I have to admit I haven't done this before, but I know a lot of people use household made scrubs and treatments to save money on beauty products. I know there are facial refresh products you can make from oatmeal, and sugar scrubs and the like. Some people condition their hair with vinegar. I have also seen people use tea bags or cucumber slices to refresh under eye puffiness. Do you use any home products to avoid buying beauty products?
I use organic & virgin coconut oil by itself for cooking and skin care. I did not make it and use it straight from the jar. I don't like to make skin treatments at home, but use herbs like aloe growing in my back yard for it's health value and protection from the Sun so I rub it on and eat the aloe fingers too. Aside from these things I really don't make any skin treatments from home.
I don't make skin care products at home either. My daughter tried it thinking she might be able to save money but I found that it really isn't any cheaper and the products don't look as nice either. I think its a nice idea if you put it in a decorative jar that you spruce up yourself. It would make a thoughtful gift for someone since it something that you've made, personally, for them. About the only one I've ever tried to make is bath bombs because I had to make them in a group I was taking. I don't think the ingredients for those cost very much and they're quite expensive to buy pre-made at a bath and skin product shop considering what they are made of. By making them yourself you can control the amount and type of scent is in them too. I found that some of the bought ones were way too perfumed for my taste.
If you're concerned about chemicals and additives then making your own products can be a great solution. However, I often find that the ingredients needed seem to cost far more than a ready made product. So, as appealing as this idea may be, it's probably beyond the financial scope of a lot of people.
I use a mix of store-bought and homemade skin care products. I find that my skin seems to heal a lot faster since I’ve been using coconut oil to remove my makeup and an oatmeal/honey mask to keep things clean. But I will use a store-bought mask when my pores feel clogged, and tea tree gel for stubborn pimples since the pure oil is pricey and probably requires a carrier oil. It all seems to work out pretty well for me.
Once, I had an ongoing writing assignment that covered beauty and fashion. In my research of DIY or "secrets" of celebrities, I read where one used diluted baking soda as their only cleanser. I tried it and it made my face peel.
I have conditioned my hair with olive oil before. It seemed to work. I think I might actually try that today. I have some. I like it for cooking, but well if it works as a conditioner too...why not??
I don't think it saves as much money as people think. They can be handy last minute remedies when there is nothing else, but items such as honey and oatmeal aren't cheap. These days you can get things that work well in the dollar or pound store. The problem with using natural products is that they won't store well (hence preservatives) so you have to use things quickly, which isn't so cost effective.
