Beauty Buys That Don’t Break the Budget

I think that the goal of almost every woman, no matter what she does for a living,  is to balance all of her time commitments and still look and feel healthy, happy, and well-rested. The reality is that many woman are in a time-crunch, under financial constraints, and sleep-deprived. I feel like one of those women more often than not. Sometimes you have to “Fake it until you make it,” so here are a few of my budget-friendly secrets to do that:

1. Aquafor or Rosebud Salve $6   

I keep one in my purse and use this for everything – chapped lips, taming fly-aways, soothing dry skin, even as hand lotion when I don’t have items 2 and 3 below.

2. Burt’s Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream $5.99

I have been using this FOREVER and it keeps my nails from getting dry and brittle so they don’t break AND it prevents hang nails.

3. Eucerin Daily Protection Lotion with SPF

I use this in the summer. It goes on easy, does not feel greasy, and it has SPF so I don’t have to spend extra time messing with sunscreen.
4. Oscar Blandi Dry Shampoo $11    

Contrary to what everyone in the office thinks, I DO NOT wash my hair every day. Sometimes, I don’t even wash it every other day. My long, thick hair takes a very long time to wash and dry. So, in-between shampoos, I rely heavily on dry shampoo. I put on a little before I go to bed and rub it into my scalp, throw my hair in a loose bun, in the morning, non-oily hair with volume, all for $11.
5. Stila Convertible Color $25 

I still love this old favorite for a quick pick-me-up. I use Peony on my cheeks and lips. It is a little more expensive but it does double duty by tinting both lips and cheecks.
6. Burt’s Bees Coconut Foot Cream $8.99

Keep my feet from getting dry which prevents blisters and other foot issues. I put this on at night, put on some socks, and I’m good to go.
7. Burt’s Bees intense hydration mask $17.99

Obviously, I am kind of in love with the “Bee.”Again, I put this a little bit on my face before I sleep and then just rinse it off in the morning. It soaks right in and saves my skin from harsh winter conditions. It is also good after a really long night to help you look not-so-tired in the morning.
8. Milani Easy Brow Pencil $4.99

You can get this at the drug store and it is so easy to use. You never have to sharpen it and there is a brush on the other end to blend everything. I usually put this on when I am in the car waiting for the engine to warm up, along with the Burt’s Bees cuticle cream (#2 above) and concealer (below). It takes only a few minutes.

9. Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch Highlighting Concealer $7.99   

Never look tired again! I sweep this under my eyes to cover any dark circles. The coverage is good, it has a little shimmer to it which gives you this sort of glow that you can use after a long night, AND it comes in at least 5 shades.

10. Alba Botanica Clean Towelettes with Pineapple Enzyme $5.99

I keep a pack of these in my desk at the office and in my gym bag. On really long days, I wipe my face down mid-day. It takes about a minute, makes me feel revived, and keeps my skin clear. All for about $5. You can’t beat that.

As you can see, there is a lot of multi-tasking and pre-prep involved (doing things before bed, while I am warming up my car, etc.). As I said, I often feel time-crunched and I am sure I am not the only one out there.  Hopefully, this will help you look and feel a little better without taking too much time and without breaking your budget!!