Cheap and Lazy Person's Beauty Advice

Hey girls,
I usually don't read fashion magazines but every once in a while I have one on hand and I look at it. After reading the sex advice sections, I flip over to the "385 new looks" section. One thing I've noticed about all of these looks is they are time consuming, hard, and expensive! (Or at least, for me they are because I'm cheap and lazy.) So, I've decided to share some tips with you, things that I've tried. I'm not getting paid for any of this by the way.

1) For acne/blackhead removal
Yeast. I swear it works. I know it sounds gross, and honestly it kind of is, but it works quite well. Buy dry yeast that you can find in a supermarket. They usually come in 6 little packages or so and they are not frightfully expensive. I don't recommend the rapid rise yeast though. It doesn't work as well and when I explain what you have to do, you'll understand. When you're brushing your teeth to get ready for bed, get a small bowl and empty only about 1/2 of one package of the yeast into the bowl. Add a couple drops of water and mix it until it's a thin paste. Not too watery though. Spread the yeast onto your face like you would a cream. The rapid rise yeast will dry too quickly and will render your face immovable. When you do move your face, it'll crack and leave you looking like some kind of warrior with war paint on. You want the yeast to be moist enough to soak into your skin I guess. It shouldn't feel like dried up face paint. You leave it on all night. Yes, you actually have to sleep with this gunk on. The next morning, simply wash it off with soap and water. I have noticeable blackheads on my nose and after I do this yeast treatment, they didn't reappear for a week or so. It also left my skin clear and even. The nice thing about the yeast treatment is that it's all natural and you don't have to do it for a long time to see results. You see results after the first time and you don't have to do it every night, or every week.

2) Curly hair care
I have curly hair. Natually. It really bothers me that those "75 new hair-dos" are for girls with straight hair. I can't cut my hair in layers, my hair has enough volume as it is! And I refuse to straighten my hair because that takes over 2 hours, it doesn't look good, and I'm lazy. So, thanks to my roommates last year I have discovered an amazing product! Really, it's like God's gift to my hair. Only problem is, I've only ever been able to find it at Wal-Mart. It's called Cantu, it sells for about $6 for 16 fl. oz. and it's in the ethnic section of the hair care aisle. It's a shea butter leave-in condition. It's now the only product I use. I wash and condition my hair and then when I get out of the shower and have squeezed all the water out of my hair, I separate my hair into sections and put the Cantu in starting at the roots and go all the way down to the tips. That's it. Because I have a lot of hair, it takes a while, but now that I have the hang of it, I can do it much faster. It takes about 20 minutes or so. The beauty of Cantu is that I can put it on, and go out with my hair still wet and it won't get frizzy. I used to use mousse. When I'd put it on and go out with my hair still wet, my hair would pouf up and shrink. Cantu also brings definition to my hair and holds it like a gel. I decided to change my curl pattern by twisting them with my fingers to get those doll curls and they I still have them a few days later. I told you, I swear by this product. Nothing has ever worked for my hair, so it's really nice to find something that works that won't break the bank.

3) Dark circles
Sometimes they are caused by allergies, other times genetics, or lack of sleep is to blame. I don't really have dark circles under my eyes, but at the inner corner of my eyes it's a little dark and it makes me look tired all the time. My 4th semester of college I took a theater make-up class; each session we learned a new technique. Old age, changing our features, wounds, etc. One of the first days was beauty. It wasn't pretty, going out to the club make-up- it was how to change our faces to achieve ideal beauty. Oval face, symmetry of the features, smooth skin. So to cover up darkness under the eyes they gave us this yellow concealer. I loved it so much I asked where I could get some. They told me Sally's sells it and I ran out to get some. It cost about $6. It comes in lipstick form so it's easy to handle. I know I should use a sponge or a brush or something, but I don't. I just apply it under my eye, spread it out with my finger and then apply my powder foundation on top of it. Besides making my eyes brighter, I also use it as a primer for my lids.

4) Red spots
Another thing I learned in the aforementioned class was the magic of green concealer. This one I also bought at Sally's for the same price as the yellow concealer. Do not use it over a large area, it's only meant for spots. After you apply it, dab at it to blend it and remove the excess. A couple taps of your finger ought to do it. Apply your foundation/powder as usual.
The reason yellow and green concealers work is because of the color wheel. Dark circles are purplish and yellow is the color opposite purple on the color wheel. When combined, the colors cancel out. The same is true of red and green.

5) Cleaning braces/appliances
I went through treatment for a long time. I almost feel like an expert in orthodontics because, I swear, I went through just about everything. You name it, I probably had it. At one point, I had a retainer that I couldn't remove because it was glued to the roof of my mouth. So, to keep my mouth clean, I would rinse with one part hydrogen peroxide and one part water. When I finally finished with my entire treatment, I didn't have the stain of the braces on my teeth. The hydrogen peroxide mixture is a good way to whiten teeth.

6) Getting rid of bug bites
A few years ago I went to Mexico and got stung by fire coral. OUCH! When I went and asked what I should do about it, I was told to put vinegar on it. It took a while to heal, and I smelled like a salad, but it worked. The acid that's in the vinegar neutralizes the baseness of the bite. Vinegar also works on bug bites. It takes away the itch and bump in about a day. The area might still be a little red, but it won't itch and it'll be completely healed the day after. Ok, I know this isn't really a 'beauty tip' but who likes itchy, bumpy, red legs or arms?

7) My personal beauty advice
Lucky seven because I can't think of anything else right now. Your best way to look and feel beautiful on the cheap is to smile. Smile from your face, your mind, and your liver as Ketut from the movie "Eat Pray Love" said. Seriously, a smile is the most dangerous weapon in your arsenal ladies. Guys, you too. I never leave home without my smile.