Every time I leaf through a beauty magazine at a checkout counter or read about skincare essentials on line, I come across lists of high-end, expensive products that are “totally worth it!” “If used in modicum,” the article will read, “These beauty regimens will make your skin look and feel great without breaking the bank!” Well, I don’t know about you, but I have yet to be convinced that a $40 dollar bottle of conditioner with “real” argon oil extract is worth not eating dinner for a week. Plus, you can only squirt an amount about the size of your pinky nail into your hair in order to make the “miracle mask” last more than 10 days. Like the majority of college-aged girls, I don’t have a buzz cut, so I need a lot more conditioner than that to tame my frizz. I’m sure many of you Collegiettes can relate, which is why I have devised a list of DIY tips and tricks to replace those expensive products. These beauty hacks contain less additives and harmful ingredients, plus they really are in a price range that won’t break the bank (and you can use as much as you want!)
Lemon Exfoliator
Cost: Under $10, generally around $7
Can replace: Korres Lemon Basil Exfoliating Body Scrub, $17
This 3 ingredient DIY uses all natural products, which is a lifesaver for sensitive skin. Slice a lemon in half and liberally cover it in sea salt. Then, drizzle the lemon half with olive oil. Rub the lemon along arms, feet, or legs after shaving to exfoliate dead skin and leave your body feeling silky smooth. The olive oil is an essential deep moisturizer, while the acidity in the lemon breaks down dead skin cells and the salt scrubs them away. This can get a little messy, so you may want to do it over a bathtub or sink. However, the end result is totally worth it! The most expensive item in this combo is the olive oil, but a $6 dollar bottle will last you months, and you can use it for cooking as well.
Vitamin E “lip gloss”
Cost: $3.20 for a container of 75 capsules (75 uses!)
Can replace: DermStore Lip Quench vitamin E lip moisturizer, $12.00
A supplement with natural antioxidant activities, vitamin E is used in a variety of ways, skin and lip moisture being one of them. Many lotions and lip balms contain vitamin E because the working antioxidants protect and nourish skin cells. While you can purchase a lip balm that contains vitamin E, a direct application is much more effective, and contains none of the harmful dyes, chemicals or flavors that lip products generally contain. Using scissors or the tip of a knife, cut a little slit in the top of a capsule, and apply on your lips as needed. You can also squeeze a few capsules into your hands for a quenching moisturizer. Vitamin E capsules also work great on smoothing the appearance of scars, and cost significantly less than prescription scar creams. Just like you carry around an EOS egg in your purse, drop a couple of vitamin E capsules in there instead; your lips will thank you, Collegiettes!
Coconut Milk Conditioner
Cost: $1.99 for a can of coconut milk
Can replace: Luseta Beauty deep hydrating coconut milk conditioner, $22.00
Coconut milk is a wonderful natural moisturizer filled with essential oils as well as proteins that prevent breakage. The oils in coconut milk are extremely hydrating for dry or over-processed hair, and they provide it with a natural, silky sheen. Coconut milk also smells amazing, and you can’t get a scent that pure from a bottle. You can make a simple DIY coconut milk conditioner by combining equal parts of coconut milk and oil of your choice (I use olive oil, and you already have some left over from your lemon exfoliator!). Apply it in the shower and rinse, or use it as a leave in when you get out. It will smooth your split ends like no other!
Sugar and Coffee Scrub
Cost: Under $10
Can replace: Pacifica Kona Coffee & Sugar Detox Whole Body Scrub, $28.00
Just like perking you up in the morning, coffee has the same effect on your skin. The caffeine and antioxidants in coffee can brighten your skin, diminish cellulite and even tighten its appearance to eliminate varicose veins. A DIY coffee and sugar scrub made with ingredients you already have around the house can deliver all of these effects for a fraction of the cost of a store bought scrub. Combine 1 cup of sugar of your choice (I use white but you can also use brown) with 5 tablespoons of coffee grounds. You can use any coffee, but I chose to use organic grounds for an even more natural formula. Mix this with 1/4 cup of any oil (I recommend olive) as well as a teaspoon each of peppermint and vanilla extract. The scrub smells amazing, and I used it on my face and legs. Both felt smoother and appeared brighter after just one use!
Cucumber Mask
Cost: under $5
Can replace: Peter Thomas Roth Cucumber Gel Mask, $45.00
Cucumbers are known for reducing the puffiness of your eyes, and they have the same effects on your face as a whole. They cool and relax skin, reducing redness and spotting. You can make a cucumber mask with just two all-natural ingredients; cucumbers and honey. Cut and peel half of a cucumber, and toss it in a blender with 2 tablespoons of honey. Blend until combined and smooth on your face for the desired amount of time. The properties in honey promote new tissue growth and elasticity, which generate younger, smoother looking skin. The honey can also be replaced with the same amount of aloe vera, which would be more similar to a gel mask like the one by Peter Roth. Both variations will do wonders for your skin, and could not be easier to make!
The average cost for these DIY beauty regimes comes in at under thirty dollars for all five. Compared to the $124.00 total for the high-end products, I’d say that saving nearly $100.00 is completely worth it. These products are easy to make and are much better for your skin due to their natural ingredients. Try all of these hacks for celebrity skin on a college budget!