Do You Have to Purchase Expensive Cosmetics to Get Good Results?

We constantly view beauty-related advertisements with misleading information. Some of these ads claim to make wrinkles disappear, thicken hair and grow longer nails. These companies know how important it is for most of us to look our best and maintain a youthful appearance. We want to believe that these are really "miracle " products. How many times do you see a beautifully-packaged, expensive cosmetic and are tempted to buy it? After all, we are conditioned to think that "you get what you pay for".

Until a few years ago, I bought into the notion that higher-priced cosmetics were better, until I got fed up with spending $80 for a tiny jar of cream. Finally, my mother's advice sank in. As much as I respected my mother's opinion, I turned to a professional for help. I asked a dermatologist if what she said was correct that inexpensive and expensive products work just as well. He confirmed what my mother told me all along. "You can buy a $200 jar of face cream or a good-quality low-priced one and the result will be the same." This holds true for other cosmetics as well. The ingredients are similar. The difference in price reflects the cost of packaging and marketing. What a revelation! I began thinking of all the money I could save.

Before I reveal my money-saving tips, the following is practical advice to consider.

- Wear a hat when in the sun to protect your hair and face.

- Stay out of sun during peak hours from 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

- Use a sunscreen. Apply it 20 minutes before going out and after swimming. D'ont forget your bathing cap.

- Wear sunglasses outdoors to prevent squinting. This causes wrinkles around the eyes.

- Cut down on salt. Puffy eyes can be caused by excess salt.

- Do not smoke. Aside from the obvious risks, smoking increases wrinkles, especially around the mouth.

- Avoid too much alcohol. It has the same effect as yoyo dieting by causing the skin to stretch (puffiness) and subsequently shrinking back.

- Get enough sleep. Our faces show the lack of sleep.

- Shower or bathe in warm water. Do not wash with hot water as this is drying to the skin.

- Buy a humidifier. This is relevant for cold climates, where you must heat your home in the winter. The lack of moisture in your home may be the cause of your dry skin.

- Clean your teeth after every meal by brushing or flossing or at the very least rinse your mouth. The appearance of teeth is many times overlooked as a beauty issue. Teeth tend to darken with age. Common stains of the teeth are caused by coffee, tea, cola and cigarettes.

- Do not wear unlined rubber gloves. Moisture accumulates inside gloves and prevents skin from breathing. 
The best solution is to wear cotton gloves underneath.

- For fine hair, do not use a brush or fine-tooth comb. It can damage the hair.

- When styling your hair, do not use a curling iron or electric rollers.

- Apply two thin layers or cream or lotion on your skin, instead of one heavy layer. Wait a few minutes before putting on the second layer. This is more effective for dry skin.

- Never wash your face with soap.

- Do not cut the cuticles on your nails. Push them back gently. Cutting them can cause infection.

- Have your thyroid checked. Dry skin and thinning hair are common symptoms of hypothyroidism (under production of the thyroid hormone). This condition is quite prevalent in people over fifty. Your thyroid function can be tested with a routine blood test. Ask your doctor to include this when you have a blood workup.

Now, you want to know how to save money on cosmetics? Follow these money-saving tips and you will have extra money to spend on other things.

- One of the cheapest products is petroleum jelly (Vaseline). It's great! I use it all the time as a moisturizer for my face and neck. You're probably thinking how greasy it is. If you smooth on a very small amount on your face, it won't feel greasy. After awhile, your friends will notice that the condition of your skin looks better and ask you what you've been using. Of course, they'll expect you to mention an expensive brand. I tell my friends the truth. One friend doesn't believe me and thinks I don't want to reveal my secret. The petroleum jelly is also good for dry hands and feet. I use it on my hands once a day and more effective if used after washing your hands. For a foot treatment, I apply a thick layer of the jelly on my feet after a shower and put on old socks. I leave the socks on all night and remove them in the morning. The feet will not be greasy. I also use it to remove my eye makeup. Just moisten a cotton pad and wipe off gently. Another product I moisturize with is Jojoba oil. I buy the pure one in a health food store and apply it only to my face and neck. It can also be used for the eye area as can petroleum jelly. After washing my face at night, I apply petroleum jelly around my eyes. I leave it on for about 20 minutes and then remove it with a wet cotton pad. A very thin layer remains. I don't believe it's necessary to buy an eye cream or an individual day and night-time cream. In the past, I bought all three. What a waste! Other products for moisturizing normal to dry skin are cocoa butter, lanolin and light mineral oil.

