For chapped, dry hands, mix equal parts Eucerin cream and generic hydrocortosone cream. They sell generic Eucerin, but it’s not as smooth and spreadable, IMO.
If you want your hair to look really nice, don’t wash it the day before your date. Or get on the treadmill and work up a good sweat the morning of your date. Wash it a few hours before your date with shampoo only. I don’t know why this works so well, maybe it’s the extra oil in your hair, but it never fails. I prefer Head & Shoulders for some odd reason, even though I don’t have dandruff.
Lots of my friends swear by aspirin masks for their skin…I bought a bottle of aspirin and have been meaning to try it but never got around to doing it. If you want to try, this is what you do:
Take some (5-10?) uncoated aspirin and crush them. Dissolve in water. (Some folks use witch hazel or aloe instead.) Put mixture onto face and let dry. Wash off. You can jar the extra and save for later.
White sugar is not at all a bad exfoliator in a pinch.
When you have a cold, dab some clear lip balm (or just Vaseline, I suppose…most lip balm is colored/flavored petroleum jelly) on the little place between your nose and mouth so it won’t get red and raw.
Petroleum jelly for shaving below the armpits but above the legs. And no, don’t say “the ribcage?” or I’ll smack you. Use a cheapo disposable razor and only a very thin layer of petroleum jelly. (This seems counterintuitive, but I promise it’s true…a thick layer prevents you from getting a close shave, plus it glops everywhere.) I can get through a shave without needing to rinse the razor, but when you need to, rinse it with a high-pressure stream of very hot water to get all the petroleum jelly off. Then give yourself a good scrub with lots of soap and a loofah/bath puff. This is the only thing that has ever kept me from bleeding like a stuck pig when I shave.
This isn’t all that cheap, but buy some facial cleansing cloths if you wear makeup and if at the end of the day you’re so tired that you just say “Ah, the heck with it” and fall into bed without washing your face. You should wash your face! Don’t sleep with makeup on! Facial cleansing cloths make it very easy and quick, and you can buy thirty of the generic Wal-Mart brand for something like five bucks.
Eh. General cleansing purposes? Makes your skin look better? Aspirin is acetylsalycylic acid; salycylic acid and benzoyl peroxide seem to be some of the main ingredients in OTC acne treatment, so perhaps it has some effect on blemishes as well.
Egads, I should mention: DON’T use if you’re sensitive to salycylic acid or are pregnant/trying to get pregnant.
My S/O uses first aid tape every night on all the areas that are prone to wrinkling. Though it looks kinda funny (in an Apache warrior kinda way) - I’ve yet to see so much as one crow’s foot.
Salt and olive oil (don’t bother with more expensive “extra virgin” oils, it doesn’t really make a difference for this purpose) makes a really, really good scrub for dry hands and feet. Mix some together in a bowl - I like the mix to be thinner than the scrubs they sell for $20 in bath stores, it spreads around more easiler, but YMMV. I also like to microwave it so it’s very warm (careful, it heats up quickly). It seems to help the oil seep in better, and also it just feels really good.
Olive oil in general is a great beauty product. I use it as a deep conditioner - I heat up some, rub it into my hair and scalp, and sit around in a shower cap with a hot towel over the whole thing. Again, the heat helps with absorption. My mom does the same thing on her feet - she heats the oil, rubs it in, then puts plastic baggies or saran wrap and cottong socks on them. She looks funny, but I guess it works. I don’t do it b/c my feet dont’ get that dry. You can also just rub some into your feet and wear white cotton socks to be. The socks keep the moisture on your feet, and keep them warm to help absorb. I’m not sure why they have to be white cotton, but that’s what I’ve read, and it’s what I use.
If you have dry skin (my legs get dry), put some petroleum jelly on the dry areas BEFORE you get in the shower. Don’t actively wash it off, just let the water naturally rinse some of it away. When you get out, you’ll be softer, but not greasy.
Cheapest beauty tip of all: go to the library and get **Paula Begoun’s ** books. Read them and compile a list of products to try that meet your personal needs, yet fall at the bottom of the price spectrum (hint: don’t buy from La Mer!)
