Beauty on a Budget

The area of skincare and makeup is probably where I save the most money, namely I spend next to nothing on it. How?

Well, here are my "secrets:"

1) Develop healthy lifestyle habits. I know, I know, just what you all wanted to hear, right? But I really think that what we put into our mouths affects our skin and appearance in a big way. Not only does overeating cause obesity, so putting vast amounts of artificial flavorings and chemicals and eating an unhealthy, unbalanced diet will eventually start to show itself in our outward appearance. So, eat a balanced diet with ample whole grains and fruits and vegetables, drink plenty of water, kick the caffeine addiction, exercise at least a few times a week, get enough rest, and avoid stress. You'll be healthier for it and you'll look healthier and more radiant for it as well.

2) Keep it simple. I think this is my all-time life mantra, but it makes my life so much more, well, simplified. In my beauty and skincare, I've found that simple means wearing the same color and kind of makeup everyday. For some of you this might seem really boring, but do you know how much time and effort it saves? I also try to keep "putting on my face" to under two minutes or less. I rotate washing my face with soap and water and with facial scrubs (my favorites are the St. Ives scrubs). I do this as part of my shower routine. Then, I stick to very simple makeup - foundation, blush, shimmering eye cream (I love this stuff!), eye shadow (I only use one color instead of messing with the whole three-tone thing.), lipstick, and lip gloss. If I'm really in a rush, I can just do foundation, blush, eye cream, and lip gloss.

My advice is to find out what works for you and stick with it. Instead of spending time and money trying out lots of different things, if you've got something good going, don't change it.