Everyday Beauty Products for Cheap

Being beautiful is too darn expensive.  There.  I said it.  Phew!  Feels good to get that out there!  Now, how to solve this dilemma.  I am a woman.  I want to feel beautiful.  Stores know this, so they put their most amazing, and most expensive, products on that end cap that they just know I will walk by every time I walk in the store.  I turned to the clearance racks, until I realized I had tiny tubes of useless products lining the floor of my linen closet.  I recently went through that linen closet and threw almost all of it out.  The lip gloss wasn't my color, the moisturizer was too slimy, and the hair gel made my ends frizz.  I didn't use it, so I didn't need it.

After my total linen closet overhaul, I was left with toothpaste, a bottle of moisturizer, and some Q-tips.  I didn't want to blow my cash-only grocery allowance on beauty products, so I did what I do best:  I made my own.

Below are some homemade beauty techniques I tried and loved, and also some that just weren't for me.  Everyone has their beauty priorities, so you may find they are not all for you either.  Though, I highly recommend giving each one a shot, at least for two weeks.  If you hate it, then move on.  If you love it, bonus!

Love it and am currently using it:

• Facial cleanser.  I start with this one because it is by far my favorite.  The recipe is simple:  equal parts olive oil and castor oil.  Rub a dime sized amount all over your face and let it sit for 2 minutes.  Gently massage your face with a damp wash cloth or paper towel.  Rinse with cool water.  No more clogged pores.  No more acne.  No more oily spots.  No more harsh alcohol facial cleansers or gooey grimy moisturizers.  Just sheer, glowing, touchably soft beauty.  My husband even started using this combo, especially as an aftershave.  He rants about it as much as I do.  If you try only one idea on this list, try this one! 
• Oatmeal yogurt face mask.  1 Tbsp. oatmeal (quick cooking), 1 Tbsp. live yogurt, and a couple drops of honey.  Add the yogurt to the oatmeal.  Warm the honey and stir in.  Apply to your face and leave on for 10 minutes.  Wipe off with a washcloth.  It's great to do while you are soaking in the bathtub.  This mask will absorb excess oils in your pores while exfoliating your skin.  I like to use vanilla flavored yogurt for the relaxing scent, but any will do.
• Tea bags on your eyes.  I'm sure you've heard this one a million times before.  It is so simple and I really enjoy it.  The caffeine in the tea reduces the swelling that causes the tired look around our eyes.  Also, the warmth on the eyes can be a relaxing way to help alleviate headaches.  Not to mention, you can enjoy a cup of tea at the same time!
• Olive oil leave-in conditioner. Just rub a little pure olive oil in your palms and scrunch the ends of your hair.  It will protect your hair from split ends, add shine, and make your hair feel extremely soft.

Worked but wasn't a big fan of:

• Homemade shampoo.  Mix 1 Tbsp. baking soda with 1 cup of water.  Massage the mixture into your roots.  Rinse.  The baking soda absorbs the oils in your hair without damaging it.  The upside?  It worked.  My hair definitely felt clean.  The downside?  No added benefits.  Most shampoos moisturize, clarify, colortreat, or do many other amazing scientific wonders to our strands.  This mixture just cleans.  My hair felt a little lifeless, but I still recommend giving it a shot for a couple of weeks.  Everyone's hair is different.
• Homemade conditioner. Mix 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar with 1 cup of water.  Massage all over hair.  Leave in for one minute.  Rinse.  The vinegar adds shine to your hair without causing breakage or harsh drying like alcohol-based conditioners.  Pros:  My hair was shiny.  It didn't feel harsh or cause any damage.  Just pure sheen.  Cons:  Pure sheen on lifeless locks.  No volumizing, moisturizing, detanglizing neat stuff.  Just shiny flat hair.  Again, try it.  Your hair may respond very well to this treatment.
• Vinegar facial cleanser.  Just rub apple cider vinegar all over your face and let dry.  This is supposed to cleanse and exfoliate the skin.  You can then follow with a moisturizer or pure olive oil to add the nutrients back in.  I really did find this method worked.  My skin was incredibly soft and clean and I didn't have any breakouts.  The only reason I stopped using this technique was because I found the olive oil/castor oil mixture mentioned above offered better results.
• Teeth cleaning regimen. Sprinkle some baking soda on top of your toothpaste.  It will act as a gentle abrasive to help whiten your teeth.  Instead of mouthwash, use one capful of hydrogen peroxide in a half cup of water.  Swish around just like mouthwash and spit.  The bubbly effect cleans around your gums and also acts as a gentle teeth whitener.  Some people swear by this method.  I think it worked great in that my teeth were whiter and felt clean.  However, I have "soft" teeth, which essentially means they are extremely sensitive and hurt all the time.  This method just made my teeth even more sensitive so I had to stop using it.  If sensitivity is not a problem for you, I highly recommend this regimen.

For more great tips, check out: Deborah Jean's Dandelion House