****This is a recycled WFMW tip from my other blog. For more great tips go visit Rocks In My Dryer.
Every time I run out of make up or some beauty product, it freaks me out because it costs so much to replace. I could spend half my grocery budget on buying replacement items and have nothing leftover to eat with.
But through the years I’ve gathered some tips from magazines and books and little old ladies that have really saved me some bucks and left me with pretty darn good skin.
And I’m going to share them with you because we are in this thrifty thing together, right?
In most beauty regimens it’s suggested that we use a toner after washing. A toner is supposed to remove any impurities left after washing, shrink down the pores, balance our skins PH and prepare it for a moisturizer. It’s usually applied with a cotton ball dampened with your toner and wiped all over your face and neck. You’ll be amazed how much is left behind after washing.
Yuck!
But the cosmetic companies don’t let you know that toner has been around for ages. Those black and white pictures of relatives with beautiful skin reveal a knowledge that has gotten lost with all the beauty advertisements and marketing ploys. One of the best and most frugal toners you could use is sitting right in your medicine chest.
Witch Hazel is your answer.
Witch Hazel is a naturally occurring purifying agent that works as a cooling astringent, anti-inflammatory, and wards off harmful bacteria. Indians and pioneers used it for insect bites, burns and irritated skin. And the cosmetic companies have been using it for years in their potions.
And to prove it, I looked at my $11 bottle of Clinique toner to find that, yes it’s ingredients consist of witch hazel (hamamelis), water, alcohol, coloring, glycerin (which helps seal in moisture but using a moisturizer afterwards would do the same thing), sodium borate (which I was freaked out to realize was Borax and I use that in my laundry soap) and menthol (for the cooling sensation).
I can do without all the extras.
But the tipping point for me was that the pure witch hazel left me with the same tingly clean feeling but cost only a fraction of the price.
6.7 ounces of Clinique Clarifying Lotion (toner) = $11 per bottle
6.7 ounces of generic Witch Hazel from the drugstore without all the added ingredients = $1.20 (and I bet you can find it even cheaper than that.)
Which would you prefer to use?
***I'm not picking on Clinique, it's just what I had it in the back of my cupboard.
But through the years I’ve gathered some tips from magazines and books and little old ladies that have really saved me some bucks and left me with pretty darn good skin.
And I’m going to share them with you because we are in this thrifty thing together, right?
In most beauty regimens it’s suggested that we use a toner after washing. A toner is supposed to remove any impurities left after washing, shrink down the pores, balance our skins PH and prepare it for a moisturizer. It’s usually applied with a cotton ball dampened with your toner and wiped all over your face and neck. You’ll be amazed how much is left behind after washing.
Yuck!
But the cosmetic companies don’t let you know that toner has been around for ages. Those black and white pictures of relatives with beautiful skin reveal a knowledge that has gotten lost with all the beauty advertisements and marketing ploys. One of the best and most frugal toners you could use is sitting right in your medicine chest.
Witch Hazel is your answer.
Witch Hazel is a naturally occurring purifying agent that works as a cooling astringent, anti-inflammatory, and wards off harmful bacteria. Indians and pioneers used it for insect bites, burns and irritated skin. And the cosmetic companies have been using it for years in their potions.
And to prove it, I looked at my $11 bottle of Clinique toner to find that, yes it’s ingredients consist of witch hazel (hamamelis), water, alcohol, coloring, glycerin (which helps seal in moisture but using a moisturizer afterwards would do the same thing), sodium borate (which I was freaked out to realize was Borax and I use that in my laundry soap) and menthol (for the cooling sensation).
I can do without all the extras.
But the tipping point for me was that the pure witch hazel left me with the same tingly clean feeling but cost only a fraction of the price.
6.7 ounces of Clinique Clarifying Lotion (toner) = $11 per bottle
6.7 ounces of generic Witch Hazel from the drugstore without all the added ingredients = $1.20 (and I bet you can find it even cheaper than that.)
Which would you prefer to use?
***I'm not picking on Clinique, it's just what I had it in the back of my cupboard.
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10 comments:
I love it! Thanks for figuring this out for us. I like to keep things as simple (and frugal) as possible...you've helped me figure out another way to do so.
I haven't used an astringent in a long time, but have lately been thinking that I should start up again. I used this as a teen, but totally forgot about it. So, thanks for the reminder!
Great WFMW!
~ Amy @ Memoirs of a Mommy
You know I used to do this as a teenager and it worked great. I had forgotten about it though and had started spending my money on expensive toner again though. Thanks for reminding about this one.
Interesting. I am going to have to give that a try! Does it dry out your skin?
hmmm, thanks for the tip. I have been budgeting out and slowly buying from a more expensive European line that my mom has started using, BUT this makes me think twice.
This is an awesome tip! Thanks for sharing it! Isn't it amazing when you compare a "generic" with a "name brand"? They are always exactly the same thing, or almost anyway!
I use astringent everyday, mostly to remove makeup - but all those other benefits you listed will have me continuing this treatment. I didn't realize witch hazel was the same thing and I have some in my cupboard! I guess when my bottle runs out, I'll know what to use next without having to go to the store!
Witch Hazel always takes me back to my Clowns for Christ days in college. We used it before applying the clown make-up. The disgusting smell will forever remind me of those fun times.
I LOVE this! I had totally forgotten this myself...I used to use this as a teenager. I don't use a toner (I know, I know) but now that I can afford it again..it'll be so nice to get some Witch Hazel! Great advice!
Amanda
do you know of anything I could add to Witch Hazel that would cover the awful smell of this stuff?????
here is my e-mail address
scrapquick at gmail dot com
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