You Will Need Olive Oil, Lemon Juice and Honey… But This Isn’t a Recipe for Pancakes

Finding it difficult to justify splurging out on the latest beauty products when there’s a recession going on?

Join the club! As all women know, the best beauty ranges and products will cost you. But just because money is tight doesn’t mean that your beauty regimes ought to be neglected.

That is precisely why Her.ie is bringing you the top five household products that double up as beauty products.

1. Olive Oil

Here we were, thinking that olive oil was the best thing since sliced bread because we could use it to make a delicious chicken stir-fry. We’d never actually realised just how useful it is in the world of beauty. As a great all-over body moisturiser it is perfect for a pre-sleep lathering session. And yes, we did just say lathering session. Before heading to bed, rub a small amount of olive oil into your skin and all over your body. When you wake up in the morning your skin will feel so smooth you’ll find it hard to stop people from touching it. As if it couldn’t get any better olive oil can also be used to remove eye makeup.

2. Lemon Juice

As a natural whitening agent, lemon juice can be used for a number of things from whitening hair to cleansing your nails. It can also be used for treating blemishes on the skin. If all else fails, you can always use it for making pancakes! Mmmm, we say why choose one or the other when you can cook and look great all at the same time.

3. Toothpaste

It is a well-known beauty fact that toothpaste can be and is often used to prevent and tackle spots at home. This is because it dries out the skin when applied and left overnight. Be warned, it’s not guaranteed to get rid of blemishes and it stings like hell when applied. For something a little less painful, use toothpaste for removing any stains on your nails. It also adds shine to them which means there is no need to apply clear nail polish.

4. Baking Soda

Just when you thought it couldn’t be used for anything better than making muffins! Baking soda, when mixed with water, creates a fantastic cleansing shampoo for your hair. It can also be used for whitening teeth. All you have to do is sprinkle some on a toothbrush and get scrubbing. As well as your hair, it can also do wonders for your feet. If they are feeling a bit rough or sweaty, sprinkle some powder on them and rub in. A little gross we know, but totally worth it!

5. Honey

As well as tasting delicious, honey also has huge potential as a home beauty treatment and money-saver. Not only can it be applied directly as a face mask for moisturising skin and fighting bacteria but it can be used as a hair conditioner, also applied directly.

So the next time you go to spend your hard-earned money on expensive beauty products, rummage around in your cupboards first and see what you can use there. Look great while saving time and money - what’s not to love?