My 12 Best Beauty Tips & Hacks to Save Money

Do you feel like you waste a bit too much money on beauty stuff? I’m trying to be a bit more economical myself, so today I thought I’d share some of the ways I’m making savings on my beauty expenses.

Cleansing

Having already swapped my more expensive hot cloth cleanser from Liz Earle to an Aldi dupe, I went a step further and reduced the need for cleanser. These amazing super soft and fluffy reusable microfibre flannels only require warm water to remove make-up. I was sceptical at first, but they work! You can pick them up in the cheap high street stores, these ones are £1.99 for a pack of two at B & M Bargains.

From an eco point of view, you may want to invest in some beautifully soft reusable cotton pads, as I have done just recently. Rather than continually buying cotton wool pads, these can be washed and re-used again and again:

eco bamboo make up pads — Mooju reusable make-up remover pads

Moisturiser

I used to think I was doing well saving on more expensive face creams by opting for a pot of Nivea moisturiser for about a fiver, but Aldi does a very good basic moisturiser called Lacura Q10 at the amazingly low price of £1.45. If you have sensitive skin you may not be able to use any old budget cream, but personally this works fine for me as a facial moisturiser – it also smells nice and the formulation feels good, so I’m happy. (Lidl has a similar Q10 cream for the same price which I haven’t tried.)

Shave gel

I’m not buying shave gel anymore; instead I’m just using up my old hair conditioners when I shave my legs. All you need is something on your skin to make the razor glide and hair conditioner totally does the job. More pennies saved!

Foundation

When your bottle of foundation is getting low, try spinning it out a bit longer by adding some serum (or moisturiser) to the back of your hand and then blend them together before applying. Doing this gives you a nice, light coverage which looks extra dewy – ideal for spring/summer – and you may get a couple of extra weeks out of your foundation before having to buy a new one.

Lipstick

You’d be amazed how much lippy is still in the bottom of the lipstick container once you’ve worn the stick down. Get digging in the base with a lipbrush and you’ve got a good few days of lip colour left. It’s worth having a look at your other lipsticks, too, as you could perhaps combine them to custom make a shade you like, rather than buying a new one.

Mascara

Mascara getting dry? Don’t rush to replace it – I just pop the tube in a cup of hot water and the contents soften up, making it usable for a little longer.

Eyebrows

Cut back on salon visits and do your brows at home. Honestly, eyebrow tinting dye kits are so cheap and easy to use! I bought one by Eylure; it cost me about £12 in Boots, but I’ve noticed it’s about half that price if you buy from Eylure direct through Amazon. This kit lasts up to a year so it’s amazing value! Considering what you would normally pay for a salon eyebrow tint, you’re saving ££. Obviously do a patch test first to make sure you’re not allergic to the dye, as a salon would also do.

Once your brows are tinted, rather than buy an expensive eyebrow compact you can use good old Vaseline to tame and hold brows in place. A matt brown eyeshadow can be used to fill in gaps and add depth.

Hair colour

If those dark roots or annoying greys are coming through, but you don’t want to book yourself in for a colour just yet, a hair colouring pencil or spray can of touch up colour can be a good idea. These products can smudge out random greys or add ‘highlights’ at the roots to delay your next hair appointment. Josh Wood does a root marker crayon, available from Boots for about £6. I’ve also found that if you’re a brunette with a few grey hairs; brown or black mascara is great for covering them up! This is a good temporary option if you can’t get to the hairdressers for a little while.

Nails

I love getting a professional manicure, but it’s a treat rather than a regular thing in my beauty routine. A couple of years ago I bought a home gel manicure kit with a UV lamp which was on special offer and it has definitely saved me money. You can even mix your existing nail colours with a special solution that turns them into a gel polish. If you’re not confident about doing salon worthy fingernails at home, why not just do your toenails and cut out the salon pedicure?

Shop your home

You’d be amazed what you can find at the back of your drawers and cupboards when you have a good rummage. Unused soaps, shampoo, fake tan, bodyscrubs, shower gels and more – so instead of shopping, have a browse at home and try and use up all those products you’ve bought previously, before they go out of date!

Tools of the trade

I find that some ways of applying make up or cleansing soaks up too much product, so you go through it more quickly. You can be much more sparing when say using your fingers to apply foundation, rather than a brush and certainly instead of a sponge applicator which seems to hoover up gallons of product! If you don’t like using your fingers, maybe try one of the newer silicon applicators and avoid using cotton wool balls for cleansing products as, again, they soak it all up like a sponge.

Use loyalty points

I am amazed at how quickly my Advantage card points can mount up in Boots and I love spending them on toiletries and getting ‘free’ make up, lotions and potions. Do you use your loyalty points up in this way? Is there another beauty saving card I should know about? I also look out for ‘buy one get one half price’ and ‘3 for 2’ offers and free gifts.

Also, what are your money saving beauty hacks and tips -maybe you swear by a multi-tasking product like coconut oil? If so, I’d love to know, so please do share them in the comments!

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