Frugal February: Beauty on a Budget - pt. 2 DIY Beauty Fixes

Two blog posts back to back?! What is going on here; is it an alternate universe where I have more free time on my hands? As promised here is part two of yesterdays Beauty on a Budget post, I hope you all enjoyed some of my beauty bargain finds and if you try any of them out let me know in the comments below, I'd love to hear what you think about them! On a side note it is indeed true that I have more time on my hands right now so I will be committing myself to two posts a week so watch for new content every Monday and Friday, I have some blog ideas scribbled down in my journal but if there is anything you guys would particularly like to see please let me know! 

Top 5 DIY Beauty Fixes

1. Macaroon Lip Scrub 

1tbsp Coconut Oil

1 tbsp Brown Sugar

1/2 tsp Cacao Powder (or just regular cocoa powder if that's all you have on hand)

Scoop some coconut oil into a microwave safe container and heat for approx. 15 seconds, stir until completely melted if there are any solid bits left. Mix in cacao powder until smooth. Now you want to make sure the coconut oil has cooled enough that the brown sugar won't melt when added but remember the coconut oil will solidify when it's completely cooled off so don't forget about it! And then I scooped this into some empty tester cups I had left from MAC kicking around because lord knows I love me some testers!

I've tried numerous DIY lip scrubs using olive oil, honey, etc. and I found that they either taste disgusting when you get them in your mouth, and you will get them in your mouth, or they're not moisturizing enough and this one covers both those bases so scrub away dearies and if you get some in your mouth fret not because it tastes pretty damn great too! One last note on this lip scrub concoction; the coconut oil will return to it's solid state so you will have to warm the scrub up with your finger before you can apply it, I also like to let the scrub sit on my lips for a couple minutes after scrubbing to let the coconut oil do it's moisturizing business before wiping it away with a damp cloth (or just licking it off...). 

2. Deep Cleansing Shampoo 

First, before you say anything, I realize that Snow Fairy by Lush is a shower gel but when I first started buying it years ago it was marketed as a shower gel and shampoo and I will always use it that way no matter what anyone says! On a completely unrelated note if you use snow fairy as shampoo with American Cream Conditioner also by Lush your hair smells like Strawberry Shortcake, just saying....

ANYWAYS! I touched on the fact that I wash my hair like a cave man aka almost never in my last post but when I do wash my hair there is a lot of grease, dry shampoo, hair spray, etc. build up that has to go so that my locks are soft and boucy again. Once a week I add baking soda to my shampoo, 1:2 ratio of baking soda to shampoo, give it a good scrub making sure I really massage it into my scalp to get all the gunk out, I usually leave it to sit while I go about scrubbing the rest of my body and then rinse it out. This is usually followed by a lovely hair mask like the Coconut Oil one I mentioned in yesterdays post.

3. Breakfast for Your Face Mask

I love oatmeal so why shouldn't my face? This is a simple to make face mask that's very moisturizing, calming and super easy to make.

1/4 ground oatmeal (just throw your oatmeal into your Magic Bullet or other food processing gadget and lightly pulse)

2 tsp Honey

1/4 cup warm water

Stir all ingredients up in a bowl adding water as needed until you get a nice thin paste and then smear all over a freshly cleansed face. Leave on for 15 minutes, approximately the time it will take you to make a bowl of oatmeal and devour it, and then rinse with warm water and pat to dry.

4. Aromatherapy Soak at Home 

Life is hectic and we all need to unwind some time other wise we get sick, grumpy and our relationships, health and overall life suffers. I'm an avid bath taker, we're talking at least 3-4 nights a week. Nothing beats sinking into the hot water and letting your worries melt away while you sit back and relax with a book and a cup of tea. 

As you fill your tub with hot water swirl a handful of epsom salts into the water, add 10 drops of lavender essential oil and 1/2 cup of baking soda. Hop into your tub and enjoy a spa like experience in the comfort of your own home with no spa price tag attached to your happiness!

The epsom salts and baking soda are supposed to draw impurities out of your body while the lavender soothes you both mentally and physically, whether or not there's any toxins departing my body I couldn't tell you but it's such a relaxing soak and leaves me feeling pampered and serene.

5. Rice Paper Sheet Mask

I love Michelle Phan's YouTube channel and when she posted this video I immediately tried it out and had great results. She uses green tea in her mask but you could also just use warm water with a couple drops of whatever essential oils you like! 

And if that wasn't enough to satiate your DIY beauty fix click here for 30 things you can make at home; happy DIY-ing!

