Beauty Terrorist - Cheap is Chic
- The Beautiful Simplicity of Vaseline
- Free Samples Go A Long Way
- Atrixo Goes Where no Moisturiser Has Gone Before
- A PH Neutral Epidermal Layer
The general impression left behind by my encounter with this beautiful backpacker is that beauty doesn't have to cost a bomb. Even on the tightest budget you can still be a knock out and have enough cash left over for the usual round up of city centre, over priced tourist attractions.
The Beautiful Simplicity of Vaseline
First up in Siobhan's backpack of wonder was a medium size tub of Vaseline. This pure petroleum jelly can be used for a variety of things and this versatility is where the money saving wonder of the product lies. You can replace you lip balm with this, a lot of moisturisers don't do as a good a job, burns and lesions are effectively covered while your skin rebuilds itself, eyebrows are shaped, skin is glossed and your bank balance is well – balanced. You can pick up a 100g tub from Boots in the UK for a mere £0.93. We like getting an all round beauty regime for just €1.33 or $1.9.
Free Samples Go A Long Way
Next up Siobhan dug out a collection of high end products that are – dare I say it – FREE. I recognised this fine line up from Clinique because they also have a free sample range for male fans of clear complexions. Here's how it works. If you head into the big British department stores like House of Fraser and Debenhams, all you have to do is head to the right cosmetics counter, insinuate that you're interested in buying a single £40 product, um and ah and then ask if you can get some samples to check if it's right for your skin. After filling out a tiny little form, you'll have about two weeks of cleanser, toner and moisturiser from one of the best brands in the business. The junk mail trade off is worth it in my opinion.
Atrixo Goes Where no Moisturiser Has Gone Before
This one wasn't in the bag of wonders but it is a personal favourite which does things to your skin that medicines sometimes fail to. Anyone who's unfortunate enough to suffer from eczema knows the irritating and disgusting pain of dry, cracked, flaky skin and the frustration incurred when this epidermal malfunction happens to present itself on the most apparent parts of your body. For me the steroid creams from the doctor where mildly calming at best but after a lot of try outs, I found something that never failed – Atrixo. At first this moisturiser is greasier than a Sunday fry up for the local rugby team but after it's absorbed, the itchy, scratchy redness lessens and you can move your skin again without leaving a trail of dandruff flakes. My favourite is the Handcare Protection Cream which will set you back the small sum of £3.99 for 200ml. You can find this big brand in most shops.
A PH Neutral Epidermal Layer
Just before I became monumentally late for work we got onto the topic of PH levels. I'd come across the importance of getting the balance right before but it was on one of those daytime TV programmes you pretend to watch in an effort to maximise revision breaks at University. In a nutshell your skin has a slightly acidic PH level in order to fend off nasty bacteria that otherwise would infect and thrive on your skin - your body's largest organ. The problem with most shower gels and soap bars is that they are highly alkaline with a PH factor between 9 and 11. What your skin needs is a soap balanced between PH 4 and 7. This prevents and treats dry skin and irritation - but finding these cleanly wonders aren't easy. To my knowledge the range from Johnson's baby care fits the bill and if you can get past the irritatingly loved up advertising campaign, then you'll find that their range are competitively priced in a fair few countries. I like the Bedtime Moisture Wash.
- Rob Savage
