5 Tips for Looking Good on a Budget

With the economy on the slide, and prices going up, beauty products may seem like an unnecessary expense. However, don’t worry that you have to ditch them altogether - perish the thought! - there are plenty of cost effective ways to look good without spending a fortune. Here are my top five, but stay tuned for more.

1) Don’t feel pressured into buying expensive brands of moisturiser in the belief that they will make you look twenty years younger, the chances are they won’t. Cheaper, own brand makes may not look as good, but will be just as effective. You could even try baby lotion which has the advantage of being formulated for delicate skin, so is less likely to cause a adverse reaction.

2) That old tip about cucumber slices as eye compresses actually works. And there are numerous other beauty treatments that can be made using products found in your kitchen. Banana makes a good face-pack, and oatmeal a great exfoliant. A quick search of your favourite search engine will turn up plenty of sites featuring recipes for home-made beauty products.

3) Vaseline may have a slightly unsavoury reputation, but it should be a permanent fixture in your make-up kit. Use it to shape eyebrows, mix it with lipstick to create lipgloss, or dab on as a night cream. Buy the version made for babies, if you find the regular stuff too greasy.

4) Shaving gels have become popular in recent years, which is no surprise, because lathering up with soap and water frequently lead to dry skin. However, hair conditioner makes a much cheaper alternative, and leaves your skin feeling silky smooth.

5) Back to the baby products - you could spend a tidy sum on a make-up removal cream or pads, or you could use wet wipes, which are just as effective, but kinder on the skin.