17 Money-Saving Tips Every Makeup Addict Needs to Know

6 years ago

It’s always nice when you buy new cosmetic items, but the money spent on them can get out of hand. The good news is that there are other simple, budget-saving methods that can help you look like a million bucks.

Bright Side collected the best cosmetic life hacks for you that will help you look gorgeous without spending much money. Don’t miss our bonus at the end of the article!

1. Eyebrow brush instead of a scrub

You can use a clean eyebrow brush in order to remove dry skin from lips. Apply a layer of lip balm or cream to the lips, leave it on for a couple of minutes and then rub with the brush — the surface of your lips will become smooth and ready for any lipstick.

2. A cooling mask made of foil

You can increase the effectiveness of any cream mask with the help of ordinary aluminum foil, which should be stored for a while in the fridge before using. Additionally, the foil mask can be used as a separate cosmetic item for removing morning puffiness. For that, it should be applied to the face after applying toner or after using a serum.

3. A matte nail trick made of corn starch

Adding 2 grams of cornstarch to a bottle of nail polish will make your nail polish perfectly matte. Many bloggers have tested this life hack. However, it’s not necessary to use the whole bottle: you can mix a little nail polish with the starch in a small bowl so that the mixture is enough for one time. By the way, you can choose to make a colored or a clear nail polish matte.

4. Coffee filters instead of oil blotting sheets

Coffee filters are sold in jumbo packs and don’t cost much in comparison with small packages of oil blotting sheets. They are made from a thin and soft paper without chemicals or additional scents and that’s why they are perfect for wiping the face to remove oil.

5. Perfect sun protecting tint

We bet there are a couple of concealers or makeup foundations that are too dark lying around on your cosmetic shelf not being used. Emmy Award winning makeup master Kevin James Bennett has an idea for turning your favorite day cream with SPF into a sun protecting tint by mixing it with a too yellow or a too dark makeup foundation.

Use small travel bottles instead of big tubes for figuring out the ideal portions and for easy mixing. The best proportions are 3:1 where 3 is the day cream and 1 is the foundation.

6. Flower water instead of a makeup setting spray

Not only is a makeup setting spray used for fixing the results of your makeup application, but for giving the face a natural radiance too. If your main task is to freshen up your makeup, spraying a little flower water over your makeup foundation or powder will be of great help. And, these don’t cost as much as setting sprays.

7. Concealer for making your lipstick matte

You can save money on matte lipsticks if you already have a glossy lipstick of a suitable color. Makeup artist Pat McGrath recommends applying a concealer to lips, leaving it for a minute to soak in, and then applying the lipstick. Additionally, the concealer will help protect lips from over drying.

8. Dry shampoo made of starch

Instead of paying for a ready-made dry shampoo, you can make it yourself. Mix equal amounts of cornstarch and cocoa, then add a couple of lavender essential oil drops. If you have blonde hair, don’t add cocoa to the mixture.

This shampoo works better than baby powder because it consists of very tiny particles.

9. Homemade body scrub

You have probably already heard about the scrubs made from coffee. But this is not the only option for a self-made exfoliant. You can buy grape and other fruit seeds by weight in stores for soap makers. Citrus peel, rice, or oat granules are available there too. The simplest way is to mix this base with your favorite shower gel. You can also add fruits, berries and essential and base oils.

If you don’t want to buy all of this stuff, you can even make the scrub from ground oats, sea salt, and sugar.

10. A life hack for keeping your lips bright

In order not to worry about a smeared lipstick after eating, you can use this simple method. Mix 2 tablespoons of gelatin with hot water and add several drops of food coloring to the mixture. Apply the mixture to the lips, wait until it dries, and remove it.

11. A budget way to wash brushes

Traditionally, brushes are washed with special shampoos but this option is not very budget-friendly. There is a cheap and simple way to do it: dissolve 1 tsp of dishwashing liquid in a bowl with lukewarm water and add 1 tbsp of vinegar, thoroughly rinse the brushes in this mixture. They will be perfectly clean and won’t lose their look and properties after drying.

12. Lash mascara instead of a liner

It’s not necessary to buy a new eyeliner if you have a black or colorful lash mascara at hand. Just douse an eyeliner brush in the mascara and apply it to the eyes. Your mascara will play the role of a saturated and durable eyeliner perfectly.

13. Good primer instead of expensive pallets

Buying an eyeshadow primer that is good quality is an investment that can help you save a lot of money. In this case, you can buy eyeshadows in any price range instead of the expensive brand eyeshadow pallets and still get perfect results. Besides increasing durability, the primer will make the pigment of a product brighter and more saturated.

14. Toner used as a mask

You can use a toner that you don’t like for diluting clay, alginate, or herbal masks, as well as, for wetting fabric sheet masks with it. The action of any toner is aimed at calming the skin down; which is why the result should be good. Of course, steer clear of products that cause burning or redness.

15. Ways to completely finish your products

Creamy products like toothpaste or lip gloss are difficult to be squeezed out of their tube when they’re near the end. In this situation, an ordinary bobby pin can help greatly — it should be put on the sealed part of the tube and slowly moved toward the hole. Remember that you can also take out the tops from inside lip glosses with sponges brushes to be able to get a little more of the gloss out that could be trapped. You might be amazed at how much of the product you were going to throw away.

16. Cold can help prevent the appearance of bubbles on nail polish.

Air bubbles on freshly painted nails can completely spoil your mood and ruin your manicure. However, it doesn’t mean that you should throw away your favorite nail polish and get a new one. There is a reliable method that can help get rid of those bubbles — put the bottle into the fridge 15 minutes before painting your nails. It works really well!

17. Keep the brush from your high-quality mascara.

Good quality mascara differs from a bad one not only with its composition, but with the well-thought-out arrangement, angle of inclination, and softness of the bristles of its brush. If your favorite lash mascara has just finished and you want to buy a cheaper version, just keep the old brush and swap it with the new one. We guarantee that the difference will be almost unnoticeable.