Important (and cheap!) things I learned from this research:
[ul][li]Wear sunscreen with titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, or avobenzone (not oxybenzone), also known as Parsol-1789*[]Don’t put anything on your skin that irritates it, unless there is a good reason such as sunscreen or disinfecting acne-prone areas. (And I imagine this applies to sticking on and ripping off first aid tape every day - sounds like a prescription for wrinkles, not a solution! :eek: )[]Fragrance is great for perfumes. In skin care products, it’s just a useless irritant.[]Essential oils sound earthy crunchy and beneficial, but they’re also just major irritants and light sensitizers, for the most part[]Conversely, mineral oil and petroleum jelly can be really good for your skin, and don’t do any of the nasty things my massage therapist claimed, like sucking moisture out of your skin[]99% of what companies claim is crap, and the FDA doesn’t regulate cosmetics advertising claims[]Wear sunscreen (yeah, it’s that important - and it should be obvious that “don’t tan” is a corollary)[/ul][/li]*these ingredients are the only ones that effectively block UVA rays, which are what cause wrinkles and skin cancer. The other SPF ingredients prevent tanning/burning, but they don’t prevent cellular damage.
Aloe vera gel makes a great moisturizer. I use Fruit of the Earth 100% aloe vera gel, which comes in a 32 oz. bottle. Not only is it the only thing I use on sunburned skin (which I don’t get as often as I used to since I started using sunscreen as I should), it makes my rough spots all smooth. Even my hellish elbows. It’s also great to use right after shaving. You can even use it for hair gel, too, though I only do in emergencies.
New York Color makes great mascaras, and IIRC they’re less than three dollars each.
Not only should you always wear a moisturizer with sunscreen on your face, don’t forget your lips and hands. My hands are starting to look old long before my face because I neglected this step for years. I’m now just trying to hold it off. Wear sunglasses, too. They don’t have to be expensive ones. The pair I’m wearing these days cost twelve dollars, and they’re wraparound so that the sun doesn’t sneak in on the sides.
I like to use liquid glycerin for dry skin. You can get the generic brand at the drugstore in the first aid section. I recommended it to someone and he said it is even helping him get relief from his eczema. I notice that if I put it on after shaving my legs, I don’t suffer razor burn.
Plenty of water. Rehydrate from inside. I’m partial to herbal iced tea (Celestial Seasons, usually) made easy by a Mr. Coffee Iced tea maker, and carried to work in a $1.29 plastic jug from Walgreen’s. More often than not, I’m thirsty, not hungy. Just don’t stoke up on liquids before you eat. It dilutes the stomach acid needed for digestion.
A hard pumice stone–under $5–for keeping feet, elbows, etc. smooth. Don’t buy a frilly, expensive one shaped like dolphin but crumbles to gravel the first time it’s used.
For the body, inexpensive moisturizers. Eucerin, Aveeno, etc. are fine. Nothing is gonna magically remove cellulite or firm up anything. They just keep skin supple. In winter I prefer clunky old Bag Balm or Aveeno. In summer, plain olive oil–forget the expensive EVOO–mixed with aloe vera gel. Slick on after showering.
Make up: less is more; subtlety rules. If anybody notices you’re wearing it, it’s wrong–unless you aimed at a deliberate statement, like three-tone purple eye shadow, cartoon lip liner and Elvira/goth shadows. Pick neutrals that complement your skin, then use them sparingly. Cheap is just fine. I’ve never yet discovered a significant difference between wildly expensive brands and routine drug store brands. None of 'em should be used for more than 6 months or so anyway, and they’re all basically tints/shades bound in a delivery medium.
Another vote for Aveeno products here. I use their Postively Radiant lotion, moisturizer with sunscreen, and exfoliating facial scrub. I also use their Postively Smooth shaving gel and aftershave lotion. They have soy, so the hair doesn’t grow back as quickly. I swear by CoverGirl makeup.
A quick and cheap way to have shiny hair is to rinse your hair in diluted vinegar in between the shampoo and conditioner stage. The vinegar will take all the buildup (including shampoo and styling products) out of your hair and leave it shiny. You will not smell the diluted vinegar, but the “hair critters” do, and they don’t like it (I grew up in an area with a high migrant population, so this was good to know). I would not recommend this for color treated hair, though.
Wow! These are some great tips. I’ve got a couple:
Unless you’re 16 years old, work in a coal mine, and don’t wash your hair more than once a week, don’t wash your hair with shampoo more than twice a week. I rinse my hair every day, and “wash” every other day with a cheap conditioner such as Tresemme, Suave, etc. and my hair isn’t brittle or dry any more. I use shampoo in the morning on one workday and don’t use shampoo again until Saturday. I’ve tried expensive shampoos and I find that L’Oreal, Garnier Fructis, Dove work fine. If I need frizz control, I use L’Oreal Smooth Intense Conditioner for Women of Color (I’m white). It’s miraculous how smooth and hydrated my hair becomes.
Don’t be afraid to try products marketed to different ethnic groups. As noted above, I’m white and I use conditioners marketed to black women. I was afraid to at first because I thought they’d grease up my hair but I find my hair is hydrated, shiny, and frizz-free. I use lip gloss from Black Opal because the colors are rich and intense and have real staying power.
