Stay Beautiful On A Budget

“To me, Beauty is the wonder of wonders...It is only shallow people who do not judge by appearances.” - Oscar Wilde

It is a reality that although we were brought up not to judge others with their physical appearance, we can’t deny the fact that physical appearance is the one thing that we see first in a person. It is the first thing that attracts or shoo us away. This may be one of the many reasons why beauty spa and skin care centers are sprouting like mushrooms.

Although everyone aspire to be physically attractive, not everyone is capable enough to pay for the services at the beauty care centers, or even buy the best beauty products there is in the market. Some may end up buying the products with the cheaper price and end up with unwanted results, like skin discolorations, allergies and many other skin alterations brought about by ineffective beauty products.
Aside from lack of budget, we may also lack time to make ourselves physically attractive. With this life’s trying times, 24 hours may not even be enough to do the chores and other more important responsibilities that we need to do everyday.

Being unable to have time and budget for staying and feeling beautiful may affect some people deeply. It may be heart breaking for some, and it may alter their own self perception. They may lose their confidence and feel bad about themselves.

On the bright side, there are many tricks that are cheaper or even free of charge to look good. The best part is, one can even do them without so much time or even with no alterations with their busy schedules.

Here are a few helpful tricks to look beautiful on a budget, and without sabotaging a busy schedule:

• Start your day right.

If you don’t have time to exercise early in the morning, make sure to stretch before leaving your bed. Tense all your muscles for 10 seconds and relax after. You can do this 3 to 5 times and then rise.
Eat your breakfast to provide you with the much needed energy and stop you from being hungry later. Skipping your breakfast may cause hunger pangs that would cause you to eat much more than your body requirements during the day. This may lead to gaining unwanted weight. Eat this vital meal and make it a healthy one.

• Beautify while you sleep.

NEVER use a cotton pillow. Cotton does not allow your face to glide freely whenever you move which causes sleep lines, this may in overtime cause permanent fine lines and wrinkles. Buy pillow cases which are made of silk or satins (buy the synthetic ones to stay on a budget). These fabrics enable your face to move freely so to avoid sleep lines. As much as possible, don’t sleep on a prone position so that you are not lying on your face.

• Relieve stress while taking a shower.

As you shampoo, press the pads of your fingertips into your scalp in a circular motion,
along your hairline, around your ears, and up and down your scalp. Do not forget to massage your scalp, this does not only relax you but it will also take away oil at the roots of your hair.
While you soap your body, use a loofah sponge. It helps you relax and even rids you off of your dead skin cells.

• Keep your hair shiny.

Shampoo your hair concentrating on the oiliest part which is the roots. Do not rub the ends of your hair for it may cause dryness. Condition concentrating on the midshaft to the end, do not concentrate on the roots because it is where your natural oils are concentrated and it does not need so much conditioning on that part. This will also prevent your hair from losing its volume. And will help in maintaining your hair style.Use a towel that is made of a microfiber to wrap your hair after shampoo. It absorbs moist faster which helps in avoiding long exposure to hair driers.

• Know the best time to shave.

Do not stay longer than 3 minutes while you are in the shower before deciding to shave. Your hair may hide when your skin is soaked up on water beyond 3 minutes, this will make it harder for you to shave. Shave in the direction of hair growth first then again in the opposite direction. This will help prevent ingrown hair.

• Keep a young looking hand.

The hands are where we can see visible early signs of aging. Don’t forget to wear protective gloves whenever you do household chores like house cleaning, washing your clothes, doing the dishes or whenever you cook as these activities exposes your hands to harsh chemicals and prolonged water exposure. Water expands your nail layers which cause splitting and chipping; prolonged water exposure also cause skin dryness and itching.
Moisturize whenever you wash. Massage cuticles with an olive oil which helps condition your cuticles and maintain your manicure. This may also help lessen your visits to your manicurist.

• Know the best time to moisturize.

The best time to moisturize your skin is when it is still damp. This allows your skin to absorb more moisture compared to its absorption when it is completely dry. You can also heat up a handful of your lotion by setting your hair drier on a low and letting it blow on your lotion placed on your palm (Set your dryer on low and aim it down toward your palm, at least 3 inches away to avoid any mess). Heated lotion helps dilate your skin cells causing better moisture absorption. You will have a softer and silkier skin.

• Get whiter teeth.

As much as possible, brush your teeth every after meals. If this is not possible, munch on a crunchy fruit or vegetable such as apples, and carrots. Munching on these goodies stimulates saliva production which is helpful in flushing away any particles that may stain your teeth.
Use a straw whenever you drink on some beverages that may stain your precious smile. Coffee, red wine, deep colored juices, and dark colored soda are just examples. You can also consider having clear or light colored drinks such as a clear soda, chamomile tea or the ever best drink which is water.
Every other day or even everyday, before you go to bed, use a pinch of baking soda together with your toothpaste when you brush to keep your teeth whiter. Most whitening toothpaste are more expensive.

• Protect your skin from the sun.

Most, if not all premature aging is caused by the damaging rays of the sun. Use a sun block that protects you both from UVA and UVB rays. Sun blocks may be a little expensive but it is all worth it to put it on whenever you are exposed to the sun. It does not only protect you from premature aging but it also lessens your risk to have skin cancer.If your budget does not allow you to buy this skin essential, try saving a little every time you get your salary and in due time, you can buy a good sun block cream or lotion.

Use light colored umbrella and clothing when staying under the sun. The light color will reflect back the rays and thereby protecting you from its harmful effects.

• Drink LOTS of water and get enough sleep.

It is a reality that we often forget the cheapest yet some of the best ways to looking great- Drinking enough water and getting enough sleep. So drink lots of water and get enough sleep as much as possible. These help rejuvenate our cells, which helps so much in attaining a more healthy and glowing skin.

• Spend quality time.

The most vital to staying beautiful is to spend some quality time with your love ones, or just being by yourself doing things that you love to do. Most of all spend time in prayer. These activities rid you off stress which triggers the release of feel bad hormones that also speeds up your aging.

These are just common ways to stay young looking and beautiful but are sometimes overlooked upon because of the evolution of beauty products and enhancers that takes so much time to do and much money to spend. Time and again, it is always great to look back and realize that some how it is easy to be beautiful despite the everyday rush and the failing economy. Feel great and stay beautiful as you save money and time.


Copyright by DjBryle Works, 2010 (ALL RIGHTS RESERVED AND AUTHORIZED BY LAW)
All images courtesy of Andy Newson/ Freedigitalphotos.net