We all love a freebie

I am a bit of an addict come Tuesdays and I am straight out to buy my weekly supply of magazines. I love flicking through the pictures of celebrities and finding out what new beauty products are out.

One thing that I think is brill though is that the magazines give out free promotional gifts! Don’t you just love it when people give away free goodies to promote new things? I have a draw dedicated to sachets of beauty products, yes some are crap but at least I know never to buy the product in the shop but some are really good, if it wasn’t for OK magazine I would of never of tried out John Frieda shampoo and now its my must-have thanks to a free promotional sachet.

It’s a good way of trying out a new shampoo, foundation or smelling a fragrance without having to buy it first. There has been so many times when I have bought something just because I am intrigued and it’s turned out to be a waste of money and made its way to the bin.

Another place I have found some freebies or really good offers is The Sun newspaper. There is a page dedicated to discounts and free samples…it would be rude not to try some!

Why pay when you can get for free!!!

Beauty on a budget

The credit crunch seems to be affecting everyone at the moment leaving us with little cash to spare to spend on making us look fabulous! But you don’t need hundreds of pounds to look a million dollars.

Here are a few tips to stay looking beautiful everyday without putting your hand in your pocket:

If your nail varnish has dried out, i do this all the time by leaving the lid off, add a tiny drip of nail varnish remover into it and shake well and it will be good as new

To make your mascara last longer blast it with your hairdryer for a few seconds

Lipstick can be very frustrating when you can see that you have plenty left but can not get to it. The best thing to do is scoop it all out and heat in the microwave for a few seconds. Mix and press into a small container and you’ll have a new shade

When buying eye shadow by eye palettes, much more cost effective!

Weird tip but trust me it works!!! If you suffer from very dry hair, apply a tablespoon of cooking oil, comb through your hair and wrap in a towel for 20 minutes. Then wash and shampoo and condition as normal

Dust your lashes with loose translucent powder before applying mascara to add volume and lengthen your lashes

Keep your lip and eyeliner in your fridge as it will be less likely to break

Use your eye shadow as eyeliner by applying it with a damp cotton bud

Add a small amount of foundation into your moisturise to create an every day tinted moisturiser

Bleach your own teeth. You can pick up really good kits now and it will save you hundreds of pounds and you will be able to smile with confidence

Do not feel cheeky to ask for samples at beauty counters

To make the most out of your razor all you need to do is rinse it in a cup of ice water. It keeps your razor sharp and can make it last twice as long.

Carmen Eyelash Curler

For Christmas i was bought a heat assisted eyelash curler, this is the most pointless gift i received. The heat made no noticeable effect to my eyelashes apart from making them kink. If anyone is thinking of purchasing this product, i would recommend going for the bog standard metal one.

Clinique Lash Power Mascara

I was recommended the new Lash Power Mascara by Clinique. At the price of only £12.50 i couldn’t resist.

It stays pretty for 24 hours without smudge or smear lasts through rain yet washes away easily with warm water.

Bargain Eyeshadow

Tesco have a collection of roll on eyeshadows, at just 5 pounds, they are brilliant! They have just the right amount of metalic shimmer and as they are roll on you will not get powder over your cheeks (this always seems to happen to me!)

Compare Prices - Bronzer

For those with cash to splash you should try The Body Shop bronzer. Its costs £11.50 and gives your skin a gorgeous glow. For those who want a bargain the 17 version is just as good at a mere £4.49.