- When I feel the need to give my face and neck a treatment, usually in the winter, I open four capsules of vitamin E and apply it to my clean face and neck. I keep it on at least an hour and when I shampoo my hair in the shower, most of it comes off. The vitamin E is too thick and will not come off easily if you try to rinse it off in the sink. The skin feels really soft after this treatment. I have been told that avocado is also a great treatment for dry skin. I haven't tried it yet. Another way to deal with dry skin is to give yourself a facial mask. Mix one egg yolk with small amount of olive oil and same amount of honey. Use a cotton pad to spread it on your face and neck. Don't put any in eye area. Leave it on for 30 minutes and rinse well with warm water. Pat gently to dry.

- As I mentioned before, never wash your face with soap. Most soap have lye in them. I don't wear foundation so to clean my face, I just rinse well with warm water twice a day. For a more thorough cleaning, you can spread a mixture of dry oatmeal, water and plain yogurt on your face and rinse well with warm water. Cold cream can also be used for this purpose.

- If you bathe, spill a few drops of baby oil in the bath while the water is running. Water should be warm, not hot. Be careful as this could make the bathtub a bit slippery. For a pleasant scent, add a few drops of a nicely-scented shampoo. After your bath, your skin feels silky.

- Try this treatment for puffiness under eyes and dark circles. Place sliced cucumber on closed eyes and relax for twenty minutes. You can also do the same with wet tea bags.

- I have found that the more expensive nail polish is no better than the cheapest brand. Why pay $15 when a $4 bottle will do. My friend gave me this tip. Clean finger nails with vinegar before applying the nail polish. Apparently, the polish will stay on longer. I will try it one of these days.

- There are good-quality low-priced shampoos and it's unnecessary to spend more than a few dollars for a bottle. The same thing goes for conditioners. The trick is to leave it on the hair longer, more like five minutes, not one or two minutes. Many women and men today color their hair. These products have chemicals which are drying to the hair. Every once in a while, you should give yourself a hair treatment. I have a fantastic one for you. First thing you do is heat olive oil in a pot until it's warm. Wet your hair. Section hair and apply olive oil to scalp and hair with cotton pads. Cover with cellophane or old shower cap and leave on hair for one hour. Rinse hair and shampoo twice to make sure to remove olive oil. The beauty salons will charge you at least $20 for a treatment. This one is just as good or better. When you style your hair, try beer. Put some beer in a spray bottle and use as a setting lotion. The odor disappears.

Here are a few more tips:

- Use a lipstick as blush. Besides moisturizer, that's the only other thing I put on my face.

- To keep your eyebrows in place, spray hairspray on a cotton swab and apply to eyebrows.

- Do you have a few lipsticks that you bought that are too bright? Buy a brown shade of lipstick to tone them down.

- To whiten teeth, mix baking soda with a little water and brush.

- Use witch hazel for skin irritations and insect bites.

- Shop at drugstores instead of department stores for cosmetics. There is a greater variety of price ranges to choose from.

- Low-priced eye makeup can sometimes be better than expensive brands. I compared a $20 mascara with one that costs $7. I was amazed that it was so much better than the expensive one.

- Add a drop of baking soda to shampoo to remove build-up caused by styling products. Wash and rinse thoroughly.

- To clean dentures, soak dentures in vinegar overnight, brush dentures with toothbrush and rinse.

- If you have a problem with dandruff, after shampooing, rinse with mixture of ½ cup of vinegar and 2 cups warm water. Rinse well with lukewarm water.

- For chapped lips, apply petroleum jelly.

When shopping for cosmetics, let the sales personnel know that you are price conscious. That way, it prevents her from showing you the high-priced brands and you won't be convinced to overspend.