Beauty Products on a Budget

I've heard that we're heading out of the recession but I know we're still feeling the pinch. The other day in the studio I got to thinking how much money is wasted on beauty products. I know I've been there and done that and am now ready to admit it! haha. I'd like to think that I've "lived and learned" when it comes to wasting money on beauty products and now want to help you avoid this shameful deed as well!

Here's Batty's List of TO DO's to make sure you're not wasting your money:

Switch to Handmade Products.

If there's nothing else you do after reading this post, at least switch to a company that actually cares about you and doesn't just see you as another number. I've supported handmade sellers for a long time now and have yet to come across one that treated me as anything else than amazing! I love knowing that the products were made with the outmost care from sellers that knows their products will end up in the hands of someone special. Handmade sellers also know that their products and customer service has to be of the highest standard if they want to keep food on their tables. Big corporate companies don't think this way - they aren't worried about losing a customer or two.. or three.. or five hundred! Getting the best quality, stellar customer service, and a connection with the person behind the product is well worth the time it takes to search out handmade sellers that are excelling in their individual fields.

Do Check For Quality

When sourcing out beauty products don't be fooled by an expensive price tag. Many products with virtually identical formulas are being marketed as "high end" by one company, and as a drugstore brand by the next. Before deciding on a product that seems excessively pricey make sure your money is paying for a quality product and not a flashy marketing campaign.

Avoid "Pyramid Scheme" Type Companies

There's no better way to waste your money then to purchase a generic product from multi-level marketers. If there's a lot of people to pay in the chain, you can bet that most of your money is going to that and not stellar ingredients.

Avoid Listening to Fear Mongers

The latest "blacklisted" item or ingredient changes more than the weather! Don't buy into the latest marketing scares to get you to avoid using perfectly safe and effective products (and consequently steer you towards a specific brand or trend). From time to time there is something to back up a reason to question an ingredient's effectiveness, but generally speaking, there's no reason to believe that long-used (tested and proven to be safe) ingredients that are blacklisted by radicals are actually as bad as they make them out to be. In Canada and the US (among other countries) there are strict regulations that keep the public safe from dangerous ingredients so don't buy into the hype without solid scientific evidence to back it up.

Know Which Products Don't Work

There are some products that will just never work.. at least there hasn't been any that have proven to actually work yet. If you come across any beauty products claims to fix the following, avoid them: split ends, cellulite, and hair growth (increasing or slowing).