By Rebecca Hitchon
I’ve been lucky to grow up with a sister seven years older than me. I think that’s part of the reason I’ve always loved beauty. I’ve seen her learn about it (and lovingly forced her to use all of her products on me), and I’ve learnt what I know from her. She’s my beauty muse, even if I can’t master winged eyeliner quite the same. Another benefit is that I’ve learnt how to budget when it comes to beauty. We aren’t like people I know, who would probably explode if one part of their beauty routine wasn’t Chanel; we have had to make money count.
My long-term beauty investments
Curating a beauty routine on a budget is all about considering the things you buy. Ask yourself, am I getting value from how long this product will last? Sustainable beauty options, while often more expensive, save money in the long-term due to elements of long-lasting quality, reusability and no half-filled packaging.
Here are my top clean and sustainable beauty essentials that help save pennies.
Wild deodorant
Wild is a beauty brand we’ve mentioned on KeiSei before, but I can’t recommend them enough. They’ve made the switch to clean deodorant such an easy choice for me, not only through their luscious formulas but also through their money-saving refill system.
Once you buy one of Wild’s durable aluminium and recycled plastic cases, all you have to do is keep buying their biodegradable refills.
You can also subscribe to regular refills delivered on a schedule that suits you. Wild say their refills last about a month but it’s definitely longer than that. It feels like you hardly ever have to buy deodorant!
Organic cotton rounds
The sustainable benefits of reusable and biodegradable cotton rounds are pretty obvious. But no one talks about the monetary benefits of using them. I can’t even begin to imagine the money I must have saved since ditching single-use cotton pads from my beauty routine.
Organic cotton rounds are a worthwhile investment for the environment and your bank account, and I actually find myself using less rounds as they are firmer (but still soft on skin) and absorb more. I
use my rounds with micellar water, before using Sukin’s foaming facial cleanser (Sukin is a low-budget clean beauty brand that I would also highly recommend), to cleanse. I genuinely believe that my skin has never looked cleaner or fresher!
Eco Warrior shampoo bar
Now onto hair care, and zero waste products have got to be the most budget-friendly choice for our beauty routines.
The problem with bottles is that it’s easy to get more products than needed with what we take out of the bottle. Then in the spirit of ‘waste not, want not’, we end up using far too much product on our hair. That’s only going to do more damage than good.
I use Eco Warrior’s orange and ginger essential oils shampoo bar, made with clean, mostly naturally derived ingredients. It smells divine and has left my hair in the cleanest, softest and shiniest condition it’s been in for ages. It also ensures I don’t use too much product, lasting months and months before needing to be replaced.
Extending the shelf lives of products
We can be as budget-savvy as we like when it comes to buying beauty products, but one thing I’ve learnt is that taking care of products is crucial too. There are many ways to extend the shelf lives of products, which will stop you shopping for beauty so often. Let me talk you through some of my tips.
Get every last bit
Thinking about whether you use too much product and need to cut down on this is your first call. But another bad beauty habit that we all have is binning products when they still have plenty more to give us. By cutting open packaging and scraping out product, you could get weeks’ worth more of usage from your beauty buys.
Foundation + moisturiser = saving
Saying goodbye to our foundations isn’t easy, especially when they’re one of the most expensive parts of our beauty routines. Luckily for us, this doesn’t have to be the end. Adding some moisturiser to your last bits of foundation and shaking will stop your foundation from sticking to the bottle, and will create your own budget tinted moisturiser.
Make rubbing alcohol your best friend
Rubbing alcohol is here for all your makeup needs. Do you have a pressed powder product that is crushed? Pour in some rubbing alcohol and press together to solidify the powder. Is your eye shadow becoming dull? Spray with a little rubbing alcohol and dab to clean the colour and make it vibrant.
Keep it chill
Heat and light can mess with your beauty formulas, changing their colours, textures and scents. That’s why it’s best to keep products, in particular lipstick, perfume, makeup pencils and nail polishes, in a cool, dark place i.e. not the bathroom. Some people even use the fridge!
Get makeup brushes spick and span
If you want your brushes to last as long as possible, clean them as regularly as possible to maintain their condition. You can click here and scroll down to shop our edit of brush cleaning essentials.
My final top tips
– Often, if you have a skincare or hair care need to sort on a budget, you can make a remedy with what’s in your house. DIY clean beauty is something I really love. Not only is it cheaper but it’s a lot of fun too. You can find a DIY remedy to suit you here and here.
– It’s easy to be drawn in by brands claiming that every new product will change your beauty routine for the better. But remember, brands are good at marketing and constantly adding to your beauty routine will just irritate skin, hair and your purse. Carry around the knowledge of what ingredients you should be avoiding – you can take a look at our skincare guide here – and do your research to check that products are worthwhile purchases.
– Multitask with beauty products as much as you can. Instead of spending money on a face wash and gel cleanser, I use my Sukin cleanser in the morning and evening (and with a foaming cleanser, a little goes a long way.) My skin is a lot calmer and ready to be embraced for no makeup days, plus my bank account is happy.
How do you save money on your beauty routine? We’d love to hear your tips in the comments section below, or join the conversation by subscribing to our newsletter here and don’t miss a thing.
Rebecca Hitchon
Rebecca is passionate about cultivating a more sustainable lifestyle and enjoys being able to mix this with her love for writing, alongside completing her final year of a journalism degree and working on her blog: rebeccahitchon.wordpress.com.
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