Use your cheap favorite body grease. Olive oil, Baby oil, Vaseline, or high priced hand cream. Whatever you like or are willing to pay for.
But, do it like this. Immediately after your shower, before drying off, put a small puddle of the stuff in a damp white cotton washcloth. Rub everywhere, starting with the driest places. Use more if you really must, but you probably don’t really need to. Now use a small white cotton hand towel, and dry yourself off fairly well, but don’t try real hard.
Now, do your regular hair and makeup stuff nekkid, and let your body air dry the rest of the way. It leaves a nice sheen, but no slippery feel, and it won’t stain your clothes unless you really went wild on the amount.
Oh, by the way, wash that washcloth/handtowel really well, with bleach, and dry to very dry in a hot drier in between uses. (get a dozen, and keep them seperate.) Helps keep down bacteria count, which will help with acne, and other skin lesions.
The vat of sugar & olive oil recommended above ( refered to at my house as Sand in a Can) is most excellent and cheap. However, it does make the shower floor slippery.
Olive Oil rubbed into your dry scalp and then washed out as regular is a great way to get rid of extra build of of products. (there is a japanese company whose name escapes me at the moment who have been flooding my mailbox lately that touts olive oil moisturizer and their is $24 a bottle. And it is the same stuff at the store…I was a fool once.)
I would like to second Paula Begoun and her works. Highly informative. A must for every teenager and woman to read. Her website is great too.
cotton gloves on your hands at night with a moisterizer on them works wonders.
A Well defined eye brow does wonders for the face.
Sunscreen daily on face, arms, neck and hands (especially the left side of you , your driving arm.) keep sunscreen in the car to cover your hand and arm, even local driving. I have more sun damage on my left arm/hand than right.
I have only just spotted New York Pro Makeup and liked the colors and prices of the lipsticks. Anyone every try them? Lipbalm with sunscreen is not only very important daily, it is a life long addiciton.
Remember that this varies depending on your hair type. Granted, I wash my hair about 3 times a week, maybe 4, so I’m more on your side of the fence than the “shampoo daily” crowd. But my hair is stick straight and very fine (I have a lot of individual hairs but each hair is very thin) and if I just shampooed twice a week, you could see my hair clumping together in greasy sections. And I never, ever can use conditioner on my scalp area. Ugh. It makes what I described above look like freshly washed hair. People like me don’t even know what “frizz control” is (not literally) because that is something we never never never have to worry about.
But THIS:
I definitely agree with! When I fried my hair with over-dyeing my hair, the deep conditioners marketed towards black women did a better job than the hoity toity $24 a tub deep conditioner that my aunt bought me. I’m too pale for mst lip glosses etc from Black Opal and Black Radiance, but I have found some gorgeous eyeshadows (I don’t believe you always have to stick to neutrals; I like my eyes being colorful sometimes) and a wonderful deep purple eyeliner.
Fill up your sink with hot tap water (and a little peppermint oil or pepperment extract or something else of your choice if you’d like). Cover your face with a thin coat of vaseline. Wet a washcloth in the hot water, wring out very well, cover face. Let steam. Repeat a few times (the washclothes get cool quickly). Wipe off the vaseline with a kleenex.
The woman who waxes my brows (and gives profession facials, including to me once or twice a year) thinks I’m nuts, but admits my skin looks good.
I haven’t tried the lipsticks, but I just bought a mascara (lengthening) yesterday. I can never find a mascara I like that doesn’t clump on me, but this one doesn’t at all. It made my lashes nice and long, but not fake-y looking.
Also, I’ll second (or third) trying make-up and hair products made for other ethnicities. I’m very fair, but most of the “deep” colored products made by companies that cater primarily to caucasian women are too peach, or look bright pink instead of red. Black Opal makes deep colors that are actually red / purple, which is grea. Just because I’m white, doesn’t mean I look good in peach.
Also, many of the products marketed to younger women are good for anyone. Jane makes a lot of good, neutral and non-sparkly eye-shadows for cheap, as well as liners and lip-sticks. They’re cheap, and most of their products come in trial sizes so you’re not forced to buy a giant tube/bottle of something you’ll never use.
Use a cheapo disposable razor and only a very thin layer of petroleum jelly. (This seems counterintuitive, but I promise it’s true…a thick layer prevents you from getting a close shave, plus it glops everywhere.) I can get through a shave without needing to rinse the razor, but when you need to, rinse it with a high-pressure stream of very hot water to get all the petroleum jelly off. Then give yourself a good scrub with lots of soap and a loofah/bath puff. This is the only thing that has ever kept me from bleeding like a stuck pig when I shave.