Five Beauty Swaps that Save Money (and Work Better)

These days it can cost a lot of money just to take care of our bodies! There are certain products we use regularly to help ourselves feel confident and beautiful. I created My Life Thriving to help people spend less money without feeling like they are missing out on anything. These beauty swaps will help you save money, and they even work better than the products they replace!

Like lists and saving money? Check out my post, 20 Free Ways to Practice Self-Care.

1. Hair conditioner as shaving cream

Swapping your shaving cream for hair conditioner is a must! When using hair conditioner to shave, you only need a tiny drop to spread across the whole surface you want to shave. A 100 ml travel sized conditioner will last me about 6 months when I use it as shaving cream! A cheap full-sized bottle of hair conditioner only costs around $4 and contains about 350 ml. That means I’m spending less than $2 a year on shaving cream! (The amount you use will of course vary depending on how much and how often you shave).

Another benefit to shaving with hair conditioner is that it allows you to see what you are doing because it goes on clear. Hair conditioner is also meant to soften your hair, which means it has a similar effect on your skin.

Hair conditioner is my favourite on this list of beauty swaps. It’s cheaper, makes shaving easier, and softens your skin! What more could you ask for?

2. Coconut oil as makeup remover

Coconut oil works great as makeup remover. Just rub a small amount between your hands and apply it to your face. You will see your makeup start to melt off. Just wipe it off your face and rinse with water if you prefer. Coconut oil does a great job at removing mascara and eyeliner and it doesn’t irritate your eyes. You can also use a tiny amount on a cotton swab for touch ups.

You can buy a small jar of coconut oil from Amazon for around $10. This might seem a bit pricey, but for the small amount you need per use, it is significantly cheaper that conventional makeup remover. Traditional makeup remover starts at around $7 a bottle, but only lasts a few months with regular use. A small jar of coconut oil could last upwards of a year if you are only using it as makeup remover. I bought my coconut oil from Costco at a price of about $22 for 2.3kg! That is basically a lifetime supply for what I use it for. (I’ve been using the same container for about 4 years and I’m not even a third of the way through it).

3. Coconut oil as leave-in hair conditioner

Number 3 on this beauty swaps list is also coconut oil, this time for leave-in hair conditioner. Coconut oil protects your hair from split ends, and reduces frizz. You only need a tiny amount to get the benefit (overdoing it will make your hair look oily, so be careful). Because you only need a small amount, one jar will last a really long time. This makes it a lot cheaper than conventional leave in conditioners, which have a similar price point, but don’t last nearly as long.

4. Sugar as a body scrub

Body scrubs can get pretty pricey (this one from The Body Shop goes for $22). All you need to make your own body scrub is brown sugar and some of your coconut oil (yes, coconut oil again)! A whole bag of brown sugar should cost you less that $5 at your local grocery store. That’s enough for many body scrub batches, and maybe a few batches of cookies too!

If you want to make a fancier body scrub you can check out this recipe by The Simple Veganista.

5. Menstrual cup instead of tampons

This isn’t exactly a beauty swap, but it is definitely part of personal care so it made the list. Menstrual cups may seem scary at first, but once you make the switch they are so much better than tampons! You can leave them in for up to 12 hours and you can leave them in overnight because they are associated with a much lower risk of TSS (Toxic Shock Syndrome) than tampons. Menstrual cups are also way better for the environment that single use period products. There are many different menstrual cups on the market, some starting as low as $20. (I personally use the Diva Cup, which costs $39.99 at the time of writing this). While they may be expensive upfront, they save you a lot of money down the road because you don’t need to buy single use tampons or pads!

You can save money on your wardrobe too! Check out my post, Why I Thrift (Almost) All My Clothes.

Bonus: Baking soda and apple cider vinegar for shampoo and conditioner

Did you know you actually don’t need to shampoo your hair? Shampooing actually strips your hair of its natural oil, causing your hair to produce excess oil to make up for it! This swap is a lot harder to implement and keep up than the others on this list, but if you have the patience it is worth it!

Switching to a no-poo method of baking soda and apple cider vinegar makes your hair healthier and stronger! It increases the time you can go between washes! Baking soda and apple cider vinegar are also so much cheaper than conventional shampoo!

If you want to learn more about this, check out nopoomethod.com/!

Conclusion

I hope you found these beauty swaps useful! Comment below what swaps you use and which swaps you’d like to try in the future!