Cheap Ways to Get Great Skin

I've got some cheap tricks to achieve a lovely complexion without spending all your money on expensive products. Plus, all the ingredients are natural and easy to find on your local supermarket or grocery store!

Skincare Routine

Develop a skincare routine: every morning when you wake up and every night before bed, take some time to take care of your body's largest organ. It doesn't even need to be a lot of time, five or ten minutes are more than enough. This routine should start by cleaning your skin.

Keep it clean!

For this you will need rose water, water, a cotton ball and a clean towel. The towel has to be clean and must only be used for your face and never any other part of your body. I would advice you to get a new towel, especially one that's soft on the skin and use it specifically to clean your face.

Every morning, wash your face with warm water (never hot), to open up your pores. Soak the cotton ball with rose water and rub it gently on your face. Then dry it with the clean towel and continue with your normal routine. If you don't wear make up, do the same before bed, and apply a bit of sweet almond oil to keep your skin moisturised.

Exfoliate

Exfoliating the skin is very important, to remove dead skin cells and dirt. However, this shouldn't be done every day as it can be aggressive for your skin. If you have oily skin, you can do it twice a week, but if you have normal to dry skin keep it to once a week. But we all know how expensive those creams can be, so here's an easy recipe for a homemade exfoliating cream that's good for any skin type:

In a clean container, mix three table spoons of extra virgin olive oil, two table spoons of honey and five table spoons of sugar and mix the ingredients together slowly. These quantities will make enough cream to last for at least two weeks.

Exfoliating should be done at night, as your skin will need to rest. I also advice you to do it after a nice bath, as your pores will be open because of the steam. And of course, clean your skin beforehand. To exfoliate with this natural cream, simply apply a bit on your skin and spread it in circular motions, avoiding the eye area. Massage softly for about fifteen seconds, then rinse it off with warm water (again, never hot). Dry your face with the soft towel and you're good to go! Because the honey and olive oil are already moisturising, you won't need to apply anything on your face after exfoliating. Just sleep on it!

Removing Make up

This is extremely important and should not be skipped, ever. Sleeping with make up on is the most awful thing you can do to your skin! Luckily, I also have a recipe for homemade make up remover that is cheap, easy and all natural.

Get a small water bottle (empty and clean, of course) and fill it almost all the way up with rose water. Add a little bit of sweet almond oil and extra virgin olive oil, shake it up to mix it all really well and voilá, your natural homemade make up remover! Now just apply it on your skin with a cotton ball and gently massage your face to remove the make up. This can be used on your eyes, too. After the make up is all removed, wash your face with warm water and dry it with your towel, then apply sweet almond oil and go to sleep.

Protect Your Skin

I live in London, where it's usually not sunny at all, but the UV rays are out to get you even if you don't feel them! Applying sunscreen everyday will prevent your skin from aging and, of course, protect your skin against the UV rays, even here in London where the sun doesn't seem to shine that much. Simply apply a small amount on your face after it's clean and before your make up. Also, apply it to areas of your body that your clothes don't cover. Make sure you use the right SPF. I use the 50+ (for kids, actually) because I'm extremely pale and my skin is sensitive.

Fighting Acne and Black Dots

When I was younger, I used to have a lot of acne on my face. I tried everything and nothing seemed to work. Luckily, as I got older, it began to disappear but I still get annoying pimples every now and then, especially on that time of the month. If you have severe acne, I would advise you to see a doctor about it. However, there are some homemade treatments that can help and since all the ingredients are natural, they won't harm your skin.

Here they are:

1. Slice a tomato in half and rub it on your face gently. Leave the juices for ten minutes then rinse with warm water.
2. Apply lemon juice on the most affected areas and rinse it with warm water after ten minutes (beware, lemon juice in pimples will sting a little.)
3. Cook three tablespoons of rice in plenty of water, until it forms a sticky paste. Add two table spoons of honey and mix, then apply the mixture on your face (avoiding the eye area) and rinse it with warm water after twenty to thirty minutes.

You can use any of these treatments once a week if you only have a couple of pimples and black dots, or twice a week if you have a lot. Still, visit your dermatologist if your acne is out of control.

Never, ever, under any circumstance, pop a pimple or black dot. It will leave marks and your skin will get even oilier.

Conclusion

Get enough sleep, avoid stress as much as possible, add a lot of greens to your meals, avoid greasy foods (like fried foods) and exercise regularly (mild exercise will do, like biking or taking long walks) to keep your skin looking young and fresh. Visit your dermatologist if you have a lot of acne that won't go away no matter what products you use. And drink lots of water to keep your skin and your body hydrated and healthy. Hope these tips helped!