consider. Spritz behind your ears, inside your elbows, behind your knees, and at the base of your neck for a long-lasting effect.
47) Get a racerback bra in seconds
Got a racerback top and no corresponding bra? Turn your regular bra into a racerback by loosening the straps generously, then pinning together with a large, sturdy paperclip.
48) Fix broken eyeshadow
Once your eyeshadow gets a dreaded crack in it, it’s usually the beginning of the end. But with a little rubbing alcohol and a compressor, it can be saved. Break the powder up completely with a pencil, then add a drop or two of rubbing alcohol. Mix together a little, then using a clean cloth and a coin roughly the same size as the eyeshadow pallette, press down for around 30 seconds. This will reset the powder.
49) Coconut oil hand lotion
Did you realize there were quite so many uses for coconut oil? Coconut oil is a fantastic moisturizer, so scoop some up into a small tin or tub and carry it around with you for an on-the-go hand lotion during those cold, dry months.
50) Vinegar foot soak
It might seem like putting your feet in vinegar is counter-productive, but ACV (apple cider vinegar) is another one of those multipurpose natural ingredients. Mix one part ACV with two parts water (hot or cold) and soak your feet for 10-15 minutes. ACV has exfoliating and odor-neutralizing qualities that will leave your feet refreshed and soft afterward.
There are tons of little tips and tricks you can find from everyday household objects mixed with a little creativity. Perhaps some of these hacks will become part of your daily routine. What are some of your favorite hacks?
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