Frugal February: Beauty on a Budget - pt.1 Beauty Bargains

So after a two week trip to Europe, surprise vet bills - don't worry both the furballs are ok!, car troubles and saving up for my next tattoo appointment in a couple weeks; it's safe to say that funds are a little tight right now. I know everyone can feel my pain, we've all been there before but necessity fuels creativity, or so I keep telling myself... Whether you're on a student budget, your dog dramatically breaks a nail and needs sedation just to get it clipped (cue glance in Reece's direction) or you're just looking for some fun new things you can try around the house without needing to make a trip to the store, I give you my five favourites DIY beauty fixes, and some of my favourites beauty bargains for $5 or less. But first let's all take a moment to appreciate how adorable Reece looks still stoned from her emergency pedi...

Now! Onto why you're all really here- for the beauty! 

Top 5 Beauty Bargains for $5 or Less

Let's start with this little beauty, TonyMoly's Changing U Magic Foot Peeling Shoes now if you've read this review you'll know that I am not new to peeling foot masks and that the FaceQ mask left me feeling like I wanted more from it; well these little babies did everything the FaceQ masks did and more, and for only a fraction of the cost! You can get them on Amazon at the link above for roughly $10 including shipping but I've repeatedly purchased them off of Ebay for $5 and received free international shipping. A couple other things I love about these other than the low price point is that unlike the FaceQ booties these ones come with a little sticker closure so you can actually walk around in them, they have english instructions directly on the package in addition to the original Korean AND they tingle, I am all about the tingling. They do a better job of removing dead skin than the FaceQ one's and you don't need to apply a cream nightly. I do recommend a moisturizer morning and night however to prevent you poor tootsies from drying out, and socks too - none wants to watch your feet molt like snakes.

 

This next guy I mentioned in my January Drug Store Haul post last month and I'm still loving it! I'm actually loving it even more though because I purchased it back in January for something like $3 and I've used the same packet twice now and there's still a bit left, that's just how much comes in the little guy! I only shampoo my hair once a week - I know I'm filth right? but at least I take showers and baths daily- and this hair mask is perfect for a deep condition after a thorough hair washing. The first time I used it my co-workers were complimenting me on how shiny and voluminous my hair was and after demanding they pet my head to see how soft my hair was they were all begging for my secret, and my secret is this little wonder here. You can click here to locate the nearest store that sells Palmer's products.

 

Have you noticed I'm obsessed with asian skin care yet?! Well, here's another one for you! This brand was actually the first sheet mask I ever tried and what started this whole addiction and blog as well! After a girlfriend ranted about how amazing these little baddies were I scurried on down to TNT to pick some up to try. When I say these are economical we're talking $1 here people, you can't really get much cheaper unless it was free (which it might be, I'm not saying they're in the giveaway box but I'm also not not saying they are...) I picked mine up at TNT Asian Supermarket but you can also find them here for $10 for a box of ten. I've tried every variety in the line and the Royal Jelly is the best hands down, I used it one morning before getting ready and it actually broke my heart to put make up on my skin looked so nice; it was soft, it was plump, it was radiant and glowing and all kinds of magnificent. This is the perfect budget friendly quick fix if you skin is feeling lackluster.

 

I scored these one use wonders at the Yves Rocher store in Paris when they were having a massive sale; I also picked up another €60 worth of stuff as well, now I'm starting to see where all my money went... ANYWAYS! These guys cost me €2 for the pair which works out to be $3 and I've loved them. The hair mask was great and I gifted one to a friend as well who seemed to love it just as much. The lotion on first impression was wonderful for my super dry skin but I'd need to use it for longer to tell just how great it is.

Last but certainly not least is my new obsession; the enamel gloss from Etude House which is a korean cosmetics line. This guy again was an eBay bargain at $5 with free shipping. It's the perfect combination of shine and colour, it's not at all sticky like some lip glosses and has an amazing strawberry scent. Having worked in the make up industry for a little while now I'm rarely satisfied with just a gloss, usually I need a liner, lipstick and gloss to feel complete but this guy is a one swipe and good to go! I definitely bought lots of other lip products from Etude House after trying this lip enamel. I'm thinking of doing a post on some of my favourite lip products for $10 or less, let me know in the comments below if that's something you guys would be interested in!

Looks like I rambled for much longer than intended so I will save the DIY Beauty Fixes for tomorrow so keep an eye out for even more Facepalm goodness coming your way tomorrow. Let me know in the comments below what some of your favourite beauty bargains on a budget are!