Tips and Tricks for Beauty on a Budget

Being a college student can be tough enough on our finances, but now the holiday season is almost here. Television commercials and shop window ads remind us constantly that gifts need to be bought, while the reappearance of those long-awaited red cups at Starbucks promise a taste of mint mocha heaven starting at $3.52. Factor in all those upcoming holiday dinners and parties—‘tis the season to look our best. Here’s how to do it without blowing the bank:
 
Make your own masks
 
 The cold air can be devastating to sensitive skin, but spa treatments and facial masks can wreak havoc on a budget. Make your own by mixing a mashed banana with two tablespoons of sour cream or plain yogurt. A tablespoon of honey instead of the banana works as well.
 
*Add a teaspoon of sugar or baking soda and you’ve got an exfoliator.
 
Lengthen the life of your lotions
 
Add a little Vaseline to your favorite body lotions. It will make them thicker, and they’ll last a lot longer.
 
*Unscented lotions tend to be a lot cheaper than scented ones. Add a few drops of your favorite perfume to a bottle of unscented lotion and you can smell great without splurging.
 
Revive old makeup and nail polish
 
Mix cracked eye shadow and bronzers or face powders with Vaseline to create cream shadow and concealer. This technique also works for turning blush into tinted lip balm.
 
If your nail polish has gotten clumpy or hard, place the bottle in a pot of boiling water. It’ll be like new.
 
Melt old or broken lipsticks and mix them together for a new shade. The consistency will be something between lip-gloss and balm.
 
Get a little greasy
 
Crisco oil is a great makeup remover, and if you spray some on your nails after painting them, the polish will dry faster. You can use it to make dinner and finish a mani-pedi.
 
 
Pepto your Pimples
 
 Smooth a layer of Pepto-Bismol on your face, let it dry, and then rinse it off. The ingredients in Pepto-Bismol tighten skin and diminish redness.
 
Stay golden, Ponyboy
 
Mix a little bit of bronzer or face powder into body lotion to create a subtle tanning cream. Unlike store-bought tanning creams, you’re in control of the shade.