Are you a beauty on a budget?

You’re a student and money is tight.

You’re building your emergency fund. (That was me last year)

You’re about to buy a car or house or make some other major investment.

You’re temporarily unemployed.

Regardless of your current circumstance, you don’t need to sacrifice your beauty due to money constraints. I’ve been through spurts of financial challenges where I’ve had to become resourceful without sacrificing beauty.

As the old adage goes, ‘necessity is the mother of invention.’ Tight budgets are just opportunities to create and to discover.

The 2 main keys for maintaining your beauty on a budget are:

1) Using products that you already have.

2) Buy products which provide multiple uses throughout the home.

There are countless money-saving beauty tips for any woman. Below, I’ll just list 8 money-saving tips that I’ve used when my budget was tight:

‘Beauty on a Budget’ Tip 1: Baking soda as an exfoliator

Most homes have baking soda. You use it to bake; to clean your bathrooms; to clean your vegetables; and to absorb strong scents in your refrigerator (just to name a few).

To add to this awesome list of uses, baking soda can also be a great exfoliator. Just add a little to your facial cleanser and you’re good to go. Then, gently exfoliate your face. We should not be harsh with our faces.

‘Beauty on a Budget’ Tip 2: Aloe vera as a mask

If I had to choose only one plant to own, it would definitely be an aloe vera plant. It’s a household plant (or a garden plant) in many homes in the Tropics. An ‘aloes’ plant will serve many purposes. Some persons like its aesthetic appeal, while others use it for internal and external health benefits. For me, I find that it does wonders for my face. Here’s how I use it…

Remove the outer green ‘skin’ of the leaf to access the gel part. Then, use the slimy part of the gel on your face. I have found it particularly useful to combat acne. Before I go to bed, I usually apply it onto my clean face and then I wash my face (again) in the morning.

Warning: If your skin is very sensitive, test it on a small section of your skin before applying it to a larger area. In that way, you will discover any allergic reaction to the aloe vera.

The store-bought refined aloe vera gel can act as a substitute for your makeup base. I tried it recently and it worked extremely well. Maybe I’ll just replace my makeup base with this gel altogether. I’ll be saving heaps!

‘Beauty on a Budget’ Tip 3: Honey for a flawless complexion

Depending on where you live, honey could either be cheap or expensive. Honey has countless uses. Several years ago, when I returned to my home country after three years, my body’s response was a breakout. I was stressed because of the changes.

Then I began using a mixture of honey and lemon which helped to restore my face to its former glory. You can also apply honey without the lemon. When you’re doing household chores, you can apply honey on your face.

‘Beauty on a Budget’ Tip 4: Cocoa butter as a scar remover

When I was a teenager, I was plagued with the dreaded Chickenpox (known medically as Varicella). Unfortunately for me, my skin scars easily and I was left with dozens of blemishes. My face was a sight to behold, but not a pretty one.

Cocoa butter came to the rescue! It probably took about two months to notice the marks fading. But they slowly but surely became a thing of the past. You could imagine how grateful I was in those self-conscious years.

Raw cocoa butter could be purchased cheaply. I usually purchase cocoa butter blocks in a local beauty supply store. It can also be used to prevent dry skin and to heal chapped lips. Due to its oily nature and strong scent, I apply it at nights.

‘Beauty on a Budget’ Tip 5: Vicks VapoRub to prevent acne inflammation

I recall as a little girl, my mother would apply Vicks VapoRub on my chest, back and forehead whenever a cold had took over my little body. Our home always had a bottle of Vicks VapoRub in our medicine cabinet. Now, it has found its way among my beauty products.

Whenever I see an acne appearing, I apply Vicks VapoRub on the spot. I find that it prevents the acne from becoming inflamed.

‘Beauty on a Budget’ Tip 6: Apple Cider Vinegar and baking soda as a spot treatment

Three weeks before my wedding day, I had a facial done by an aesthetician. She observed my acne scars and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, so she advised me to apply a paste made with Apple cider vinegar and baking soda on my marks for ten minutes daily. Sadly to say, it did not happen. I was just too busy at the time. However, I’ve been doing it now. Together with the cocoa butter at nights, I have seen a visible reduction in both the acne scars and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation .

Before I have my morning devotional times with God, I apply it on my face. While I converse with God, my face is being pampered. I only plan to use this paste from time to time as the need exists.

‘Beauty on a Budget’ Tip 7: Coconut oil … a miracle oil

You can’t go wrong with having coconut oil in your cupboard. It can be used to remove makeup; to moisturize your skin; to shave; to steam your hair; and of course, to cook. My mother adds it to her hot chocolate drink. With so many uses, it’ll be worth purchasing a large bottle. Try not to don’t skimp on quality.

‘Beauty on a Budget’ Tip 8: Get every drop out!

When you’re on a tight budget, you can’t afford wastage. Every drop of your product counts! I try to ‘milk’ every bottle. Some covers are flat. You can simply tilt the bottle upside down so that gravity does the work for you in releasing every drop.

However, some bottles cannot stand without the extra support. I purchased two Big Foot Bottle Emptiers many years ago and they still serve me well. Unfortunately, I don’t think that they are being manufactured anymore.

But don’t despair, alternatives are here.

Last Drop Bottle Emptier & Drainer

Zero Waste Cap

Flip-It Bottle Emptying Kit for Bath and Beauty

BONUS: Water, water, water…for everything (nearly)

Well, I couldn’t leave this one out. It’s cheap, generally plentiful, and improves your skin. If you really want beautiful skin, you cannot skip this step. You’ve got to drink lots of water to continually cleanse and hydrate your body.

During my undergraduate years, drinking water was irregular until my mother gave me an article about all the benefits of drinking water. Afterward, I was determined to make it a habit.

I gradually began to reduce my consumption of sugar-filled drinks and replace with water. And guess what …. I actually began loving water! We can train ourselves to do just about anything. God, our intelligent designer, made us with that awesome ability.

I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well. Psalm 139:14

Final Thoughts

You can try some of the above money–saving ‘beauty on a budget’ tips. Remember, you can use what you already have and/or invest in items that offer multiple uses like baking soda, an aloe vera plant (or gel), honey, cocoa butter, Vicks VapoRub, apple cider vinegar, and coconut oil. A bottle emptier is also a worthwhile investment.

These are tips that have working for me, but each person’s body is unique. What might work for me, may not necessarily work for you and vice versa.

If you choose to try any of the above, you do so at your own risk. I would also advise testing in a small area first to prevent any serious allergic reactions. But don’t skip drinking water though:)

What other beauty on a budget ideas have you personally used in your beauty regimen? I’d love to hear your ‘Beauty on a Budget’ money-saving tips and tricks.

If you haven’t already, check out the related article in the Pretty Single Series “Beauty in a Minute | 8 Quick Tips.”

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With love,

Kimberly

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