Frugal Fashion Friday - Make It Last

I can't stand for anything to go to waste or for items to fall apart before they should.  Because of this, I employ a few strategies when it comes to my favorite beauty items.  They are all inexpensive ways to make your products go a little further or extend their life.

Makeup Brushes
You don't need to pay a fortune for brush cleaner to increase the life of your brushes and reduce bacteria.  Just use your favorite shampoo.  Place a drop of shampoo on your finger, wet the brush with warm water and gently massage until the water runs clear.  Gently wring as much water as possible from the brush and reshape it.  Dry the brush on it's side but elevate it.  I like to use a folded hand towel.  I fold the towel so it is high enough that the brushes hang off the end and don't touch the counter.  If you dry the brushes standing up with the bristles on top, the water will settle into the handle and metal casing and cause it to deteriorate faster and possibly rust. I usually wash my brushes in the evening and allow them to dry overnight.

Broken Eye Shadow and Blush
It's like some little gremlin lives in my makeup case.  Even if I never drop my case, at some point, my eye shadow or blush will break.  How is that possible?  How does that happen? It's not so tragic when there isn't much left. But sometimes there is a bunch left.  You don't want to trash it.  That's a waste of money.  To salvage those dollars you can turn it into cream blush, highlighter or cream shadow.  I like to use a pill case. They are readily available in every drugstore and discount store and even a local dollar store. I crush the eye shadow into a fine powder and mix it with eye cream.  Just a little at a time until I get the consistency I want.  I do the same with blush but I mix the blush with face cream or lotion. You can apply both with a brush or your finger.You can do the same with your favorite lipstick when it gets to the bottom of the tube. Just mix it with a little petroleum jelly.

I've also heard of a method that uses alcohol to bind the broken eye shadow back together. I've never tried it personally but here is a link to some instructions.

Nail Polish
When I get close to the bottom of my favorite polish and it starts to get thick, I get sad.  Some polish brands last longer than others. But of course it never happens with the polish you don't like because you never use that much. For a few dollars you can purchase a bottle of nail polish thinner.  It will last forever because you only use a few drops at a time.  Put a few drops into the bottle of your favorite polish and mix.  Check the consistency and add a few drops at a time until it is thin enough.  My favorite brand of thinner is sold at Sally Beauty Supply.  it's only $3.99. You can find it on line as well.

Do you have a favorite way to make your products last longer?  Please share it with me.

Happy Friday Real Girls!!!

New Year's Wishes

The term resolution is daunting.  It's always seems like pressure and not in a good way.  To me it is similar to the times that my parents or someone of authority would tell me that I had to do something. It just makes me want to do the opposite.  A few years ago a close friend suggested using the term, New Year's Wishes instead of Resolutions.  It sounded so much more appealing.  A wish is like a gift.  You can make it a goal and if you can't quite reach it, then you don't feel like you've failed.  After all it's a wish. The promise of good things to come.

I thought I'd share some of my New Year's Wishes with you all.  In a way it will help me to stay accountable and it will make them feel more real. These are in no particular order.

• Save and Invest More - This year I've been focusing on getting my financial life in better order, saving more and putting aside money for our upcoming wedding. I've also renewed my interest in using coupons. I'd like to get more organized with my coupon shopping. I'd also like to do some investing with my Honey in some stocks. I think it would be a good project and a way to earn some extra money for the wedding.  

• Eat Healthier and Exercise More - I want to be healthier and in better shape for my life and our wedding (April 2013).  Health is a priority for me due to my family history and my life in general.  Wedding dress shopping is scary to me. Dress sizes are not forgiving and run small. The standard is that you need order your wedding dress six to eight months prior to your wedding.  That deadline gives me a timeline of August to October to get myself in a bit better shape. I'm planning to work harder at choosing the most healthy food and by taking our fuzzy kids for walks regularly (as a start).

• Organize my Exploding Wardrobe - I have some amazing clothes and shoes.  I am terrible about holding onto items because it seems that every time I get rid of something, I decide I want to wear it again.  My wish is to cull through my closet and storage area. I need to box up items that are out of date (for now) or that don't fit.  Get rid of terribly dated pieces that aren't vintage quality and trash anything that's too worn. I can also swap or donate items that just don't work or that I don't want to keep. There are a few swaps coming up. I'll be posting about swaps tomorrow. They are great ways to purge a little.

• Find the Perfect Shade of Red Lipstick (for me) - I love bold lips but the perfect shade of red lipstick seems to be an unattainable beauty item. I can rock fuchsia but when I wear red I always feel like my lips are overpowering my face. Finding the perfect classic red for me would be fantastic. I'd love to find a bargain shade but to be honest if I find a pricey brand that's perfect, I'll take the plunge because I know I'll wear it often.  

• Give Back - Volunteering has always been part of my life. Unfortunately, when things get hectic, I don't do it as much as I'd like.  This year I want to look for new ways to give back and volunteer. I've already signed on to help a local high school with their Cinderella project (free prom gowns for needy girls). I'm sure I can find some great ways to help in my community.  

What are your New Year's Wishes?

Frugal Fashion Friday - Great Uses for Old Toothbrushes

Dentists recommend that you change your toothbrush every three months.  That's four old toothbrushes per year that go into landfills, for just one person. My parents have always been advocates of reusing items and they taught me to save things that can be reused.  I've always saved my old toothbrushes to use in different ways.

Jewelry Cleaning
If you have a sonic toothbrush, you can use your old brush heads along with the charged brush handle, to clean your jewelry.  It works just like a $25 plus ultrasonic jewelry cleaner. You can use plain water or a mild soap if you prefer.

If you don't have a sonic toothbrush, you can use your old manual toothbrush and a little elbow grease. A little mild soap or jewelry cleaning solution can up the cleaning process.

Hair
After cleaning your old toothbrush with a little mild soap, you can use it to smooth flyaways in your hairstyle.  When I slick back my hair into a ponytail, I always have a few fly away hairs near my hairline or some strays along the top. Using the toothbrush in a gentle backward motion you can smooth those hairs and make your style more sleek.

Makeup
One of my favorite uses for an old toothbrush is as a mascara comb. After a little cleaning to remove the old toothpaste and bacteria.  Using super hot water and gentle soap, clean the toothbrush and then let it dry completely. Make sure to clean it thoroughly. The eyes are senstive to bacteria.

After applying mascara, you can use the toothbrush is a gentle upward motion along your lashes to remove clumps and separate any stubborn lashes.


Do you have any toothbrush beauty tips?  I'd love to hear about them.  Please share by leaving a comment below.

Happy Friday!