Georgia Dixon
Beauty & Style

13 budget beauty tricks

There are plenty of beauty tips that are not worth listening to. Who actually throws out their mascara after three months? Do you really need to buy enough make-up brushes to rival an artist's palette? And will putting strawberries all over your teeth really give you a smile to rival Lucille Ball’s? It’s all a bit too hard.

Use these simple, DIY tricks to save your time, money and effort.

  1. To avoid lipstick on your teeth, after applying your lippie stick your finger in your mouth and pull it out. This way your finger will take the excess product, not your teeth. 
  2. Concoct your own plumping lip venom (and save yourself $30) by adding a drop of cinnamon or peppermint oil to your lip colour.
  3. Vaseline costs you pocket change and has to be the most hard-working beauty products out there. Apply to lashes before bed to make them grow longer and thicker over time, use it to tame unruly eyebrows, apply to pulse points before spritzing your perfume to make the scent last longer, combine with sea salt to make a scrub and mix with lipstick to make a subtle cream blush.
  4. Don't have a curler? Give yourself groovy, long-lasting waves by flat-ironing your braids with your hair straightener. Avoid making the braids too tight lest you like the crimped look.
  5. Don't listen to Sally Hansen when she says you need to buy cuticle cream. Eye cream applied to your nail beds serves the same purpose.
  6. While towels cause static and friction, drying your hair with a cotton T-shirt eliminates the frizz factor completely.
  7. A light dusting of baby powder between coats of mascara creates fullness you have not dared to even dream of.
  8. There's nothing worse than blotches of dry shampoo that could be mistaken for dandruff. Always apply it the night before, not the morning of, to prevent product build-up.
  9. Want to give your lipstick long-wear power? After applying, hold a tissue over your lips and lightly dust with translucent powder to set the colour.
  10. Got a spot of foundation on your white shirt? A touch of shaving cream on a damp cloth should clear it right up.
  11. You can reduce hair static and fly-aways by slicking it with a dryer sheet.
  12. There's no tougher wait than the time it takes your conditioner to work or your manicure to dry. Cut that drying time in half by dunking your nails in a bowl of cold water for two minutes shortly after painting.
  13. Had a messy experience with leaky products in your suitcase? Hasn't everyone? Just unscrew the caps, place a layer of cling film over the top and screw them back to prevent any liquid from ruining your trip.

Written by Kathleen Lee Joe. First appeared on Stuff.co.nz.

Image credits: Getty Images

Tags:
budget, beauty, diy, cheap, simple