Many people tell me they want to take care of their skin. Some want to use makeup, too. Let’s face it. If we look better, we FEEL better. But if it’s a choice between food for your kids or a nice foundation. . . well, it’s actually no choice at all. I’m going to give you some really inexpensive alternatives to the price of skin care and makeup, which has skyrocketed.
What I Can Offer You
I’m gonna toot my own horn. I have three lines that I work with. I’ll put the links here with a disclaimer that if you purchase from any of these links I will receive a commission.
Farmasi
Lemongrass Spa
Tran.scend
These three are a bit pricey, but all excellent quality. They DO go on sale so if you want to hear about sales, let me know. However, the purpose of this post is to find you stuff that works on the cheap. So here we go. (NOTE: I can’t “capture” a lot of these pics so look for the links to take you right to the product.)
From here on down, I am not affiliated with ANY of this and make nothing from it. Just sayin’. . .
Skincare
Simple skincare. You have to cleanse and moisturize. An all-purpose go-to is Coconut Oil; in particular, Fractionated Coconut Oil (liquid). I use it for everything, including diluting my essential oils. But it will take ALL of your makeup off and moisturize your face, too. This is the one I use from Amazon. It’s $15.99/bottle, but it will last you FOREVER. Used to be $12, but that was then and this is now. UGH
Jojoba Oil is another good choice, but that has shot up in price, too. The bottle that used to cost $6 is now $9. Again, lasts a LONG time. This is the one I’ve used in the past. Also good for diluting essential oils, too. Note, this bottle is much smaller than the Fractionated Coconut Oil.
Witch Hazel. This is an old-fashioned remedy for everything, but it’s excellent for your skin. I can’t get the picture from the Wally website, but the Equate brand at Walmart (house brand) is only $2.52. It used to be 99 cents/bottle. Seems to last forever. It’s also good for cuts, scrapes, sunburn and many other household uses. You can Google it to see all its benefits.
So. . . take off your makeup with the coconut oil, get some cotton pads in the dollar store and run a few with Witch Hazel over your face and then put some coconut oil back on as a moisturizer. May not be the best regimen in town, but it DOES work and will keep your skin pretty healthy.
Makeup Shop Miss A
Now for some fun. I found this wonderful site called Shop Miss A. Everything USED TO BE $1. Yeah, you know the used to be thing, right? The good news is that most products are still very reasonable, between $1 and $2. There are other things that are more expensive like sunglasses, jewelry, etc., but overall this a marvelous site. I think they give you free shipping over $35. When everything was $1, it took me eons to fill that cart to $35. Never thought I’d have a problem filling a cart. 😂
In my NOT so humble opinion, this is one of the best el cheapo primers out there. It’s called No Pore Face Primer and it really gives you a smooth finish under makeup. I can give you a personal recommendation on this one. $1.88
Foundation is the one thing I will spend big bucks on. But if you don’t have it, there ARE alternatives. This is the AOA Drop Foundation. Tons of colors. I’ve used it and it’s not half bad. $1.88
This is the Lumi Blush compact. Again, not half bad for something that’s still $1.
These are only a few examples. They have EVERYTHING on this site and I mean EVERYTHING. Note that products branded AOA are the house brand. Of all the things I’ve purchased, I’ve liked those the best. That’s not to say there’s something wrong with the other brands they carry, but I feel the AOA is the best on the site.
Shop Miss A is cruelty free and most products are vegan. The owner has said she won’t offer products that aren’t cruelty free and AOA doesn’t use ingredients that are tested on animals either. This is something very important to me as I’m a crusader against animal cruelty, including testing. I check out any company before I purchase. The status changes so you have to check frequently online. I used to love Urban Decay and then found out they tested on animals, so no more UD. Then, out of the blue, they stopped a year or so ago. One of the most well-known makeup brands in the world is Charlotte Tillbury. They used to be cruelty free. Then they were purchased by a company who is not, so. . . as I said, you have to keep checking back.
Other Makeup
Again, I will only use cruelty free products so I research. Surprisingly, some of the brands you find in drugstores and dollar stores are cruelty free. NYX and Milani are. One of my fave things in the Dollar Store is makeup from L.A. Colors. Granted, many of these are sample sizes or limited colors as I’m sure they take seconds and surplus. But I’ve gotten many and they’re good. Believe it or not, that good ‘ole cheap fallback, Wet n Wild, is cruelty free AND vegan. This is usually the least expensive brand in the drugstore, so check them out, too.
Is Better Skincare & Makeup Better?
Yeah, it is. The difference isn’t in the actual ingredients, but the quality of those ingredients. For instance, eyeshadow. Eyeshadow is made up of a pigment and talc with something to glue it together. It’s the quality of those ingredients, especially the talc, that affects the price. Sure, some of it is the name on the label, too. But the quality of talc you get in a $1 product is much less than if you pay $25 for that same type of product. I’m allergic to all kinds of stuff, so I have to be careful. The items I’ve listed above and provided links to are things I’ve personally used and didn’t react to.
Whatcha Waitin’ For?
You don’t HAVE to wear makeup, but you DO have to take care of your skin. If you’re one of those gurlies who uses a bar of Dove soap and it works for you, then go for it. It’s not the best thing in town, but. . . if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
BOTTOM LINE: I love good skincare and makeup, but I’ve been in the position where I can’t afford them. . . many times. If you’re in that position right now, I hope I’ve given you some alternatives that will work for you. Stay strong, because. . .
