Buying the latest products can often cause a bit of a sinkhole in our wallets, especially if it’s something that we’re really loyal to. People who wear makeup can often get the brunt end of this, as they can be seen as unprofessional, or lazy, or ‘hey, you look tired today!’ if they don’t. But makeup is expensive! We have to pay the pink tax! Don’t worry, there’s lots of ways to make your makeup stretch for cheap, meaning that you need to buy it less often, freeing up more cash to keep in the bank.
Go makeup free!
I know, I just said that some people think you’re unprofessional. But, one of the best things you can do for your skin is to stop wearing makeup and let your skin breathe. Set aside a time to take all your makeup off, like the second you get home from work, to signal to your brain that it’s time to relax. That way, you get a new zen ritual and improve your skin! Try to avoid wearing makeup when you’re at the gym, or going for a walk, because that can clog your pores and lead to nasty spots. Just that little bit of time not using makeup will help your skin work miracles, and will lead to you needing to use less makeup day by day.
Drink water!
An expensive, bajillion dollar moisturiser really only has one job: hydrate your skin. Well, guess what else can hydrate? Water! You can cut down on your super expensive creams and gels just by making sure you drink two litres of water (plain, cool, tap water) every day. We promise that you definitely aren’t drinking that much right now. Have you had your eight glasses yet? Go!
Sheer it out
There’s been a trend recently for ‘your skin but better’ makeup, with perfect looking models advertising what seems to be hyped-up Vaseline. All of the products being sold by brands like Milk Makeup and Glossier have the same MO: sheer, sheer, sheer. No more pancake, no more clumpy mascara, instead it’s just ‘I woke up like this’ realness. The easiest way to get that look is to just mix whatever product you’re about to use with some Vaseline, or some moisturiser. Try mixing a little bit of whatever foundation you currently use into your moisturiser to get that same natural, blurred-skin glow. You’ll take longer to use up your foundation, and you’ll be looking like you just stepped off of Pinterest. Two for one!
No, really, Vaseline
We’re not kidding when we say that everything is a hyped-up Vaseline. Cream blusher? That’s powder blusher mixed with Vaseline. Cream highlighter? Glittery eyeshadow mixed with Vaseline. Cream bronzer? Yup. Vaseline. Edge control? Eye gloss? Brow gel? Seriously. Vaseline all the way down. One of our favourite but less-well-known ways to use Vaseline as makeup is as light, clear, ‘wow are you wearing anything?’ mascara. Just put a little Vaseline on your spoolie brush (we like to use our finger but understand it’s not exactly sanitary) and blink your eyelashes onto it. There! Your-lashes-but-better lashes that won’t leave you tracked up at the gym or when watching Marley and Me, all for the price of a Vaseline tub!
Photo by Nicole De Khors from Burst.
