Q. Help. I love my cosmetics but with the credit crunch, I've had to rethink my spending. Any advice for how to make a shrunken beauty budgets go further?
A. I sympathize wholeheartedly. We all need to curb our spending a bit in the current climate. Strangely enough, though, the cosmetics sector is often the last to feel the pinch - history has shown that recessions tend to see a rise in the sales of l
ipsticks and other small "affordable" cosmetic luxuries. It seems that when the going gets tough, women still go shopping, but for much smaller ticket items. Here are some tips I have gathered over the years that might help you get through the next six months without feeling too deprived!
1. Double the life span of your foundation by mixing it with a little daily moisturiser or illuminator each day. Try Clarins Instant Light Complexion Perfector, or you can experiment with a supermarket brand.
2. Use 2 in one ( or better still, 3 in one) products. One of my all-time favourites is Clarins Multi Blush - it dabs on eyes, cheeks and lips and gives a gorgeous dewy fresh colour to the face that looks polished but not painted. Bonus: it's super fast to apply and takes up next to no handbag space.
3. If you like an all round tan, and can't bear to give up the glow in the recession, try an everyday body moisturiser with a touch of self tan instead of the full strength self tanner - you get two products for the price of one, and application-wise, it will work out much more economical. Try Clarins Radiance-Plus Self Tanning Body Lotion for a fresh, comfortable product - it's pleasantly fragranced and is rapidly absorbed.
4. If you are a brand loyalist, now is the time to visit your favorite beauty counter and ask for complimentary samples - these will help stretch your budget. The counter staff will be only too delighted to reward faithful shoppers - retail stores are doing everything they can to ease the credit crunch for shoppers. Fragrance samples are particularly great value for frugal fashionistas - a phial can last a week, sometimes two - great value.
5. Swap and share: If, like most women you have a drawer full of products you've bought that aren't quite right for you, then swap them or donate them to a friend. Better still, get a few friends together for a swap shop over a coffee or cocktail some evening and you can all clear out your make up backlog.
RECOMMENDED Clarins products are available from Clarins counters throughout Northern Ireland.
- Clarins Instant Light Complexion Perfector £21.05
- Clarins Multi Blush £14.70
- Clarins Radiance-Plus Self Tanning Body Lotion 150ml tube/£24.01
