Looking gorgeous every day is what any woman wants but, like all things in life, it comes at a price. Unless you have unlimited funds, you’ll probably have to make choices you don’t want to make when it comes to clothes and makeup. There are, however, tips and tricks you can use to save money on both. Here are some of them:
1. Prolong the life of your mascaraMascara is a must for any beauty-conscious lady. To make it last longer, add a few drops of saline solution (contact lense wearers use it) in the bottle to make it look as good as new. Also, if it’s started to dry up and look clumpy, put the bottle in a cup of hot water for a couple of minutes.2. Save some money on makeup remover
Instead of spending money on pricey, branded makeup removers simply use a no-tears baby shampoo or baby oil (or you can also use such natural oils as olive oil, coconut oil or sweet almond oil). These products are gentle on the skin and just as effective as the branded products. Plus, if you use the baby oil, you wont’ need additional moisturising after removing your makeup.
3. Long lasting bronzer trick
To get more out of your liquid bronzer, buy a shade that’s a bit darker than you usually use, then mix it with some kind of moisturiser. This will get you the shade you want and it will make it last much longer. You can also get a few shades by adding different amounts of moisturiser.
4. Save on shampoo
Unless you live and work in a very polluted city, you don’t have to wash your hair every day. Washing it less frequently will do it good, as overwashing messes up the production of oils that keep it healthy and your scalp glands start producing oils excessively to compensate. Once every three days or every other day should suffice.
5. Multitasking Coconut oil
Coconut oil is a great multifunctional substance. So here is another one of best money saving tips: instead of buying lip balm, heel softener and makeup remover separately – and more expensively – get yourself a jar of Coconut oil and use it for all three things. You might be surprised with the results.
6. Brush, not sponge
Applying liquid foundation with a makeup sponge is a wasteful practice, as the sponge absorbs some of the foundation. Using a brush or even a cotton pad instead will give you the amount your face needs with much less waste, so the foundation will last longer.
7. Use up your lipstick
You can easily combine a few remaining lipstick shades to make a new one, using them more effectively. How? Cut them off, melt in the microwave, then put them in a suitable container and apply like lip balm. Lipsticks are mostly made from a type of wax, so you can experiment with colours easily.
8. Choose your fabrics wisely
When shopping for clothes, take note of the fabric – sensitive ones like silk and wool require frequent maintenance at the dry cleaner’s, so even if you get the item with a discount, the ongoing costs will make it much more costly in the long run.
9. Supermarket bargains
We don’t usually think about clothes and supermarkets in the same sentence but many offer some pretty good bargains. You just need to keep an eye on them. By pretty good bargains we mean a good ratio between quality, style and price, of course.
10. Buy in bulk
Whenever you come across an item with the design and colour that you need, at a reasonable price, make sure you get more than one, just in case, and for colour variety reasons. After all, it may shrink in the washing machine, you can’t know this in advance.
11. Treasure hunting in second-hand shops
We suppose you know it but it bears repeating. Second-hand shops are a great way to find a unique item of clothing cheaply. Of course, it also takes a bit of luck but finding like-new quality clothes in thrift shops happens more often than you may think.
12. Get rid of what you don’t wear
There are hundreds of websites where you can offer for sale clothes you no longer want to wear. That’s especially suitable for those among us who feel the urge to completely change their wardrobe every season. Get a deal out of your old, or not so old, clothes.
13. Be caring
If you take good care of your clothes, they will last you for years and years (provided they’re made from quality fabrics). So, make sure you wash them as instructions say on the label and don’t iron them unless you really have to.
14. Out-of-season shopping
While it’s true that you may not be fully aware of what you will want for the next spring season, shopping out of season can get you quality stuff at discount prices. If you think about it, unless you’re a blind follower of fashion fads, you’ll be pretty clear what boots you’d like for next winter.
15. Accessorise your way to elegance
With the right accessory, one dress can become several different outfits. Invest some money in things like scarves, jewellery, and belts, to combine as you like for different occasions. Accessories are as a rule longer-lasting than clothes, and they’re low on maintenance as well.
What are your best money saving tips?
Stay happy!
