Top Beauty Hacks That Will SAVE You Money!

Saving money and beauty products don’t usually go hand in hand, but they can! Today, I’m going to share with you my top minimalist and frugal beauty and makeup hacks to save you time and money!!

Get that hot water running!

A great way to ensure that you get every last drop of your mascara is to put the tube in a cup of hot water for a couple minutes before applying. This will help loosen up anything stuck to the edges as well as get rid of any clumps. You can also add two drops of eye drops, this will help loosen up the mascara and won’t burn your eyes.

Save your wands.

I’ve tried hundreds of different mascaras in my lifetime and I was really surprised to figure out that my favorite mascaras weren’t necessarily the formula but actually the type of wand. Instead of throwing out my favorite mascaras and crying a little bit on the inside when the tube runs out, I clean the wand with some rubbing alcohol and use that wand with the other tubes of mascara that I have. Let’s be honest, we have MULTIPLE tubes of mascara at any given time and have some that we can’t stand. Try using a different wand and you may just be surprised!

You gotta break it to fix it.

Project Pan is a really cool way to inspire you to use up all of your products. The only thing that sucks about project pan is getting your pressed powder from the rim of the compact. I’ve found a great easy hack that is a game changer in saving you time while doing your makeup as well as helping you to not have to go out and buy new product when you still have a ton left.

Find a way to break/crumble pressed powder, sometimes that’s as easy as tapping the compact on the counter a few times or using the end of a makeup brush. Once its all crumbled add a few drops of rubbing alcohol. The alcohol will dry leaving you a smooth new surface and your product right where you want it!

Set it and forget it.

I live in South Florida where it is hot and HUMID! After two minutes of being outside I am already sweating. Investing a few dollars in a setting spray is a game changer. It will help keep your makeup in place all day!

Oil it up baby.

One of my dearest friends in the whole world is half Japanese and I swear her skin looks like its photoshopped. When asking her what her secret weapon is her first response is always “Asian don’t raisin” with a little dance, but then… she gives me her secret. Coconut oil and vitamin E oil! Who knew! Every day after her shower she lathers her body up head to toe in coconut oil. Yes, even her face. I was so concerned about breaking out, but it truly doesn’t break you out! Coconut oil is also a great hack for getting eye makeup off too!!

Pour some honey on me!

Did you know that honey is naturally antibacterial?! Every time that I have a big day and going to be wearing a full face of makeup I always do a honey mask. Yes, it does get sticky but after leaving the honey on for an hour and then washing it off in the shower I swear my face feels like a babies’ bottom and man does my makeup go on smooth!  

You can’t skip this step!

I don’t care how tired you are, you absolutely cannot skip washing your face before bed! There have been so many times that I didn’t wear makeup so I feel that its okay if I don’t wash my face but WRONG! Even if you don’t wear makeup there is so much dirt and bacteria that gets on your face throughout the day. Also, don’t forget to moisturize each time after you wash your face. Not only does it hold in moisture but creates a barrier to bacteria getting in.

Count to 60!

Now that we have established that you need to wash your face twice a day, here is something that most people skimp out on. When you are washing your face it is so importance to wash for an entire minute. Its takes time for the face wash to break down and clear your skin.

Don’t be afraid of dupes.

I will preface this with I know that sometimes dupes are terrible and not as high-quality products or products that test on animals but NOT all of them. Do your research, there are some really amazing dupes out there for just a FRACTION of the price!

Find your closest beauty school.

Do a quick Google search and find your closest beauty school and put your name down for a volunteer client for the students. You will get treatments like massages, manicures/pedicures, facials, waxes, hair cuts and colors at a fraction of the price! A little known fact about me is that I have my degree in Massage Therapy and we used to give hour long massages to the public for only $30 because we had to massage 50 people while we were in school!

Marshalls over Ulta

Don’t get me wrong, Ulta is a really great and fun store, but girl it can be expensive! I was at Marshalls last night and was surprised at how many name-brand items they had for hair, skin care and makeup! Tons of brands from Chi to Two Faced! Definitely try hitting up Marshalls before going to Ulta to see if they have the item you need.

Drink WATER!!

Yes, we all know the importance of drinking water but I personally sometimes forget how much it affects my skin. If I am starting to breakout or have a big event coming up I always start chugging water. Did you know that drinking enough water has these incredible benefits: fewer wrinkles, improved complexion, reduced puffiness, faster healing, reduced itchiness, clear acne, slows aging, tighter skin and improves your pH balance?!  The rule of thumb I follow is to drink half your body weight in ounces every day.

Dish soap is the magic ingredient!

Girl, have you looked at the price of makeup brush cleaners?! They are expensive!! All you need is a bowl of warm water and a squirt of dish soap! Let them soak and then then make sure to really get in there with your fingers to break down all of the makeup build up. You cannot skip this step and clean them ! Not cleaning your brushes can lead to breakouts!

Ways I save money:

Here at Freedom In A Budget, I am all about saving money! Here are some of the EASY ways that I save money:

• Billshark negotiates lower prices on your monthly bills to save you time, money and hassle.

• Fetch Rewards is a free grocery savings app that rewards you just for snapping pictures of your receipts. That’s it. Really. Free gift cards on groceries on thousands of products every day, no matter where you get your groceries. 

Just scan your receipts and get gift cards from retailers like Amazon, Target, Ulta, Applebees. Use code QHKBH to earn 2,000 points ($2)!

• Credit Sesame offers Credit Score and Monitoring, Savings Recommendations and Identity Theft Protection. ALL FOR FREE.

• CIT Bank offers high-yield savings accounts and CDs to provide a safe, secure way to grow your savings. With the CIT Bank No-Penalty CD, you get the security of an 11 month CD with no withdrawal penalty seven days or later after funds have been received. 

• Gabi is a full-service, online advisor who compares all your insurance options to find you the right policy, all in under two minutes.

• M1 Finance is an easy to use brokerage platform that allows you to invest in Fractional Shares and auto reinvest!

• Webull Get 2 Free Stocks on WeBull when you deposit $100 (Valued up to $1400).

• Glasses USA Save money by buying your prescription glasses, contacts or prescription sunglasses online. They have an easy to use virtual mirror so you can see what they look like on and carry tons of name brands up to 65% off your first pair.