Frugal Beauty Tips from Grandmother

Photo: Sugared Beauty

The older generation have much to teach us about the art of frugal living, especially those who have lived through hard times and had to scrimp and save to get by. In this article, we look at beauty tips which your Grandmother may have used – low-budget treatments for your skin and hair, made from ingredients commonly found in the home.

Beautiful Hair

One of the best conditioning treatments that you can use on your hair is one nearly everybody has in their fridge. Eggs are rich in protein and make hair feel shiny and lush. All you need to do is wash your hair as normal, then massage in a beaten egg. After five minutes or so, rinse thoroughly. You must be sure to use cool water, as too much heat will cook the egg into your hair – not a good look!

Chamomile tea makes a lovely rinse for blonde hair, while black tea or vinegar gives dark hair a nice sheen. Both of these can be used after your usual wash and are said to bring out natural highlights in the hair.

Shiny Teeth

Before toothpaste as we know it was invented, people used harsh, abrasive powders made from crushed oyster-shell, bricks and charcoal. I’m not going to suggest that you start using any of these to clean your choppers, although you could try Bicarbonate of Soda, which is an ingredient in many commercial toothpastes. Also known as baking soda, Bicarbonate has many uses around the home – from cleaning sinks to curing indigestion, and it can be bought cheap, by the kilo. Cleaning your teeth with Bicarbonate of Soda is easy – simply dip a damp toothbrush into the powder – but beware… it doesn’t taste very pleasant! I’d reserve this tip for those “I forgot to buy toothpaste” moments.

Glowing Complexion

Exfoliants work by gently cleansing away dead skin cells, which can make your complexion dull. For the body, a simple scrub can be made by blending oil – sweet almond or jojoba if possible, if not olive oil or even sunflower oil will work – with sea salt. This mixture should be massaged into the skin in circular motions before you hop into the shower and rinse thoroughly. From time to time, I make this scrub with sugar instead of salt – doing this tends to detract from the frugal element though!

• To exfoliate your face, try raw porridge oats, mixed with honey. This indulgent mix heals and soothes the skin without causing irritation.
• For an instant, mini face-lift effect, egg white is your friend. Separate an egg and save the yolk (you can use it to enrich mashed potatoes later!), then beat the white. Apply to your skin and leave it for about 15 minutes before rinsing – you should notice a tightening effect on the skin.

Bright Eyes

Late nights, long days in front the computer screen and stress can all take their toll on your peepers. Granny may have suggested you put your feet up and place a couple of slices of cucumber over your eyes. If you haven’t got any cucumber in the fridge, try chilling a pair of metal spoons and placing those over your eyes to refresh and soothe them!

Tags: Beauty, featured, frugal life, home-made

Category: Beauty