Frugal Beauty Tips

Those early days of marriage when Pastor Dad was in seminary at the same time that I was finishing up my bachelor's degree caused us to watch our finances very closely. We both had various jobs, "odd" or otherwise, to keep money flowing into the coffers but not enough that we didn't need to be thrifty which sounds so much nicer than saying we were cheap. Two babies were also added to our cozy home in those early years which helped keep the financial situation interesting, to say the least.

In other words, times were tough. Times are tough now, too, perhaps not as bad as they were then but we are returning in earnest to our cheap thrifty ways as we look for opportunities to cut spending again. Having a teenaged boy to feed and clothe makes one examine the finances minutely. I'm kidding. Taking a boy to basketball daily when gas prices are so high is more likely the reason behind it.

Whatever the reason, I began to make a list of the thrifty things we did when we barely had 2 nickels to rub together and here are the things I remember. I thought I'd share some of the beauty tricks I employed to stretch a dollar hard enough to make George Washington cry, "Uncle!"

• I stopped buying my facial cleansing/moisturizer/makeup package from an independent distributor.

Oh, how I hated to do that! Not only were the products good, but the retailer was my friend and she was trying to make extra money. But friend or not, I had to cut her from my payroll. Here is what I used instead:

1. Baby oil. This was slathered on first. It helped to soften the make-up and put needed oils into my dry skin. The object of any cleansing program is to remove dirt and make-up, not the skin's moisture. This step helped remove debris and protect the moisture at the same time.
2. pHisoderm cleanser. I'm sure any facial cleanser would work, but this is what I used. Even though it has been reformulated to remove certain chemicals that the FDA considers regulatory drugs it's still for sale and still inexpensive. Mine was especially cheap years ago(free!) when my dad worked for the company and gave me what came in his product boxes.
3. Alcohol. Yes, plain old isopropyl alcohol and half of a cotton ball (half because we're talking frugal here, you know). This step substitutes for toner and purifier.
4. Moisturizer. This is applied at the end, either before bed or a layer of make-up. I don't remember exactly what brand I used but any facial moisturizer to fit an individual skin type should do.

The next thing I learned to save was:

• Nylon hosiery

Since I wore panty hose almost every day I bought them in a multi-pack. Then if I got a run in one leg only I cut off the bad leg from the panty section which then left me with a pair of hose that looked like it was meant for an amputee. I saved that mutilated panty with one good leg until I had another one exactly like it and wore the two together, one over the other. (I hope I don't need to draw you a picture!) This worked well as stockings and doubled as a post-pregnancy girdle whenever that was needed, too.

* * *Speaking of pregnancy, those pairs of pregnancy panty-hose were really expensive! I didn't use this little trick then no matter what. Frugality is one thing, but I don't think binding a growing baby belly is a wise way to save money.

Now that I'm in those years where pregnancy is not much of a concern, but that the post-pregnancy belly has literally "hung around" a lot longer than I ever dreamed it would, I am seriously considering going back to this option. Buying hosiery that has the built-in panel is expensive and can almost reduce me to tears if I accidentally run them on the first or second wearing! Buying the everyday kind without support and doubling them up after one leg has been removed from each pair should help keep this expense in check.


Moving on. Specifically, we're moving downward from the legs to the feet.

• Shoes.

When a pair of shoes wore out I needed to decide if they truly needed to be replaced. "Needs" are one thing but "wants" are another. What did I really need?

1. Black pumps. They went with everything dressy and I wore a lot of dress clothes to my college classes, church, and even to school when I was teaching.
2. White pumps or dress sandals. These met the need of summer dressy outfits.
3. Gym shoes or similar casual footwear.
4. Boots. This was a necessity where we lived! I bought combination dress/snow boots in a shade of brown just so I could mix it up a bit with my black pumps.
5. (Optional) Casual sandals. This was a splurge when we had the money. Otherwise, I just made do without.

This list looks pretty austere, but these were all I had to have and did have. I was never the best-dressed woman anywhere I went but I was never barefoot even when pregnant! :)

Pastor Dad's "need" list was shorter than mine. He had 1 pair of dress shoes and 1 pair of gym shoes. He also owned softball cleats and we both had house slippers (when we received them as gifts, otherwise we just wore socks on the bare floors) but our closet didn't hold many shoes in any case.

I've got a few more tips for shoes.

• Clean them regularly. (Must I really say this? I'm a mom, so yes, I must.) Clean shoes will stay nicer longer than dirty ones. Children's patent leather shoes can be cleaned with petroleum jelly. Mild soap and a soft cloth will clean most anything else. Permanent markers that match the color of vinyl or leather shoes can help hide slight (and I do mean slight) blemishes.
• Allow shoes to air dry before putting them away. Usually this means at least 24 hours. This will not only help them smell better, but it will keep them from disintegrating as quickly. Never wear shoes that haven't properly aired. Pastor Dad has a couple of nice pairs of dress Florscheim shoes that he alternates just so they'll air properly.
• Store them properly after they've aired. Either keep the shoe box they came in or store them in plastic boxes made for the purpose. A honeycomb-type box made for the purpose will work as well. Just make sure they are not squashed into the allotted space. Crushing and flattening causes them to wear out quickly.
• Women should not drive in high heels. Wear gym shoes or other casual wear for this task. This is so the back of the heel does not scuff.
• Keep shoes away from the dog! Obvious perhaps, but I've lost a lot of shoes this way over the years. Dogs like the smell of your scent on the shoe. (I told you dogs are crazy!)

This post is linked to Frugal Fridays.