We love a good beauty product, but let's face it, they can be ridiculously overpriced.
Thankfully, nature has given us a helping hand. All it takes is a little know-how and you can have glowing skin, sparkling eyes and even zap zits in no time.
Here are a few tried and tested home beauty tips.
Skin-savers
• Want fresh, supple skin? Try making a face mask with carrot juice - it clears imperfections and supplies plenty of beta-carotene and vitamin C too.
• Tomatoes firm, tone and freshen the skin. They also help to eliminate blackheads.
• Lettuce juice, added to whipped egg white, is excellent for blackheads.
• Cucumber juice soothes and softens your skin. Use it after going out in cold winds or strong sunshine. It also keeps the skin clear. To cool and soothe inflamed or blotchy skin, grate cucumber into a little yoghurt or cream and apply to your skin.
• Using red roses from your garden, gather the petals when they are in full bloom, put them in a basin and pour boiling water over them. The water should turn a deep rose colour (if not, don't use it). Once cooled, this makes a very effective mouthwash that cleanses and strengthens the gums and mucous membrane.
• The petals of red roses are also a traditional favourite for eye-care, especially for inflamed or irritated eyelids. A cooling, soothing way to refresh tired eyes is to infuse two or three pinches of petals in a glass of boiling water for 10 minutes. Cool, strain and apply as a cold compress.
• For dry skin, take a square from an old cotton or linen sheet, tie a few spoonfuls of oatmeal into it with a firm knot. Put it in the bath under a running tap. The milky liquid will soften the water and your skin. Rub it all over yourself.
• Milk itself is very soothing. Even a capful or ordinary milk or instant dried milk added to bath water will soften your skin.
Tricks of the trade
• Clear skin and lovely make-up are a good way to start, but if your eyebrows are untidy, you won't look your best. To keep them in shape, follow the natural growth line. To make it easier to remove stray hairs, we recommend that you use tweezers with a proper grip. They are affordable and should last for years.
• Exfoliating body scrubs are wonderful to use, but you don't have to if you're cash-strapped. Instead, use a rough/smooth double-sided sponge or a body brush to get rid of dead skin cells.
• Soft, smooth feet immediately make a good impression, especially in fashionable strappy sandals. To buff your feet, use a foot file. One side will remove hard, dry skin and the other will give your feet a smooth finish.
• De-fuzz the quickest and cheapest way: with a throwaway razor.
• Use Vaseline to soothe elbows, tame eyebrows, remove make-up and condition lips and lashes.
Have you discovered any other quick beauty remedies sitting in your fridge? Go on... share them below.