Being a college student can be tough enough on our finances, and now the holiday season is almost here. Television commercials and advertisements in the windows of our favorite stores 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), and the cost of the holidays can add up quick. Here’s how to survive the season looking good without blowing your savings account:
Make Your Own Masks
Cold, dry air can be devastating to sensitive skin. Spa treatments and facial masks may be the answer but the costly procedures 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. For a quick way to slough off dead skin and show off a radiant complexion, add a teaspoon of sugar or baking soda to the mixture and you’ve got an exfoliator.
Lengthen the Life of Your Lotions
Add a little Vaseline to your favorite body lotions to make them thicker. This trick will make your bottle last longer while still keeping skin hydrated. If you run out of your go-to lotion, 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 come out 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. Borrow some from the pantry the next time you’re making dinner and need to finish up 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.